6.28.20 - Walk by the Spirit - Part 1 (no audio)

Due to technical difficulties the video and audio recordings of the sermon were lost, but here are the sermon notes for those who may want to see them.

Time to get practical  How does all of this theology work it’s way into our daily lives?
-It is NOT a stretch to say Galatians 5:16-26 is one of the most practical and important passages of scripture in all of Paul’s writing!

Galatians 5:16-26 –There is an obvious BIG idea here.


The BIG Idea:
A Christian is a person who “walks” by the Spirit.

Romans 8:13-14 – For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Ephesians 5;18 – And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit
1 Cor.  be conformed by the spirit; Col  put on the new man as the spirit empowers; 2 Tim. 1  live in the spirit of power not of fear; 2 Peter 1  be partakers of the divine nature; 1 John 1  abide in the spirit


1.What does it mean?
First, what does “walking by the Spirit” actually mean? There are two other images in the context which shed light on the meaning of “walk by the Spirit.”
“being led by the Spirit”
oThe first is in verse 18: “If you are led by the Spirit you are not under law.” If Paul had said, “If you follow the Spirit you are not under law,” it would have been true, but in using the passive voice (“If you are led”) he emphasizes the Spirit’s work, not ours.
oThe Spirit is not a leader like the leading car going down the highway to a joint family vacation to the cottage… He is a leader like a locomotive on a train.
oWe do not follow in our strength. We are led by his power. So “walk by the Spirit” means stay hooked up to the divine source of power and go wherever he leads.
o
“bearing the fruit of the Spirit”
oThe second image Paul uses is in verse 22: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,” etc. If our Christian walk is to be a walk of love and joy and peace, then “walk by the Spirit” must mean “bear the fruit of the Spirit.”
oBut again, the Spirit’s work is emphasized, not ours. He bears the fruit.
oPerhaps Paul got this image from Jesus. You recall John 15:4–5: “Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.” So “walk by the Spirit” means “abide in the vine.” Keep yourself securely united to the living Christ. Don’t cut yourself off from the flow of the Spirit.
oSo in answer to our first question, What is this walking by the Spirit? we answer: It is “being led by the Spirit” and it is “bearing the fruit of the Spirit.” The work of the Spirit is emphasized, yet the command is for us to do something. Our wills are deeply involved. We must want to be coupled to the locomotive. We must want to abide in the vine. And there are some things we can do to keep ourselves attached to the flow of God’s power. But before we ask how to walk by the Spirit let’s ask . . .


2.Why is it so important?
A spiritual life does not mean rejection of the physical world, marriage, food, and bodily desires.
-The flesh is man left to himself without the Spirit of God active in him; the works of the flesh are thoughts and actions originating in sin. The degree to which we walk in the Spirit of God is the degree to which we overcome the flesh.
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-Reason number 1 comes from verse 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
So that we overcome sin.

Paul categorizes the works of the flesh:
-Sexual Sins: fornication is treason against God’s basic institution of the family and refers to any immoral sexual relationship; debauchery is open contempt for decency and God’s standards.
-Religious Sins: idolatry is an offense against God that involves serving the created order; witchcraft involves altering the state of mind with drugs and occult tampering with evil.
-Social sins: Hatred is a product of enmity against God. Strife and discord are a product of hatred. Jealousy and fits of rage are a result of alienation from God and sinful man’s insecurity. Rivalries and contentions result from sinful divisions. Hereses result when people pick and choose what parts of the Bible to believe. Envy is an ugly, murderous sin because it refuses to allow others to be in better circumstances than we are. You know you are in envy if you are pleased to hear bad news about others and displeased about good news. Drunkenness is the loss of control to anything that is intoxicating. We are no longer governed by God’s Spirit if we lose control of our faculties. Loss of control leads to lawless revelry and debauchery.
It is important for us to understand that True believers who have received the Spirit of God may temporarily fall into such sins, but they will repent.

The second reason this is so important comes in verse 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
So that we do not work in opposition to God.


3.How do we do it?

-It IS supernatural, but it is NOT mystical.
-God does the work, but the day to day living is still you.
-Let’s take patience as a simple example  God doesn’t zap us with patience, he gives us opportunities to cultivate patience… what does it look like to cultivate patience? It is to apply BIBLICAL thinking to a situation that requires patience and praying that God grows it in you.
oSo, your kids, or spouse, or sister drive you CRAZY for one reason or another and you fly off the handle and yell, scream, cuss etc.
oThe world says, count to ten and breath… that works the first time, maybe even the second, but not the third or fourth and all you’re actually doing is storing up the anger so that the third or fourth explosion of anger is particularly egregious.
oGod’s way is to pray for patience and to call to mind the reality that God had every right to strike you dead for your many transgressions, perhaps Numbers 14 will come to mind: “18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression”
oThen you repent for your previous anger and impatience and ask your spouse or children for forgiveness… you try to memorize a verse that reminds you of God’s patience towards you and that’s when God takes over… he transforms you. How do I know? 2 Cor. 3  17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Know. Rom. 8:5-9; Rom 12:2
Worship.
Obey.