Who’s your leader? Galatians 5:16-18
Fruits of the Spirit • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
When we get saved, we should start bearing a different fruit than before we got saved.
Here in Galatians 5 we see a contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.
We can either be led by the flesh or you can be led by the spirit but you can’t be led by both.
Like Jesus said in the gospels you can’t serve two masters. You have to make a choice.
Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
As believers we must choose every day to serve God and not our flesh, because like Jesus said in Matthew 26:41 the Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.
Tonight we are going to look at the thought of “Who’s your leader?”
Walk in the spirit vs. 16
Walk in the spirit vs. 16
The Christian walk is the way a Christian should be living
John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Colossians 2:6 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”
When we get saved we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and are new creations in Christ, therefore we do not live in fear of the threatened penalties if the law to refrain from sin.
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Why should we walk in the Spirit?
2 Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:”
Everyday we should make a conscious commitment to the leading of the Spirit. By staying in tune with the Spirit through the Word of God, we are enabled to live in a way pleasing to Him who has saved us.
I like what one writer said “The Holy Spirit is God’s answer to the flesh”
Look at the second part of verse 16, Its almost an if-then statement.
If you walk in the Spirit, then you won’t fulfil the lust of the flesh
Fulfil- Execute
Lust- To have carnal desire; to desire eagerly the gratification of carnal appetite.
Paul put it this way in Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
provision- The act of providing or making previous preparation.
He also said this in Romans 6:12 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
We shouldn’t be letting sin reign or rule our lives, but rather let the spirit lead us.
Ephesians 2:1–7 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
If Jesus has made us alive to him, we should be dead to sin.
Before we got saved we walked according to the course of the world(world system), but when we get saved he makes us alive together with Christ!
The War vs. 17
The War vs. 17
Every Christians deals with the war between the flesh and the spirit.
Paul gives us the example of this in Romans 7:14–25 “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with my flesh the law of sin.
He is not denying that there can be victory over the flesh, but rather showing that it cannot be overcome in our own strength
Again look what Jesus says in Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
This is a battle that we face every day, but we can overcome the flesh by living in the spirit.
Luke 9:23 “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
The Bible says the flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another
Contrary- Opposite; contradictory; not merely different, but inconsistent or repugnant.
They are polar opposites
Its like in the old testament the clean animals versus the unclean animals.
Sheep- clean animal that avoids garbage and filth
Pig- an unclean animal who enjoys wallowing in the filth
Our old nature is like the pig, but our new nature is like the sheep.
Live a spirit led life vs. 18
Live a spirit led life vs. 18
The solution to living a spirit filled life is not to pit our will against the flesh, but rather surrendering our will to the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit writes God’s law on our hearts.
Hebrews 10:14–17 “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”
look what Romans 8:14 tells us
Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
you cannot be led by the spirit of God if you are not saved. We would be foolish to expect not believers to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, because it is impossible.
Look what the Psalmist wrote on the subject
Psalm 40:8 “I delight to do thy will, O my God: Yea, thy law is within my heart.”
Being led of the spirit and walking in the Spirit are the opposites of yielding to the desires of the flesh.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We must choose not to give in to our fleshly desire, but live a life led by the Spirit