GALATIANS 5:16-18, 24-25 | WALKING AND DYING
Kyle Gilstrap
Galatians : No Turning Back • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 43:42
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TEXT: GALATIANS 5:16-18, 24-25
TEXT: GALATIANS 5:16-18, 24-25
INTRO
INTRO
ILLUSTRATION: There have been many great battles throughout time.
ILLUSTRATION: There have been many great battles throughout time.
Right now the olympics are taking place in France, and I honestly haven’t watched them given some of the political ideologies that have been on display.
But I know that there are many athletes that have worked for years to be able to compete.
They will be battling against others athletes that have put in work as well to get to this point.
There have been great battles that have taken place on basketball courts football fields. Baseball fields and hockey arenas.
EXPLANATION: As Paul begins v.16, we must remember who it is he is writing to.
EXPLANATION: As Paul begins v.16, we must remember who it is he is writing to.
Paul is recording this letter for the believers in Galatia.
These were those who had already put their faith and trust in Christ.
v.24, further emphasizes this reality,
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
These are the ones who belong to Christ and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.
APPLICATION: Friend, if you are here this morning and you don’t have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, the rest of this message is going to be a waste of time for you.
APPLICATION: Friend, if you are here this morning and you don’t have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, the rest of this message is going to be a waste of time for you.
Before you can learn, as we will see, to walk in the Spirit, you must first be indwelt by the Spirit.
Paul has already addressed this question back in Galatians 3:2
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Paul further clarifies this reality in Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
When you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and His sacrifice as the payment for your sins, you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
In Ephesians 1:12-14
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The Holy Spirit is the seal placed upon your soul that will give you access into eternity with God.
No one will be allowed into heaven without the stamp of the Holy Spirit in their life.
ILLUSTRATION: Self checkouts have become a regular part of most of our lives.
ILLUSTRATION: Self checkouts have become a regular part of most of our lives.
Maybe you’ve been in that situation before at the store when you are trying to check out and you have an item that has like 10 different bar codes.
You scan them and it comes up with “item not recognized”
There is only one bar code that will work!
APPLICATION: I doubt heaven is going to be quite like that.
APPLICATION: I doubt heaven is going to be quite like that.
God doesn’t need the bar code scanner to know who can enter in.
Because only those indwelt with the Holy Spirit will be able to enter.
Friend, can I ask you, do you have the Spirit of God dwelling within you?
This isn’t some weird feeling or emotion… It’s based on a decision you have made to accept Jesus death on your cross to pay for your sins.
It isn’t based on the things you can do to gain forgiveness for your sins!
That’s like swiping the wrong bar codes!
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
It’s as if the bar code of your life will be swiped and the words will appear, “Item not recognized”
“I never knew you” God will say.
Why?
Because you don’t have the Spirit of God dwelling within you.
Friend, before you can understand the rest of the message and what it means to walk in the Spirit you must make sure as v.24 says, that you are Christ’s!
EXPLANATION: Paul tells us in these verse here, that the greatest battle for the Christian is not some force from the outside.
EXPLANATION: Paul tells us in these verse here, that the greatest battle for the Christian is not some force from the outside.
It isn’t some person that we are at odds with.
It isn’t even the devil himself.
The devil is not omnipresent.
He cannot be in more than one place at the same time.
No, our greatest battle is the battle that takes place within our own heart: whether we will walk in the Spirit or give in to the flesh.
These believers here in Galatia had the same struggle we have today: When their soul got saved from sin, their flesh still remained unchanged.
The deep desire for sin still remained because we still must live in our flesh.
But now the game had changed… no longer were they fighting their fleshly desires alone.
Now they had the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.
Now they had a choice to make… would they choose to walk in the Spirit and give God control… or would they give in to their flesh and their fleshly desires.
APPLICATION: Friend, this is the same battle that you faced this morning when you woke up.
APPLICATION: Friend, this is the same battle that you faced this morning when you woke up.
From the moment you open your eyes in the morning to the moment you pillow your head at night, there is a battle raging in your heart.
Will you choose to walk in the Spirit or give in to the lusts of the flesh?
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Paul here in Galatians 5 gives clear evidences of which you are choosing to allow to be in control.
He points to works the show that we are allow our flesh to control our lives.
And he gives clear evidence of specific fruit that will flow from our lives if we are walking in the Spirit.
And we are going to walk carefully through these revealing lists.
But before we delve into those two lists, Paul first gives us the answer for how we can choose to live in one or the other.
It is a decision that you and I must make each and every day!
There are intentional choices that you must make that will determine who is in control of your life!
Yes, God owns your soul if you trusted Him as your Savior… but you must choose each day who is going to control your life!
You see one of the sad realities is the number of Christians who have said they want God to control their lives… but in reality their life is a landfill of heartbreak because they chose to live for their flesh.
Friend, for a few moments, let’s look at Paul’s instruction how you and I can choose to be controlled by the Spirit and not the flesh!
V.16, CHOOSE TO SIMPLY WALK
V.16, CHOOSE TO SIMPLY WALK
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
EXPLANATION: We have a way of over-complicating things, and here Paul simplifies the Christian life in a way that they youngest child could understand… He says, “Walk in the Spirit.”
EXPLANATION: We have a way of over-complicating things, and here Paul simplifies the Christian life in a way that they youngest child could understand… He says, “Walk in the Spirit.”
He didn’t say run or climb… he says “walk”
ILLUSTRATION: We have all seen a baby who is just learning to walk.
ILLUSTRATION: We have all seen a baby who is just learning to walk.
At first they are pulling themselves up and then falling back down.
And they someone is holding their hand as they take their first steps.
Then they start to walk from one things to hold onto to the next.
And before long, they get it nailed down.
They learn to walk.
And barring a catastrophic event, they have it nailed down for life!
APPLICATION: One of the sad realities in most churches for most Christians is they have either never been taught or they choose not to walk.
APPLICATION: One of the sad realities in most churches for most Christians is they have either never been taught or they choose not to walk.
When someone first accepts Christ as Savior, the Bible says they are a baby in Christ.
And when someone is a new Christian, they have to be taught how to walk in the Christian life.
This is why discipleship is so important for the new believer.
You have to be taught not just that you should read your Bible, but how to read your Bible.
Not just that you should pray, but how to pray.
Not just that you should tell others about Jesus, but how to talk to others about Jesus.
Most of what you have learned from the world has taught you contrary to what the Bible says.
The world says, “hold a grudge”, the Bible says Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
The world says, “Get even”, the Bible says, Romans 12:19
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
The world says, “I deserve”, the Bible says, Philippians 2:5-8
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Churches are committing spiritual child abuse and endangerment by throwing new Christians into the world without never taking the time to teach them to “walk” spiritually.
But here is one of the sad realities, most Christians, whether they were taught to walk in Christ or not, have determined they don’t need to walk anymore.
And they are dying spiritually.
And we have spiritually apathetic churches
And we have spiritually weak homes
Because we have spiritually anemic Christians that are choosing not to walk.
ILLUSTRATION: There was a great evangelist I had the opportunity to listen to during my time at Bible College.
ILLUSTRATION: There was a great evangelist I had the opportunity to listen to during my time at Bible College.
His name is Rick Flanders.
He taught a class that I enjoyed so much called “History of Revivals” and it was such an encouraging class.
Rick Flanders had written a little book years ago about how a Christian could experience revival.
A renewed, fresh, on fire relationship with God.
The title of the book was simply, “Return to Normal”
The whole point of the book was if Christians would do the basic things we know we are supposed to do, we would experience revival!
APPLICATION: Could we say it this way… “If Christians would choose to simply walk”
APPLICATION: Could we say it this way… “If Christians would choose to simply walk”
To walk in the Spirit is to give control to the Spirit of God in our lives.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
What is the truth that He will guide you in?
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
He will guide you and lead you according to the Word of God!
You see friend, walking in the Spirit is not just some emotional experience.
Yes there are times when you can since the leading of the Spirit in your life.
In those moments you can choose to obey the Spirit’s leading
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Or you can choose to reject the Spirit’s leading:
Quench not the Spirit.
Which implies you can quench the Spirit.
Over in Acts 6:10, the Bible talks about resisting the Spirit.
Friend, yes you can choose resist the Spirit’s leading.
But we cannot simply live off of feelings to guide our life!
No, we know that the Spirit will always lead in accordance with the Word of God, never contrary to it.
You can mark it down, God’s Spirit will never lead you in a direction that takes you further away from God!
He will never lead you to take a job that will lead you further away from God
He will never lead you to make a decision in your marriage that will contradict the Bible and take you further away from God.
He will never lead you, teenager, to make a decision that is going to contradict the clear teachings of God’s Word!
And you know, the great cop-out for Christians is to say, “Well I just have peace”
Friend, just because you “feel good” about something doesn’t mean that God and the Spirit are in it!
Friend if you truly want to be “filled with the Spirit” as God desires for you to be, you must choose to faithfully “walk in the Spirit”
And you cannot Walk in the Spirit if you are neglecting the simple parts of the Christian life.
You see, being filled with the Spirit and walking in the Spirit doesn’t mean the Christian get’s more of the Spirit… It means the Holy Spirit gets all of the Christian.
Who is in control of your life today?
Are you choosing to walk in the Spirit?
It truly is a simple thing… but just because it is simple, doesn’t mean it is easy!
YOU MUST CHOOSE TO SIMPLY WALK
V.24, YOU MUST CHOOSE TO SIMPLY DIE
V.24, YOU MUST CHOOSE TO SIMPLY DIE
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
EXPLANATION: Paul makes clear that for the Spirit to live, the flesh must die!
EXPLANATION: Paul makes clear that for the Spirit to live, the flesh must die!
You must crucify your flesh.
ILLUSTRATION: Crucifixion was the Romans most excruciating and visible form of punishment.
ILLUSTRATION: Crucifixion was the Romans most excruciating and visible form of punishment.
We have talked before of the realities of what Christ’s death on the cross actually most likely looked like.
The wood posts were reused.
The cross Jesus was nailed to was most likely not the first time that cross had been used.
The upright post would often be left in place while the cross beam would be removed and carried through the town by the criminal.
Most crosses were actually fairly short by our imaginations
They wanted those who saw the one being crucified to be able to hear their labored breathing
To be able to look into the eyes of the one being tortured
To seeing the suffering and pain up close for themselves.
And crucifixion was a final punishment
There was no coming down off of that cross.
EXPLANATION: When Paul spoke of crucifying the flesh, the readers had a vivid image in their minds.
EXPLANATION: When Paul spoke of crucifying the flesh, the readers had a vivid image in their minds.
They knew that crucifixion cost something
It would cost them their old life
It would cost them their old friends
It would cost them their fulfillment of their lusts
They knew that crucifixion wasn’t easy
It wouldn’t be easy to sacrifice those old things
They knew the seriousness of the decision Paul was pointing them to.
This wasn’t a decision that they could approach flippantly or lightly.
It was one that required intentionality!
And it is made all the more stunning when Paul writes over in 1 Corinthians 15:31
I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Paul knew this wan’t a one time crucifixion.
It was a sacrifice he would have to choose to make every day!
Because Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
It’s only natural for a sacrifice to resist.
It’s only natural for a sacrifice to find a way out
It’s only natural for a sacrifice to what to try another way.
APPLICATION: Friend, you’re flesh doesn’t want to die!
APPLICATION: Friend, you’re flesh doesn’t want to die!
You’re flesh, your “affections” or desires as Paul said, want what they want!
Your flesh loves sin!
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.
You in your natural state are drawn to sin and fulfilling the lusts of your flesh
But God has not called you to settle for living that life!
God has something far greater!
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Friend, choose today to stop living under the bondage of your old sinful flesh and discover the blessings of walking in the Spirit!
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
ILLUSTRATION: There are some places around our property where there is no grass.
ILLUSTRATION: There are some places around our property where there is no grass.
Not because it doesn’t get watered, but because they are little trails that everyone takes.
Shortcuts through the trees from the house to the garage.
Paths from the garage to the dog house.
If I wanted grass to grow in those spots, what would I have to do?
I would have to stop using those paths and choose a different one.
And with enough time that grass would grow back up, and if we didn’t cut it, eventually it would even become difficult to go through those old paths.
APPLICATION: There are some of you in this room that are under the control of your flesh.
APPLICATION: There are some of you in this room that are under the control of your flesh.
How do I know?
Because if you look at verses 19-21 many of those are scattered throughout your life.
And it is really hard to stop giving into your flesh.
But do you want to know how you can?
But choosing instead to walk in the Spirit.
Simple steps that we know according to God’s Word.
It wont be easy at first, but with time, you’ll find that it is easier and easier to choose to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh.
Because it is impossible to do the works of the flesh while walking in the Spirit.
And it is impossible to have the fruit of the Spirit in your life while you are living in your flesh.
Because they are “contrary the one to the other”
Christian it is the greatest battle you will face in your life, and you will fight it everyday!
But as Galatians 5:25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
May we be a church of Spirit filled Christians that God can use for His Glory!
