Living a Continuous Journey in the Spirit

Series: Living life in the Spirit

Living a Continuous Journey in the Spirit

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Introduction:

After hearing D. L. Moody preach, a fault-finding critic remarked, “Moody speaks like he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit.”

“Oh, no,” said his friend, who knew Moody intimately. “Moody does not have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on him!”

It is God’s desire that each of his children be filled with all of the fullness of God: “be filled with the spirit.” ().

Ephesians 5:18 NLT

18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

In order to be able to walk in the spirit, you and I must first be filled with the Spirit. The word of God teaches us what the walk in the Spirit is all about.

For the past several weeks we have been examining what the word of God teaches us about walking in the spirit. Tonight we continue that study.

I- The promise about living life in the Spirit:

A- It is the road to the victorious life ().

Galatians 5:16 NLT

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

1- When the believer follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he will not succumb to the desires of the flesh.

a. The phrase in the original language refers to a continuous way of living a life. (περιπατεῖτε) = It denotes a continual, non-ending lifestyle.

b. (Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε) May be rendered “continue walking under the full sway of the Holy Spirit.”

1) Every area of our lives is to be brought under his control.

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε

2) οὐ μη τελεσητε= “You [Absolutely] will not fulfil.” Strong double negative with aorist active subjunctive.

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε)

οὐ μη τελεσητε

“Ye will not fulfil.” Strong double negative with aorist active subjunctive.

3) ἐπιθυμιαν σαρκος= Literally means what the flesh craves or yearns for.

B- It is a road that requires constant vigilance ().

ἐπιθυμιαν σαρκος

Galatians 5:17 NLT

17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

1. There is a constant battle between the human flesh and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

a. The word picture is that of two soldiers squaring off for battle (ἀλληλοις ἀντικειται).

ἀλληλοις ἀντικειται

b. It is impossible to continue to follow the pathway of least resistance. (ἱνα μη ποιητε ἁ ἐαν θελητε= “...that you may not keep on doing whatever you wish”

C- It is a road that contains unlimited resources (). () ()

Whatever ye wish”

“That ye may not keep on doing

ἁ ἐαν θελητε

ἱνα μη ποιητε

C- It is a road that contains unlimited resources (). () ()

John 14:15–18 NLT

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.

John 16:5–11 NLT

5 “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

1. Jesus has promised the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

a. He will guide us

b. He will empower us

c. He will work through us

2. We still have to make the right choices...

II- The Practice of Living Life in the Spirit ().

Galatians 5:24–26 NLT

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

A- It begins with the crucifixion of the old nature ().

Galatians 5:24 NLT

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

1- There must be a willing and willful choice to forsake the ways of the old nature.

()

Luke 9:23 NLT

23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

()

Ephesians 4:22–24 NLT

22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

The New American Commentary: Galatians (4) The Fruit of the Spirit (5:22–26)

Crucifixion of the flesh is described here not as something done to us but rather something done by us. Believers themselves are the agents of this crucifixion. Paul was here describing the process of mortification, the daily putting to death of the flesh through the disciplines of prayer, fasting, repentance, and self-control

2- The crucifixion of the flesh is not something done to us, but by us. It is a continuous, life-long process.

a. It is a process that is not completed in this life.

b. There is no short-cut to spiritual victory (no second-blessing, or quick-fix). Discipleship is a continual process of growth.

3- The process of mortification:

a. through continual practice of spiritual disciplines of prayer, repentance, self-control, and choosing to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

B- It seeks a continuous yielding to the leadership of the Holy Spirit in every area of life.().

Galatians 5:25 NLT

25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

1- πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν= “Let us also go on walking by the Spirit.”

C- It involves a continuous choice to follow a godly path ().

a. Refers literally to “walking in step with the Holy Spirit.”

b. The verb translated “keep in step with” is a military term meaning to “be drawn up in line,” to “stand in a row.”[2]

πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν.

“Let us also go on walking by the Spirit.”

The verb translated “keep in step with” is a military term meaning to “be drawn up in line,” to “stand in a row.”109

2- Notice- there is no area of life that is not to be under his guidance.

a. There is nothing insignificant to Him!

C- It involves a continuous choice to follow a godly path ().

C- It involves a continuous choice to follow a godly path ().

Galatians 5:26 NLT

26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

1- Make a godly choice in action toward each other.

a. “μη γινωμεθα ... ἀλληλους προκαλουμενοι” = “Let us cease [provoking] calling each other out to fight, challenge to combat.

b. Christians are to make the choice for love and peace with one another,

ἀλληλους προκαλουμενοι

2- Make godly choices in attitude toward each other.

a. “μη γινωμεθα κενοδοξοι” “Let us cease becoming vainglorious”

κενοδοξοι”

b. “μη γινωμεθα ... ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντες.”= to be envious or jealous of one another

μη γινωμεθα

“Let us cease becoming vainglorious”

ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντες

a. to experience a feeling of ill will due to real or presumed advantage experienced by someone else—‘to be envious, to be jealous.’ μὴ γινώμεθα κενόδοξοι, ἀλλήλους προκαλούμενοι, ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντες ‘we must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another’ .[1]

to experience a feeling of ill will due to real or presumed advantage experienced by someone else—‘to be envious, to be jealous.’ μὴ γινώμεθα κενόδοξοι, ἀλλήλους προκαλούμενοι, ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντες ‘we must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another’ .

Conclusion:

[1] Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.

[2] Betz, Galatians, 294, n. 13; Longenecker, Galatians, 265–66

Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.

Betz, Galatians, 294, n. 13; Longenecker, Galatians, 265–66