Identity In Christ: Love and Joy

Galatians 5:16–26 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

1. Me

Have wanted all 9 Fruits of the Spirit...

Have not wanted the 15 works of the flesh Paul mentions, but I’ve wrestled with at least some of them.

2. You

Like me, you can probably identify some desires of the flesh that you wrestle with.

Like me, you may be tempted to think that we are called to pursue the fruit of the Spirit.

That is not correct.

Johann Hari - “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. It is human connection.”

The Bible: The opposite of sin is not sinlessness. It is grounding our identity in connection with God.

3. God’s Word

Galatians 5:16 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Walk by the Spirit...

Walking in the Spirit, and abiding in Jesus very closely related...

John 15:4–5 ESV

Abide in me, and I in you. As the 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. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Abide…Walk

We cannot bear Godly fruit by ourselves.

By ourselves, we will always return to desires of the flesh

Galatians 5:19–21 ESV

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

We tend to act as if we can modify our behavior through the will.

That we can mentally affirm God and do the rest on our own.

Even Jesus didn’t live as if that were true...

Indeed, Jesus life and ministry were fruits of the Spirit.

Matthew 1:18 ESV

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Jesus ministry began with the blessing of the Spirit in his baptism

Luke 3:22 ESV

and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Jesus reversed the curse of Adam by the leading of the Spirit

Matthew 4:1 ESV

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Jesus re-enforces to his disciples that their very words will be a gift of the Spirit...

25 examples in the Gospels of Jesus praying…abiding in our Heavenly Father.

John 15:4 ESV

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Galatians 5:16 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

When we look at our connection to Jesus and the Spirit...

Jesus is where we find our identity and rest…where we abide

The Spirit is God in our living out our identities and rest....walk

Love and Joy

Only when we are abiding in Christ and walking in the Spirit, can we expect the fruit of the Spirit...

Love and Joy

John 15:9–13 ESV

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Love and joy are defined by Jesus

Keep my commandments

Keeping God’s commandments can come one of two ways.

With laws or without laws

The law will always accuse and it’s a grit your teeth and try harder approach.

Without law…Well, today’s text speaks to that.

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Abiding in Christ and walking in the Spirit make love and joy natural.

Love one another

The love and joy of looking toward the good of others rather than remaining inwardly focused.

Lay down your life

The love and joy of sacrificing for others…even unto death

4. You

Abide With Christ Through Focused Time

YouVersion Bible App

Bible Reading Plans

Short Term/Long Term Studies

Prayer/Christian Meditation (SoulTime, Abide)

Invite Spirit into areas of sin

Ask how you can love others like Christ loves

Walk In The Spirit of Christ

Take that abiding Spirit in Christ to your family

To work

To friends

The fruits of the Spirit aren’t like 9 individual elements.

More like one piece of fruit with 9 sections

The whole is abiding and walking with God

Abide and Walk with God