(Gal 5:22-24)[Honoring God in Times of Trouble] Living A Spirit Lead Life
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION:
Last Sunday, I talked about how
Proverbs 29:11 is one of my favorite verses.
- Not because it is says amazing things about God,
- But because it intuitively humbles me under the hand of God.
A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
but a wise man quietly holds it back.
And we said,
Although prosperity can be deceiving and cause me to give full vent to 100s of sinful desires.
But I find more often that suffering forces me to hold back my desires.
When I don’t get what I want - peace and happiness, my body becomes a war between two desires.
The flesh and the Spirit.
That is what Gal 5:16-18 taught us - .
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.
An Essential part of honoring God in times of trouble - is learning to hold back the wrong desires of our life.
We cannot possibly please God if we give full vent to sinful desires.
And on the on the contrary, it pleases God when resist our flesh and live in the Spirit.
But let me tell you something Proverbs 29:11 doesn’t teach us.
Proverbs is the very words of God.
It contains amazing wisdom.
And we would be wise to read it and follow it.
But it doesn’t it tell us everything.
This is why we have 66 books in the Bible.
An Old Testament and a New Testament
Let me teach you this week something - you won’t find in Proverbs 29:11.
But is essential to Honoring God in Times of Trouble.
What does Proverbs 29:11 not teach us?
It doesn’t teach us how to win the war over our flesh.
Let me say that again.
Proverbs 29:11 doesn’t teach us how to win the war over our flesh.
It tells us to hold back, but doesn’t tell us how.
You read Proverbs 29:11 -
And you might walk away thinking you just bull moose it.
If I just try hard enough, Just don’t give up -
- Sexual immorality.
- Sensuality (debauchery, lasciviousness)
- Idolatry.
- Relationship Conflicts.
Such as :
- contention (strife, variance).
- jealousy.
- fits of anger (outbursts of anger, fits of rage).
- Drunkenness
- And things like these.
I just need to grin and bear it … and I can please God.
If I just grin and bear it … I won’t fall into these sins that mess up my life.
I just need to hold it back.
But here is the problem … none of us are strong enough to hold back our sinful desires.
EXPLANATION:
You can probably figure this out on your own … but when you try to stop doing something … that also brings out a war of desire in your life.
So you are hurting, (Suffering is causing a war inside you) so you try to hold it back.
Only to fail admissibly, because the act of trying stop .... makes sinful desires worse.
It is like the very act of trying to stop … makes it worse.
If you watch somebody battling Obsessive compulsion disorders, sinful desires, in their lives … you will see the mental and physical exhaustion that comes from trying to resist
This is why Solomon said,
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
In Romans 7:15 Paul says,
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
What is missing?
Why can’t I do what Proverbs 29:11 teaches?
I tell you a secret … Proverbs 29:11 doesn’t give you the whole picture.
- Your sin nature means you can’t just stop it.
- You need something more - then to just learn to grin and bear it.
And that is why Gal 5:22-25 is such a great verse to remember
When I am trying to honor God in my suffering.
It tells us part of what Prov 29:11 doesn’t tell us.
Look at what Galatians tells us -
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.
The part that Prov 29:11 doesn’t teach us - is that we need the Spirit of God in our lives.
We ought to live according to the Spirit.
We ought to live according to the Spirit.
And this passage gives us 3 ways for how to live according to the Spirit.
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The first way to live by the Spirit, is to -
(1) Know the fruit that pleases God.
(1) Know the fruit that pleases God.
An important aspect of living according to the Spirit,
is knowing the fruit that pleases God.
We have to be able to discern -
What is good and right.
What is Godly and ungodly.
If you cannot see a difference between desires of the flesh, and desires of the Spirit … then we cannot possibly please God.
Paul begins here, by make sure we understand and know the difference between the desires of the flesh and the leading of the Spirit.
We must-
(a) Recognize the difference between sinful desires and Godly desires.
(a) Recognize the difference between sinful desires and Godly desires.
Paul tells us to walk by the Spirit in Galatians 5:16
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
>>> He then gives us a list of vices we should avoid in Gal 5:19-21,
And then he says this.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
We need to recognize the difference between desires of the flesh and desires of the Spirit.
We have to be able to see the difference between
my anger vs God’s love.
Or sensuality, and wicked sexuality vs and love, kindness, and goodness.
I recognize that the desires of the flesh is tempting …
and often sin can make us feel like we have escaped our troubles.
But remember - Prov 29:11 teaches us that giving full vent to our desires leads to destruction.
Living for God begins with being able to discern -
What is good and right.
What is Godly and ungodly.
So Paul gives us a list of Character traits that come from God.
Those sin vices aren’t Godly,
but these character qualities are Godly.
What are they?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Know these qualities.
Strive for these qualities.
When difficult times - causes the war of desires to begin inside you.
And you feel like you just want to shake something.
Remember what is Godly and what is ungodly.
Know the fruit of the Spirit,
and what it is not.
And
There is a careful balance here we have to make.
(b) Be careful not to be blinded by sinful desires.
(b) Be careful not to be blinded by sinful desires.
On one hand
We as Christians can discern
what is right and wrong.
What is of God and what is of sin.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
They are plain to you and me.
Proverbs teaches that wisdom is calling out to us.
Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
But Scripture also teaches that our flesh can blind us to
what is right and and wrong.
What is Godly and what his sinful.
Peter says this -
For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
In fact, an unbeliever naturally suppresses the truth about their sin.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
If we want to honor God in times of trouble,
then we need to know the fruit of Godliness.
And we need be careful not let sin blind us.
ILLUSTRATION:
Some times Christians are amazed that a Christian can know Christ, and yet do such wickedness.
Probably the climax of this - is when Pastors fall because of sin.
I knew one pastor who was known as a great champion of missions.
And he lead his church to give mightily to missions.
And then - after a number of years his sin was found out.
He was embezzling the missionary fund for himself.
People sometimes wonder how could that of happened.
They leave Christian because they believe Christians are hypocrites.
I will tell you how that happened.
He let the desires of the flesh, blind him from godliness.
ILLUSTRATION:
Like a plant, the weeds of sinful desires chocked out what he knew right - the Fruit of the Spirit.
The first step to pleasing God in suffering - is to
(a) Recognize the difference between sinful desires and Godly desires.
(b) Be careful not to be blinded by sinful desires.
Know the fruit that pleases God.
The second way to live by the Spirit, is to
(2) Test the Fruit of Your Response to Trials.
(2) Test the Fruit of Your Response to Trials.
ILLUSTRATION:
Who hear hates tests?
Maybe it’s a history test.
Or a driving test.
Or a medical test.
But I don’t know of any formal test, I really enjoy.
Every test I have ever taken I wish I could have skipped.
Then why do we take tests?
Sometimes it is because the government requires it. Like a Driving test.
But they require it because it helps them make sure you know how to drive.
Sometimes it is because a school requires it. Like a history test.
The Preparing for tests helps make sure you know what you need to know about that subject.
Our doctors order all kinds of tests for us.
Because medical tests help us know if our body is normal or not.
And Paul in this passage, asks us to test and verify what kind of fruit we have.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
While technically he does not say, test your fruit.
But what does he mean by telling us to -
Walk, live, and stay in step with the Spirit?
Because he wants us to test what fruit we have.
He wants us to know if our fruit conforms to Godliness or ungodliness.
In every situation you ought to be checking the barometer of your fruit.
In times of frustration … It is especially important to test our fruit
Because our desires are really hard to hold back during trials.
ILLUSTRATION:
This time of year, I pay a little more attention to what the temperature is.
As you all know, it can look sunny and warm outside.
But in reality is 7 degrees and very cold.
In the same way, on surface we can think everything is just fine.
But when we pause and compare our life to the fruit of the Spirit,
suddenly - we can realize we are not doing as well as we thought.
And I must confess, there are seasons in my life where I stop and contemplate … and realize my fruit does look much like the Spirit.
It looks like the flesh.
And especially during suffering.
- Suffering has a unique ability blind us to the reality of our fruit.
- Sometimes the pain causes us not realize how stinky our attitude and choices really are.
So I challenge you to take time to test your fruit.
If you want to honor God in times of trouble,
you will take time to test your fruit when face trials.
The third way to be live by the Spirit, is to -
(3) Change by the Power of God in Trials.
(3) Change by the Power of God in Trials.
We are to know the fruit,
We are to test our fruit …
But what is the point?
Why are we to know and test our fruit?
So that the power of God can change our lives.
As we prepare to read this text,
I want you to notice that he did not tell us too
- try harder ( Because Denial of the flesh doesn’t change us)
- he didn’t emphasize doing more (because busyness doesn’t fix us)
- He didn’t tell us to take a few minutes, and enjoy our life. (Because Sensuality and consuming of our desires makes it worse)
Where does change come from according to Paul?
How do I hold back my Spirit when suffering creates a war of desire inside me?
It begins with -
(a) Christ
(a) Christ
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
I think this one of the most miss-understood areas of the Gospel - is why we worship Christ.
Why is everything about Christ?
Christ Alone
- Some wrongly assume that we worship Christ just because he was a great man.
- Jesus was a great man, the perfect example of humanity, the son of God, and came with amazing wisdom and power.
Read the Gospel of Mark - and you will be amazed at who Jesus is.
But we don’t worship Christ simply because he was great and famous.
Part of the reason is because of how - The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ gives us the power to change our lives.
Paul says, that those who believe in Christ - have had their sinful passions and desires crucified.
They died.
What does this mean?
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
When we come to believe in Christ, we are united with Christ’s work on the Cross.
We are united in his death, and united his resurrection.
That is the picture demonstrated when someone is Baptized.
And so Paul can say - your flesh and sinful desires have been crucified.
Sinful desires no longer have power over you.
You are not a helpless slave to temptation anymore.
Instead, we have through the ability to live in the Spirit.
Instead, we have the ability to live out the fruit of the Spirit.
So Christ is absolutely essential to being able to change.
One of the reasons you might struggle with change is because you don’t belong to Christ, you don’t have Christ’s Crucifixion.
On one hand, this text reminds us that the power of sinful desires is gone.
But may I caution us - the presence remains.
The Crucifixion gave us the power over sin, but the removal of the presence of sin doesn’t happen until the return of Christ.
Thus, we deal with a war of desires.
The desires of the flesh war against the desires of the Spirit.
>>>>>>in our very bodies.
And that is why Paul emphasizes the
(b) Spirit.
(b) Spirit.
While we wait fro the return of Christ,
the spirit is active … leading us.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
What is being pictured here?
The Holy Spirit actively -
- pricking our heart with what is right and Godly.
- And gives us the strength over the flesh .... to live for God.
But the key to living in Christ and the Spirit is that -
(c) We must choose.
(c) We must choose.
If it is all God,
then why does Paul tell us to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
What is he telling you?
The crucifixion of Christ and the leading of the Spirit gives us the choice,
but we have to choose God.
Whether we are suffering or not … we must choose God if we want to honor God in trials.
Every time I sin … I made a choice about who I want to follow.
Every time I live like Christ … I made a choice about who I want to follow.
When I am angry and frustrated in suffering … I am choosing to give vent to my sinful desires.
When I trust God, and the peace found in Christ, in suffering … I am choosing to be lead by the Spirit.
It is only possible to choose because of God,
but nevertheless while sin remains in my body … I have to continue to choose to follow God.
CONCLUSION:
And thus, I challenge you … to live according to the Spirit.
A study in proverbs would teach the destructiveness sin can cause.
And why we should hold back our Spirit. (Prov 29:11)
But Gal 5:22-25 teach us how.
How can I honor God in times of trouble?
We ought to live according to the Spirit.
And we do that by -
(1) Know the fruit that pleases God.
(a) Recognize the difference between sinful desires and Godly desires.
(b) Be careful not to be blinded by sinful desires.
(2) Test the Fruit of Your Response to Trials.
(3) Change by the Power of God in Trials.
(a) Christ
(b) Spirit.
(c) We must choose.
Paul said in 2 Cor 5:9,
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
As we end our study of honoring God in times of trouble,
May I encourage to do everything in a way that pleases and honors God.