Galatians 5:16 - Living by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 (NIV) So I say, live by the
Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
sinful nature.
COMMENTARY PEARLS
Over the summer three of my children,
eight years old and under, loved playing out front
with their friends. We live in the back of the
subdivision at the end of a cul-de-sac so it's typically
safe. The problem is all of the trouble my little
kids get into without direct adult supervision.
Most of the time my neighbor or I are there, but
there are times when we need to slip inside the
house. It's during these times when one of the kids
decides to cut someone else's hair or tackle each
other on the asphalt. Without the watchful eye of
an adult, little children tend to turn to
mischief quickly.
The truth is I find myself doing what I
ought not to do when I'm not mindful of oversight
from the Holy Spirit. I make unwholesome media
choices or choose to pretend I didn't see a friend
at the grocery store instead of opening myself
up to her. My flesh wants to gratify myself,
hide my flaws, and not get too wrapped up with
the needs of others, but this is not what
Jesus's Spirit wants.
Walking by Jesus's Spirit is not
complicated, but it does take surrender. It means pausing
to pray and asking Jesus to meet you and fill
you in the moment. Then it's listening to His
still, small voice inside that urges you, not only
to cease to do evil but to learn to do well.
Only Jesus's Spirit will tell us what to cherish
and cultivate in our hearts. When we give Him
permission, He will guide us in doing what He desires in
our lives. by Tricia Goyer
Faith Step: Pause this moment and ask
Jesus's Holy Spirit to help you to stop following
your own desires and instead strive to follow
His. [Mornings With Jesus 2018 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
The Kingdom life is a matter of walking
in the Spirit. That's not a controversial
statement; virtually every Christian would agree with
it. But not all Christians remember it on a
day-by-day or moment-by-moment basis. Instead, we turn
our attention to the flesh and try to stamp it
out, starve it, get rid of it, or any other such
direct approach. Human logic tells us that if we
want to stop gratifying the desires of the flesh,
we should focus on denying those desires. But
this logic leads us only to frustration.
Think of the absurdity. Are we really
going to be able to stamp out the power of the
flesh in the power of the flesh? Is
self-discipline really our best option when the self is the
problem to begin with? Does any problem really get
better by our obsessing over it? Or is there
perhaps a better way?
Paul says there's a much better way, and
it doesn't involve addressing the flesh at all.
Instead, we choose to walk by the Spirit without even
paying attention to the flesh. If we're filled with
the Spirit and living by His direction and
desires, we won't exactly have room for the flesh to
grow stronger. Ignoring our misplaced desires may
seem negligent and irresponsible - doesn't
somebody have to deal with them firmly? - but
focusing on them only honors their power. Pay them no
attention. Invest yourself fully in the Spirit. Let
that life overcome the one you're leaving
behind.
If what we focus on tends to grow larger,
then the only way to become stronger in the
Spirit is to focus on the Spirit. Or for another
commonly used illustration, whatever you feed will
strengthen, and whatever you starve will weaken. Just as
God is not at all obsessed with His enemies, we
don't have any reason to be obsessed with ours -
even the ones within. Our only preoccupation is a
holy connection with the Spirit Himself. In Him,
we have everything we need to think, feel,
desire, speak, and act in Kingdom ways. [The One
Year Heaven On Earth Devotional by Chris
Tiegreen]
Spiritual Living
The Holy Spirit fuels spiritual living.
This is where freedom resides and where fruit
bearing takes place. The flesh is pre-conversion to
Christ living; it is reliance on self to seek
security. The Spirit is post-conversion to Christ
living; it is reliance on God to secure earthly and
eternal security. The Spirit and the flesh conflict,
but the flesh has been put to death by faith and
the Spirit has come alive. Spiritual living
submits to Christ. Spiritual living thrives as we
surrender daily to Jesus.
The way we became a Christian - by grace
through faith - is the same way we continue as a
Christian. Yet, the flesh tries to flaunt its old
habits as teasers to entice us not to trust God.
But we know better - its better not to boast
in the flesh, but be humbled by the Spirit.
When we walk in the Spirit we are empowered to
bear the fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit brings
wisdom when we consider ways that are unwise. The
Spirit brings conviction when we begin to drift
from our convictions. The Spirit brings comfort
when we struggle with discomfort. The Holy Spirit
is heavens secret to spiritual living.
[Wisdom Hunters Devotional re Gal. 5:25]
Spiritual Living And The Word
To "walk in the Spirit" means to have our
daily lives under His control, and this means
under the direction of the Word of God. "If we
live in the Spirit" (this is salvation, being
made alive by the Spirit), "let us also walk in
the Spirit" (this is sanctification, allowing
the Spirit to command and control our lives).
Compare Eph. 5:18-24 with Col. 3:15-19 and you will
see that to be filled with the Spirit is to be
controlled by the Word of God, for the results are
identical. "Walking in the Spirit" is not some
emotional experience, detached from everyday life. It
is the daily experience of the believer who
feeds on the Word, prays, and obeys what the Bible
says. [Wiersbe Expository Outlines]
Spiritual Living Is A Relationship
Christ in us can manifest His holiness if
we will yield our flesh to Him. This is not a
human operation; it is a spiritual one. Jesus
installs His holiness in us by grace. Not a
once-for-all-time transaction, this is a daily,
moment-by-moment striving to live more by the Spirit and less
by the flesh.
Though becoming more holy is God's work
in us, it is not a passive enterprise. Our
part is active, to strive and stain toward the
high calling we have received. God's part is to
forgive our failings based on the merit of Christ's
atoning death.
His will is that we become holy ... This
kind of holiness is not the result of our own
best effort...
The forgiveness of Christ makes us holy;
He washed away our sin. In reality, God in us
- the Holy Spirit - makes us holy. There is
no possibility of holiness apart from His
grace. He calls us, He justifies us, He sanctifies
us (makes us holy), and He will glorify us -
all by His grace.
Our part is to surrender in faith; God's
part is to implant the sanctifying Holy Spirit in
us. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will
not gratify the desires of the sinful nature"
(Gal.5:16). Because of His everlasting love, we know
Him, and He is faithful to mold us into the
character of His Son Jesus Christ - to make us holy.
Patrick Morley; [Time with God SB]
Spiritual Living Has Characteristic Fruit
Love, joy, peace, patience.... The
"fruit" of the Holy Spirit is the visible result of
God's Spirit working within us. Yet there is a
struggle going on in the heart: human nature versus
the Holy Spirit. As a follower of Jesus, you are
sealed with his Spirit. You have the Holy Spirit
living in you, convicting you of your sin and
effecting changes in your life to help you become more
like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). But you have a
choice every day. You can choose to follow your own
desires or you can choose to follow the Spirit's
leading.
Paul says, "Let the Holy Spirit guide
your lives." It is important to allow the Holy
Spirit to control our lives because he produces
character traits that are not natural for us, but
which are found abundantly in the nature of Jesus
Christ. Jesus is the "true grapevine" (John 15:1-5).
By staying rooted in the vine (through things
like Bible study and prayer), we allow the Spirit
to produce fruit in us.
Submit every aspect of your life to the
Spirit's guidance, keep in step with the Spirit's
leading, and then watch for fruit to blossom in your
life. [The One Year Bible for New Believers re
Gal. 5:16-26]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2018/20180620-1117.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
