Walk By The Spirit | Galatians (Ep. 4)

So you made it. You made it through. We've been talking the book of Galatians and how when we try to add things to the gospel, when we bolt things on to our trust in Jesus, to our faith in Jesus, it never goes well. And how the church in Galatians, a lot like the church right now, and that Paul calls them out because he loves them, he wants to correct them, and he shows them that they are not in bondage to their rules. They don't have to be prisoners to build in their own empires. They can be set free because Jesus has come to set us free so that we would live in freedom. So how do we actually walk this out? We know generally what to do, but Paul makes it really clear at the end of Galatians, in the back half of chapter five and all of chapter six, what you and I need to do to be able to walk this life with Jesus out every single day. He makes it very clear. Galatians 5 chapter 16 is what we're gonna pick it up. He says this, he says, "...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." Whoa! Keep in mind here. Don't miss this. This is super important anytime you're reading the Bible, okay? Very important. Every word fits into the sentence, fits into the verse. Every verse has got to fit into that chapter. Every chapter fits into the book, and the book fits into the larger narrative that God is showing us through the Bible, okay? Just a few chapters ago, we talked about this idea of the law and this idea of faith, and how fools believe in one only, and how God has used them to complement each other. That we needed the law to show us how important faith in Jesus was, and that they don't oppose each other. In fact, Christ came to fulfill the law, right? So we've got works of the Spirit, we've got works of the flesh. Paul lays it out super clear what the works of the flesh are, and what works of the Spirit are. Let's start with works of the flesh, okay? Right around verse 19 and verse 20 is where he starts to really list them out. Let's just pick one. Idolatry. Mmm, fancy word. Idolatry is essentially when we give our worship to something that isn't God. That's

idolatry. How's that playing in our lives? Well, how many people do you know worship their social media feed? How many people do you know that worship what other people think about them, or that worship a celebrity, or a sports star, or whatever? That's idolatry. Pretty common in our world, right? Probably common for the Galatian Church, too. How about another one? How about—ooh, here's a good one. Outbursts of anger. Whoo! I'm gonna leave that one there so I don't make you upset, okay? One more. Let's do one more. How about selfish ambition? You know, anytime that you prop yourself up at the expense of other people, or you think about how it's gonna make you look before what the greater good is, that's selfish ambition. The works of the flesh are evident to the Galatian Church here, because Paul takes the time to make them super clear. And he kind of—he's calling them out in a way here. But let's pick it up in verse 22, where Paul starts to talk about the fruit of the Spirit, okay? Here it is in verse 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. These are a little harder to identify, aren't they? Why is that? Why is it so easy for us to see the fruits of the flesh, the works of the flesh? Why is it easier for us to identify the works of the flesh, and harder for us to really see the fruit of the Spirit in our culture? Well, it's because the work of the flesh happens even if we're not trying. We slide towards the works of the flesh. We are always just kind of sliding away from God, and sliding away from what God wants. It's called sin. The fruit of the Spirit requires us to make intentional effort. To have joy, to have peace, to have love, to have patience, to have kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, all requires work. It all requires us to be deliberate and intentional with our mind, and also with our actions. So all this beautiful fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control—all of that comes from the Holy Spirit. So if you and I think that we are gonna work our way into being lockstep with what God wants for us, being lockstep with the Spirit, we fool ourselves. That's not gonna happen. We need the power of the Holy Spirit, which is why Paul makes it super clear. All of this thriving, all of this building on

your own, it is messing you up, and it's stopping you from being in lockstep with what the Spirit is doing, which is what God wants for us. Let's continue with verse 24. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with his passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Listen, when you put your trust in Jesus, the scriptures are clear, the Holy Spirit enters into your life and gives you power that you did not have on your own. There is no one who walks by the Spirit in their own strength. There is no one who lives for Jesus in their own power. It is only, it is only because of the Spirit's power. And anyone who doesn't have the Spirit's power in them is satisfying the desires of the flesh. The only way you fight off the desires of the flesh is through the Spirit. The only way you please God is through the Spirit. And I get it, I get it. It is not easy. Anyone who tells you that following what we read in the scriptures and pleasing God isn't easy, life is fooling you and they are not being truthful with you. To live out what God has for us takes work. It doesn't happen on accident.

And anything that is Spirit-led in your life is gonna take work, it's gonna take actual work. And Paul knows this and recognizes this. This is why in Galatians 6, starting at verse 9, he lays out this really incredible word picture that has to do with farmers reaping and sowing. Let me read it to you right now, it says this. It says, let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So that as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially those who are in the household of faith. I know this is a lot. And it can feel complicated and it can feel not doable and it can feel like you're never going to be able to pull this off. I just want you to know, if God is doing the work to save you and God is doing the work to transform you, God is gonna do the work to help you live your faith out every single day. Paul wants the followers in Galatians to live by the Spirit and not satisfy the desires of the flesh, not satisfy their need to build their own thing. And here's how he sums up the book. Here's how he sums up the letter to the Galatian church.

He says this, but far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God. Look, you could spend your whole life following every rule to a T, hitting every checkbox and miss the entire point. The power of God, right? The grace of God through Jesus. That's the starting point. Don't try to clean up the house and get everything in the right spot before you invite Jesus in. Invite Jesus in and watch how things start to come into order and watch how the sinful desires that you had beforehand start to go away and start to become less attractive and watch, watch how the fruit of the Spirit begins to grow in your life. That's the message in the book of Galatians. And that's what God wants for his followers even today.

So my challenge for you is get into this Bible, get into the book of Galatians and really see how the transforming power of Jesus can start to put things in order in your life if you invite him in.