Sunday Morning Message Recap

“WALKING IN THE SPIRIT”

GALATIANS 5:16-19

We find clear direction for our Christian lives right here in our opening text. We are commanded as children of God to walk in the Spirit and not after the lusts of the flesh. This is the main issue of the Christian life. We do not have to forsake the lusts of the flesh in order to be saved, for our salvation is only through grace, obtained by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ and what He did as our Saviour. Yet, if we would walk in the Spirit after our salvation, then we must forsake the lusts of the flesh.

The beginning of walking in the Spirit is our salvation. The day we trusted Jesus Christ as our Saviour the Holy Spirit came and took up residency inside of us. [“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6:19)] Yet, if we are not saved, the Spirit of God does not dwell in us and we will not be able to walk in the Spirit because His Spirit is not in us. [“Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” (I John 4:13)] This morning, do you know that you are saved? Do you know that you have a home in Heaven? The only way we can have salvation is through Jesus Christ. [“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)]

Once we are saved, we have the Spirit of God living on the inside and this Spirit of God begins to battle with the lusts of our flesh. (Galatians 5:17) As these war against each other the Bible tells us that our actions begin to show who it is that is winning the battle. When we live in the works of the flesh, then we know that the flesh is winning our attention away from the Spirit of God in our life. We know this when we live in the works of the flesh. What are the works of the flesh? (Galatians 5:19-21)

• Adultery

• Fornication

• Uncleanness (Immorality)

• Lasciviousness 

• Idolatry (putting other things before God)

• Witchcraft

• Hatred 

• Variance (Disagreeable)

• Emulations (Carnal Ambition)

• Wrath

• Strife

• Seditions (Rebellion)

• Heresies (Doctrinal Error)

• Envyings

• Murders

• Drunkenness 

• Revellings (Being Riotous)

When these things are prevalent in our life than we know that we are yielding more to the lusts of the flesh than we are to the Spirit of God. However, when we living more focussed on the Spirit of God and walking in the Spirit of God there are works that will be prevalent in our lives as well. (Galatians 5:22-23)

• Love

• Joy

• Peace

• Longsuffering

• Gentleness

• Goodness 

• Faith

• Meekness

• Temperance 

We need to take an honest look at our own lives and determine which is winning the battle in our life. Which one are we giving the victory to? Are we yielding more to the Spirit of God, or to the lusts of our flesh.

A child of God who is yielded to the Spirit of God cannot be living in fornication or adultery. A child of God who is yielded  to the Spirit of God cannot be living a life of Sodomy. We could go all the way down the list. It is time for us as children of God to get real with God and understand whether or not we are truly walking in His Spirit. 

Too many people feel that they are good Christians while they live yielded to the lusts of the flesh. They soothe over their sins and they excuse them under the banner of it being something that they are working on. They have accepted it as a part of their “Christian journey”. Yet, can I ask you dear believer, at what point to you intend to lay it down! At what point do you intend to give it up! We have been instructed to lay aside every weight, yet we are trying to run the race and carry the burdens of our flesh and God is not pleased with our efforts!

You must decide what you will do. We cannot continue to live a double life where we pretend to be walking in the Spirit while we are living according to the lusts of our flesh. (Galatians 5:25) I challenge you to make a decision today for God, and for the Spirit of God in your life!