Keep in Step with the Spirit

We can choose how we live. If we let our flesh control us, we are letting our sinful nature become our actions, but it doesn't have to be like that. We can be lead by the Spirit. When we accept Jesus we receive the Holy Spirit, thats part of the deal. But to live by the Spirit is more than just receiving Christ it is work/action. If you struggle with lust, drunkenness, idolatry, anger, control the flesh is ruling you. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say none of us want the flesh to be ruling us. So how do we let the Holy Spirit be our guide? We have to let go of our fleshes desire to control. Allow the Holy Spirit to come over us.

Have you ever met someone who's been radically transformed by Jesus?....I hope your answer is YES! What happens is the Spirit comes more and more over them taking dominance of their lives and their bodies  desires are now submitting to God's authority. When the Spirit is abundant in your life it produces fruit in the form of love, joy, peace, patience kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Look at your life do you see more fruits of the spirit or flesh?

Galatians 5:16-26

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

If there was a gauge where would you be? E being flesh F being Spirit. We want to get as full of the Spirit and Jesus as we can!!!!! If your feeling broke and empty I'm guessing the flesh is winning.

When we live out the lies told to us we are living according to the flesh. So how do we let the flesh diminish in our lives so Jesus shines bright?

1- Accept Jesus 

     we need to accept that Jesus is the Messiah, when we receive Jesus we receive his spirit

2- Get filled with Holy Spirit

    once we receive the spirit thats great, but we can the spirit to come over us and lead us.  ways we         can do this is by prayer, worship, ect.

3- Submit to God's plan and purpose in our life

     when we let God reign it will allow us to be full of his fruit

I mean just think about what you experience when your worshiping. Love, joy, overwhelmed by God,....this is the Holy Spirit rising up in you.

                            Flesh                                                          Spirit

                          -lust                                                            -love

                          -addiction                                                   -joy

                          -idolatry                                                     -peace

                          -rage                                                           -patience

Here are just a few examples. We may not feel we are completely one side or another. I would say its mostly that way. It's a war between our sinful nature and the righteousness God declares us once were saved. It's semi-good news that there is a war, because that means our body is fighting against our sinful nature and fighting for Jesus to be head of our lives. But the main point isn't war it's victory in the Spirit. Amen?! When you walk by the spirit you don't let those temptations lead to sin or deception.

When we try to heal ourselves of brokenness without relying on Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are constantly trying to fill our own emptiness rather than sharing our fullness. 

Jesus doesn't promise there won't be a war, but He promises the spirit will win.

Goal -------> conquer flesh and live by the Spirit

Spirit conquers that emptiness and lies that drive the flesh. (what drives the flesh--->lies, it's built on lies from the enemy, and we all hear them, even Jesus did, but it's what do we do with them that matters)

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We need to daily put our trust in God and cast our cares on him. By doing this it frees us from our flesh. We need to stop trying to fill our emptiness with worldly desires or things and start putting faith in God and walk by the Spirit!

 

prayer: 

Lord you know my struggles, let your Spirit come over me and lead my everyday life. Let the sinful nature be dead and in the past. Let me be the righteousness of Jesus to others and pouring your spirit out because i'm so full of you...instead of trying to fill the emptiness. Your the only person who can heal me, no amount of money or earthly desires can help my sinful nature dissipate. Let me trust in you draw me closer and fill me up.

Amen