God's Word for Me Today
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
Focus: Our Mission: Sharing the New Life of Jesus Christ
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Eternal God, my prayer this day is that I may be filled with Your Holy Spirit that I may experience the fullness of the New Life You offer through, Jesus. May the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy , peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control grow and be evident in all that I am and all that I do this day. Use Your Word to inspire me to love and good works to Your glory and praise! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
God's Word for Me Today: Galatians 5:16-26
16So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. 18But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.
19When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, 21envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another.
Questions for Reflection
If you have ever had a garden, what grew well? What didn’t? What are the obstacles to having a “fruitful” garden?
When you are going to make a major purchase, such as a new car, what attitudes and ideas come into conflict within you?
Questions for Exploration
According to the Apostle Paul, what are the two conflicting and competing forces in our daily efforts to live the new life we have in the Holy Spirit? (5:16-17)
How often are we free from this conflict when we are making choices as followers of Jesus? (5:17)
What will be the result if we follow the desires of our sinful nature? (5:19-21)
What will be the result if the Holy Spirit controls our lives? (5:22) KEY VERSE
Questions for Understanding
According to the Apostle Paul why do Christians, who have received a new life, still struggle with sin? What can we do about the struggle?
When Paul says, “But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law, (Galatians 5:18)” what does he mean?
Under what circumstances can the new life Jesus gives us produce the “fruit” of the Spirit?
Questions for Application
How will you be more aware of the ongoing struggle between your old sinful nature and the Holy Spirit nature in your life, and what will you do to ensure that in each choice you make the Holy Spirit wins the day?
In Paul’s long “laundry list” of evil actions resulting from the victory of the sinful nature in our lives, which one is the most likely to cause you to stumble. Pray for extra strength from the Holy Spirit to overcome in this area.
What one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit will you focus on today in your interaction with others?
Think about the New Life!
In today’s Scripture the Apostle Paul talks about an ongoing conflict in our lives that impacts every choice we ever make. Think of that—EVERY choice we ever make! That conflict is the struggle between our old sinful nature—which loves to sin, and our new life in the Holy Spirit, which desires to love, honor and serve God. All of us are intuitively aware of this struggle. We know that it isn’t easy to follow Jesus, but are we consciously aware of the struggle, are we engaging our sinful nature in “battle.” Are we living by the Spirit? Are we growing the fruit of the Spirit?
Paul is very specific in listing the outcome when we lose the battle. Our lives are filled with: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Paul recognized that we don’t sin in general. We sin in specific. Each of us has a “pet” sin or sins that cause us to stumble more than others. In these areas of our lives in particular, we must engage the battle. We must call on God and be specific, “God, please forgive me for my jealousy, and by the power of your Holy Spirit, replace it with love, joy, peace, patience….” This battle is winnable, but only when we consciously engage it, recognizing that only the Holy Spirit has the power to overcome the old sinful nature and allow our new life in Jesus to reign victorious daily!
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