Walking in the Spirit

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Walking in the Spirit

• Keeping in step
• with the Spirit
• Galatians 5 16-26

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• Last week on Pentecost Sunday
• We saw how the Spirit is given to empower
  ordinary people to live the life of Jesus
• We saw that Pentecost provides us with a model
  for our own equipping - not just a one off
  event
• We saw that we need to go on being drenched by
  the power of the Spirit so that we can stay
  effective in ministry.
• Today How can we keep in step with the Spirit?

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Keeping in step with the Spirit

• This is not as easy as it sounds! Why?
• The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear
  its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes
  from or where it is going. So it is with everyone
  born of the Spirit. Jesus in John 38
• The Spirit of God is not in our control! Good
  news!
• We want to do what we see the Father doing Jn
  519
• So our challenge is to find Him then to follow
  Him!
• Paul, writing to the Galatians, can help us with
  this

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Galatians 5 16-26

•   16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will
  not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
  17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary
  to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to
  the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each
  other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But
  if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under
  law.  
•  

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 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious
sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery
20idolatry and witchcraft hatred, discord,
jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions 21and 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.
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• 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
  peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
  faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.
  Against such things there is no law. 24Those who
  belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful
  nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we
  live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the
  Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking
  and envying each other.

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1. Live by the Spirit v16

• What does Paul mean by this phrase?
• Reach for a supernatural worldview
• Have the Spirit of God as our central focus
  Lk1231
• Believe what Jesus says about our relationship!
  Jn1627, Matt 2820,
• Put ourselves into His hands each day
• Ask for the Spirit to come to guide empower!
• Be expectant of His activity around us
• Make this a daily pattern for our life!

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2. Look for spiritual fruit v19-23

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By contrast

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Looking for fruitsome hints

• Fruit grows naturally for each tree doesnt it?
• As we let the Spirit of God work in us - His
  fruit begins to grow not overnight but it does
  grow!
• Sometimes its hard for us to see much progress
  - others may see things more clearly!
• Keeping in step with the Spirit means
  encouraging healthy fruit dealing with the
  weeds when we are weeding - going for the
  roots!
• Its easy to say Thats just the way I am.
  Resist the temptation! We are a new creation
  the old has gone, the new has come! 2Cor 517
  (Gal 524)

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3. What seeds are being sown?

• The fruit is the seed of the plant spreading
  its life...
• Whatever we are is multiplied for good or evil
• So what do we see at our feet sweetly fragranced
• flowers OR weeds thistles?
• We pass to our children grandchildren our
• characteristics dont we?
• We pass what is growing in our life to those we
  influence for Jesus!

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4. Avoiding a DIY spirituality v26

• Paul points out two dangers
• Both the result of poor pacing / of not
  keeping in step with the Spirit
• a. Falling back into legalism as the means of
• changing our life forced hot house
  growth that is both ineffective with tasteless
  fruit
• b. Running ahead of the Spirit

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So how might we run ahead?

• Feeling vulnerable out of control - its
  tempting
• to hide behind well rehearsed formulas
• Taking into our hands what is not ours to do
  (1Sam139)
• Lighting our own fires to walk by rather than
  trusting God to be our lamp (Is 5010-11)
• All of this can produce some unexpected
  religious fruit which is pretty sour -
  conceit, provocation (rivalry), envy v26

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A take away
Jesus invites us into his supernatural Kingdom
to do the opposite of what the world believes is
either possible, sensible, or prudent.
and then he invites us at almost every point
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• The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its
  sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or
  where it is going. So it is with everyone born of
  the Spirit. Jesus in John 38
• By keeping in step with the Spirit we become
  like the Father, as Jesus prayed that we might be
  (John 1721)