How Does Living By The Spirit Work?

As we looked at being made free by the Gospel last week, this week as we look at the second half of Galatians we find out that we are to live by the guiding of the Holy Spirit.   This sounds simple yet it is a real struggle for most.  Why is this such a struggle as Paul points out there is an ongoing struggle between our sinful nature to do what it has always done and the Holy Sprite working in us to change us.  How do we even know if we are living in the sprite of God or by the sinful nature?  Paul tells in verses 19-22 of Chapter five.  “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: 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. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.” 

As we look at this list of what sinful nature is and is not I could not help but notice at the end, what happens to those who are living by the Holy Spirit.  Paul says we produce fruit, what does that mean?  It means that we are not living for ourselves anymore we are living to produce God’s love and peace in our lives.  It means that instead of us living our lives for our own benefit, we live to see God’s Kingdom grow.  But How does this happen? How do we become more like Christ and have this love and peace flow through? Christ answers this question for us; “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John15:4-5) We do not have a relationship by following a bunch of rules, but by coming to God and giving Him our lives, through prayer and reading His word.  As we draw closer to God His power and strength is going to begin to strengthen us and we are going to have new desires. We are going to become more self-controlled, and relay on His Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and strength.

As we look at this Idea of following God and living not for our selfish ambitions but to live for God, to go out and come into a deep and meaningful relationship with God, we must realize that this is not what the world is going to understand.  Have you ever decided that you want to begin to change things in your life, to maybe start eating healthier?  What are the reactions of those around you?  Some may say good for you that’s not really for me.  Others are going to possibly try and make it difficult for you and taunt you.  While others may come alongside you and help you.  This is very much like coming to Christ, many are not going to understand, some may taunt you, others may try to lead you astray, while some may come alongside and do what they can to help.  The thing is, how are we going to respond to these people? Are we going to become discouraged and walk away, or are we going to say I may have to walk away from some old friends in order to draw closer to Christ.  I am going to leave you with what Christ told Peter when Peter thought he was correcting Christ after Christ told them that He must be killed.  “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s.” Then Jesus said to the disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me.  If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.  And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul^* in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? For I, the Son of Man, will come in the glory of my Father with his angels and will judge all people according to their deeds.  And I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see me, the Son of Man, coming in my Kingdom.”  (Matthew 16:23-28)