Do Not Be Deceived - God Is Not Mocked Part 2 Series

Do Not Be Deceived, God Is Not Mocked Part 2

Scripture: Galatians 5:25-26; 6:1-10

Introduction:

In part one of this series I focused on the seeds that are being planted within us. I shared with you that God is sowing seeds within us every time we hear or study His word. The seeds that are being sown can produce fruit only if we do what is needed to protect the seeds and ensure their growth. In addition to God’s seeds, I also shared with you that Satan is sowing seeds within us too. His seeds are pleasing to us and we generally enjoy his seeds more. Because Satan seeds are more pleasing to us, his seeds tend to grow faster because those are the seeds that we pay attention to. As I take you into the heart of the message this morning, I want to remind you that once God has deposited His seeds within us, we are responsible for those seeds. Once those seeds enter into our possession, God holds us responsible for what we do with them. Although Satan actively attempts to steal and destroy God’s seeds, if that happens, it is not God’s fault, it is our fault. So once we receive the seeds, we must take due diligence to ensure their growth. Also we cannot forget about the seeds that Satan is sowing. Those are the seeds we must actively seek out and destroy. Remember my example last week with my wife pulling weeds from her garden? This is what we must do with those seeds that Satan in sowing within us. We must recognize that it is his seeds and that they have no place in our current walk.

In my message today, I want to take you to the sixth chapter of Galatians. In this chapter, we will examine our responsibility to one another as it pertains to sowing and reaping. In my message on standing in the gap I shared with you that we have a responsibility for one another and as we begin to stand in the gap, we are actively sowing good seeds. In that message I shared with you how we must be careful as to how we judge the person we are standing in the gap for. How we evaluate their situation plays directly into how effective we will be in standing in the gap for that person. Well this morning I also want to share with you that the attitude that you have when you are standing in the gap for someone else will play out when you are reaping your harvest from the seeds you are sowing. Turn with me to Galatians chapter five, verses twenty-five and twenty-six.

I. When Someone Falls

We have all been around small children as they are learning to walk. Initially they start out by rocking back and forth on their knees and trying to crawl. Once they master the art of crawling, they stand up using something to support them as they take their first steps. Maybe it is a table or they hold your hand, but they use something to balance themselves. During these times of learning they often fall down, sometimes very hard. When that happens, what is our response? We rush to their side, pick them up and steady them. Now fast forward 50-60 years when that baby is grown and we are the old ones needing help. They now stand with us when we are sick to help steady us. Maybe that child will become our caregiver, helping us through our final years, months or days on this earth. Whatever the case, the times have changed and we are now being picked and steadied where before we were the ones doing the picking up. In this example, we are reaping from the seeds that were sown many years before. Keep this in mind as we examine what Paul said to the Galatians.

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.” Gal. 5:25-26

In chapter five of the book of Galatians, Paul encourages the Galatians to walk by the Spirit. He gave them concrete examples of how to do just that while also painting a very vivid picture of what it means to walk in the flesh. In verses twenty-five and twenty-six, Paul states that “if” we live by the Spirit we should also “walk” by the Spirit. How is it possible that we can live by the Spirit while not walking by the Spirit? It comes down to choice. You see, we can have the Spirit of God operating in our lives while at the same time not fully allowing Him to work through us. To live by the Spirit and to walk by the Spirit should go hand in hand, but sometimes our individual attitudes affect this negatively. Paul is encouraging us to allow what the Spirit is doing on the inside of us to be reflective on the outside. Once Paul makes this point, he gives them an example which takes us into chapter six.