THE WORKS OF THE FLESH
Gal 5:16.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Introduction
Today I want to begin a study with the fruit of the spirit, I would like to take each one and break it down so we all can learn from it and maybe we all can get a better look at and apply it to our lifes.
But before we start as we look into our text, I want to take us to a closer look at our flesh and then we will go onto the fruit, one at a time. Amen.......
Gal 5:16-21 gives us a veiw at our flesh. Now lets take a look at it.
What does the word Flesh mean? Webster says it this way.
The nature of human body especially the sensual nature.
In the greek...........{sarx} and it means human nature or passion.
The works of the flesh are usely the results of the search for meaning outside of God.
Did you know that the world has gone mad after the meaning of life, People are searching and fighting for something to ease the pain of the emptyness they feel on the inside.
It’s God’s plan that man would find life and find it more abundanty, Unfortunately the world has rebelled against God’s plan and has gone out to find it’s own plan.
And when one does that he only ends up in despair and meaninglessness.
Story.
When i was a boy, I was a preacher kid, I was in great Rebellion and wanted to do my own thing, many of you know the story, I set out on a trail to run away from home with a girl and shack up with her, I had it all together I knoew what i wanted at that time in my life. My dad had given me a car for my 16th birthday, and what he did not know was I was going to run away and do my own thing, I was sick of church and everything that went with it, I knew that they was something inside of me that was telling me that there was more to life than church and God. So the very day I had it plan to leave on that night, I run into dispair and meaninglessness, I had a accdent, and was delayed from leaving. It cliam my eye site that day, and I was "Blind" in 24 hours from that night. And there i was in dispair. And was operation on and told that I would never see again,
You see I had a plan of my own, But God had another plan for me. I was Blind for 6 and half months, untill one day I prayed for myself and ask God to give me my site back and I would give him my life, And he did. Praise God, would love to tell more of the story, But lets get back to the message.
THERE ARE ONLY 2 CHOICES WE CAN MAKE.
#1 we can live our life as though God does not exist.
#2 we can live our life committed to christ.
One man decribed life as one big art gallary !!!!!!!
A world full of picture "Frames" without Picture’s
But it was "Gods" design that man would "Paint" the emagine of "God" in their Lifestyle and carater.
But as the result Man sit out to do his own will only to find himself ingauged in the works of his flesh.
Gal 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,
And the list of the works of the flesh is only a introduction to the fruit of the spirit.
NOW LETS TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FLESH AND SEE WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM IT. AMEN.
Gal 5:16............ This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
NOW LETS CONSIDER THE FLESH.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FLESH WE NEED TO LOOK AT ???
#1 THE CONCEPT OF THE FLESH.
It refers to people as they are apart from "God".
It’s used to decribe what it was like for us before we were a christian.
And we came to Christ !! The emptiness Now had Meaning>
#2 THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE FLESH.
A.... The flesh cannot please "God"
Rom 8:8 .........8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 3 Are
B... The flesh cannot produce Righteousness Gal. 3 :3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Yet so many are trying to do the the work of the spirit in the energy of the flesh.
NOW LETS CONSIDER THE "CONFLICT" OF THE FLESH.
Gal 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The word "Lusteth" could be translated as " war".
when I became a christian I did not lose the flesh.
Thats why there is a conflict.
Question? WHY THE CONFLICT
LETS CONSIDER THE INPACT OF THE AGE.
The differance between your spiritual and your physical age.
A man that is saved at the age of 20 The flesh has had a 20 year head start on the pattern of your life.
Illstration.
Two dogs in the same pin, the ower feeds them every day, But the one he feeds the most is the strongest.
#3 CONSIDER THE INFLUENCE OF OUR CULTURE.
The world we live in is geared to feed the flesh.
Someone has said the flesh is the bridge that is in touch with the world.
#4 CONSIDER THE IRRESPONSIBILITY IN OUR LIFE.
so many are un willing to take respondablity for there own action’s
But the real truth is this , we are all about as Holy as we wanta be. Amen,
#5 CONSIDER THE CONDUCT OF THE FLESH
Verse 19.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Paul was saying when a person is seaching for meaning apart from God, He will find himself engaged in these things.
Verse 20-21
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
These verse could demastrate, one that is looking for meaning in "Independence"
Today I have tryed to break down the truth of our flesh and next week we are going to look at the fruit of love.
Lets Pray.
