Sermon Central
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Walking In The Spirit~ No Other Life
Contributed by Howard Strickland on Oct 17, 2016 (message contributor)
Summary: As believer's follow the Lord provisions manifest into fruit. Many people touched by the hand of All-Mighty-God!
Walking In the Spirit~ No Other Life
I once read of a little boy who used to escape his bedroom after being punished. He would crawl out of his bedroom window down an old fruit tree to the ground. One day, his father told him that he was going to chop down the fruit tree, because it hadn’t borne any fruit for a number of years.
That evening, the boy and his friend bought a bushel of apples, and during the night, tied those apples on the barren branches. The next morning, the man could not believe his eyes. He said to his wife, "Honey, I just can’t believe it! That old tree hasn’t yielded any fruit for years, and now it’s covered with apples. And, the most amazing thing is that it’s a pear tree!"
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The consistent way to overcome the sinful desires of our human nature the flesh, is to live step by step in the power of the Holy Spirit as He works through our spirit. Walking each moment faith by faith in God's word under the spirits control assures absolute victory over the desires of our sinful nature.
There’s one common thread victorious believer’s obtain.
Romans 1:17NKJV For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.
Galatians 3:11NKJV But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
Hebrews 10:38NKJV Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
“The greatest life you’ll ever live isn’t found with accumulation of things, nor is it found by what you drive, the house you own, nor who you marry.’ ‘Moreover, Life lived with subliminal messages through commercials on TV, or your favorite magazine showing anorexic and photoshop models screaming, “look like me!’ ‘All this kind of nonsense will only leave you penniless and disillusioned.”
There’s a better way! P.H.
So what does it mean to walk in the Spirit?
Let’s look at verse 16 of Galatians chapter 5 again, NLT16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
If you were to think about the ear marks of some public figures, what earmarks, or what do you think when you hear these names?
Ronald Regan?
Hilary Clinton?
Donald Trump?
OJ Simpson?
Micheal Jackson?
Billy Graham?
What are some important earmarks of Christianity?
The Bible
The Trinity.
The life, death, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The return of Christ.
Salvation.
Prayer.
Bible studies.
6. The Breaking of the bread (Meaning the Lord’s Supper).
7. Baptism.
8. The blood of Jesus and the authority believer’s can have as it’s understood.
How about this earmark? The fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23NLT But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
According to these powerful scriptures, the Holy Spirit is continually produces fruit for every believer.
John 15:8NLT When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
Let me just say this, “The no other life,” becomes a fruit bearing life!
I heard it said years ago that if you were sent to prison for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Galatians 5:17NLT The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Let’s look at what the sinful nature desires to do and practice.
Galatians 5:19-21NLT When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life (or practicing this sort of life) will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
The potential of the flesh energized by satan should never be underestimated.
