Empowered by the Spirit: Navigating Flesh and Faith

Summary

### Summary

Today's message focused on the profound and transformative power of living a life "Powered by the Spirit." We began by examining Galatians 5:16, where Paul urges believers to walk by the Spirit to avoid gratifying the desires of the flesh. This sets the stage for understanding the ongoing conflict between the flesh and the Spirit within every believer. The acts of the flesh, such as sexual immorality, jealousy, and fits of rage, are contrasted with the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, and self-control. These fruits are not merely moral attributes but are the very character of God being formed in us through the Holy Spirit.

We delved into the concept of spiritual formation, emphasizing that the Holy Spirit empowers us to resist the flesh and produce genuine fruit. This is not something we can achieve through our own efforts but is a result of being in a relationship with Christ and allowing the Spirit to work within us. The analogy of genetically modified foods was used to illustrate how Satan offers counterfeit fruits that may look appealing but lack the true essence and power of the Spirit.

The message also touched on the role of technology and artificial intelligence, highlighting that while these can be useful tools, they lack the anointing and transformative power that comes from being led by the Spirit. The importance of spiritual formation through personal study and prayer was emphasized, as this process shapes and molds us into the image of Christ.

We are in a constant battle, a tug-of-war between the flesh and the Spirit. However, the presence of the Holy Spirit within us gives us the power to overcome these fleshly desires. The Spirit does not prevent us from having these desires but empowers us to avoid acting on them. This ongoing struggle is evidence of our salvation and the Spirit's work in our lives.

Finally, we explored the concept of pruning, where God, as the gardener, cuts away parts of our lives to make us more fruitful. This process can be painful, but it is essential for our spiritual growth and the production of genuine fruit. Trusting in God's wisdom and timing, even when we don't understand His methods, is crucial for our spiritual development.

### Key Takeaways

1. Walking by the Spirit: Walking by the Spirit means allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and influence every aspect of our lives. This is not a passive act but requires intentionality and effort. By doing so, we can resist the desires of the flesh and live a life that reflects God's character. [01:16]

2. The Conflict Within: Every believer experiences a constant battle between the flesh and the Spirit. This struggle is a sign of our salvation and the Spirit's work in us. The presence of the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome these desires, not by eliminating them but by giving us the strength to resist acting on them. [18:23]

3. Counterfeit Fruits: Satan offers counterfeit fruits that may look appealing but lack the true essence and power of the Spirit. These counterfeit fruits can lead us astray and prevent us from experiencing the genuine transformation that comes from being led by the Spirit. [16:22]

4. The Role of Pruning: God, as the gardener, prunes our lives to make us more fruitful. This process can be painful and confusing, but it is essential for our spiritual growth. Trusting in God's wisdom and timing, even when we don't understand His methods, is crucial for our spiritual development. [48:22]

5. Spiritual Formation: True spiritual formation comes from personal study, prayer, and being led by the Spirit. While technology and artificial intelligence can be useful tools, they lack the anointing and transformative power that comes from a genuine relationship with Christ. This process shapes and molds us into the image of Christ, enabling us to produce genuine fruit. [07:19]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[01:16] - Walking by the Spirit
[01:54] - Conflict Between Flesh and Spirit
[02:47] - Acts of the Flesh
[04:04] - Fruit of the Spirit
[05:55] - Powered by the Spirit
[07:19] - Artificial Intelligence and Spiritual Formation
[08:32] - Emerging Technologies and Social Trust
[09:49] - Global Food Demand and Climate Change
[11:41] - Genetically Modified Foods
[12:37] - Benefits and Concerns of GMOs
[13:39] - Trust and Transparency in GMOs
[14:27] - Genetically Modified Fruits
[15:17] - Trusting Genetically Modified Foods
[16:22] - Counterfeit Fruits of the Spirit
[17:03] - Jesus' Command to Be Fruitful
[17:42] - The Conflict Within
[18:23] - Living in a Militarized Zone
[19:55] - The Contenders: Flesh vs. Spirit
[21:28] - The Power of Sin and Redemption
[22:58] - Acts of the Flesh and Social Media
[24:23] - Culture of Permissibility
[25:40] - Spirit of Comparison
[27:09] - The Battle Within
[28:48] - Behaviors Powered by the Flesh
[30:14] - The Children of Israel and the Taste for Egypt
[31:43] - The Weakness of the Flesh
[33:20] - Victory Through Jesus Christ
[34:39] - Reflecting God's Character
[36:07] - Power to Overcome Fleshly Desires
[37:39] - Evidence of Salvation
[39:15] - Strategies for Living by the Spirit
[40:38] - Warning Against Habitual Sin
[42:18] - Godly Sorrow and Repentance
[43:42] - Spiritual Paternity Test
[45:04] - Fruit Follows Repentance
[46:48] - The Process of Pruning
[48:22] - Remaining in the Vine
[49:46] - Bearing Fruit That Lasts
[51:20] - The Role of the Gardener
[52:49] - Trusting the Gardener
[54:12] - Characteristics of a Good Gardener
[55:36] - Detail-Oriented Gardening
[57:10] - Soil Health and Environment
[58:51] - Spiritual Formation and Wine
[01:00:29] - Jesus' First Miracle
[01:02:06] - Remaining in the Vine
[01:03:56] - Trusting God's Plan
[01:05:51] - God's Patience and Long-Suffering
[01:07:51] - Trusting the Gardener's Hand

Study Guide

### Bible Reading
- Galatians 5:16-25 (NIV)

### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul mean by "walking by the Spirit" in Galatians 5:16? How does this help believers avoid gratifying the desires of the flesh? [01:16]
2. List the acts of the flesh mentioned in Galatians 5:19-21. How are these contrasted with the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23? [02:47]
3. According to the sermon, what are some examples of "counterfeit fruits" that Satan offers? [16:22]
4. What is the role of pruning in a believer's life, as described in John 15:1-8? How does this process contribute to spiritual growth? [48:22]

### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the ongoing conflict between the flesh and the Spirit serve as evidence of our salvation and the Spirit's work in our lives? [18:23]
2. Why is it important to recognize and avoid counterfeit fruits? How can these counterfeit fruits lead us astray from genuine spiritual growth? [16:22]
3. What does it mean to be "Powered by the Spirit"? How does this concept influence our daily lives and decisions? [05:55]
4. How can the process of pruning, though painful, be seen as an essential part of our spiritual development? What are some personal experiences where you felt pruned by God? [48:22]

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily walk. Are there specific areas where you struggle to "walk by the Spirit"? What steps can you take to be more intentional in allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you? [01:16]
2. Identify one act of the flesh that you find particularly challenging. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to overcome this specific desire? [02:47]
3. Have you ever encountered what you now recognize as a "counterfeit fruit"? How did it impact your spiritual journey, and what did you learn from that experience? [16:22]
4. Think about a recent situation where you felt God was pruning you. How did you respond, and what fruit do you believe God is trying to cultivate in you through this process? [48:22]
5. The sermon mentioned the importance of personal study and prayer for spiritual formation. What is one practical change you can make in your daily routine to prioritize these activities? [07:19]
6. How can you trust in God's wisdom and timing, especially when you don't understand His methods? Share a time when you had to rely on faith during a difficult season of pruning. [48:22]
7. Choose one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.) to focus on this month. What specific action can you take to cultivate this fruit in your interactions with others? [04:04]

Devotional

Day 1: Walking by the Spirit
Walking by the Spirit means allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and influence every aspect of our lives. This is not a passive act but requires intentionality and effort. By doing so, we can resist the desires of the flesh and live a life that reflects God's character. The Holy Spirit empowers us to resist the flesh and produce genuine fruit, which is the very character of God being formed in us. This process is not something we can achieve through our own efforts but is a result of being in a relationship with Christ and allowing the Spirit to work within us.

[01:16]

Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV): "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you need to be more intentional about allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you? How can you start doing that today?

Day 2: The Conflict Within
Every believer experiences a constant battle between the flesh and the Spirit. This struggle is a sign of our salvation and the Spirit's work in us. The presence of the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome these desires, not by eliminating them but by giving us the strength to resist acting on them. This ongoing struggle is evidence of our salvation and the Spirit's work in our lives. The Spirit does not prevent us from having these desires but empowers us to avoid acting on them.

[18:23]

Romans 7:22-23 (ESV): "For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members."

Reflection: Identify a recent situation where you felt the tug-of-war between the flesh and the Spirit. How did you respond, and what can you learn from that experience to better handle future conflicts?

Day 3: Counterfeit Fruits
Satan offers counterfeit fruits that may look appealing but lack the true essence and power of the Spirit. These counterfeit fruits can lead us astray and prevent us from experiencing the genuine transformation that comes from being led by the Spirit. The analogy of genetically modified foods was used to illustrate how Satan offers counterfeit fruits that may look appealing but lack the true essence and power of the Spirit. These counterfeit fruits can lead us astray and prevent us from experiencing the genuine transformation that comes from being led by the Spirit.

[16:22]

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (ESV): "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you might be accepting counterfeit fruits. How can you discern and seek the genuine fruits of the Spirit instead?

Day 4: The Role of Pruning
God, as the gardener, prunes our lives to make us more fruitful. This process can be painful and confusing, but it is essential for our spiritual growth. Trusting in God's wisdom and timing, even when we don't understand His methods, is crucial for our spiritual development. Pruning involves cutting away parts of our lives that may be hindering our growth, and while this can be painful, it is necessary for producing genuine fruit. Trusting in God's wisdom and timing, even when we don't understand His methods, is crucial for our spiritual development.

[48:22]

John 15:2 (ESV): "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

Reflection: Think about a recent experience where you felt God was pruning you. How did you respond, and how can you better trust His wisdom and timing in the future?

Day 5: Spiritual Formation
True spiritual formation comes from personal study, prayer, and being led by the Spirit. While technology and artificial intelligence can be useful tools, they lack the anointing and transformative power that comes from a genuine relationship with Christ. This process shapes and molds us into the image of Christ, enabling us to produce genuine fruit. The importance of spiritual formation through personal study and prayer was emphasized, as this process shapes and molds us into the image of Christ.

[07:19]

Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your personal study and prayer life? How can you ensure that these practices are Spirit-led and not just routine activities?

Quotes

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "What I was really trying to teach last week was that Jesus is gone but present. He's present in the lives of the believers. He's gone but present through his Holy Spirit." [01:16]( | | )

2. "The fruit of the spirit, everybody say fruit of the spirit, is love. Joy. Peace. Forbearance. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." [04:04]( | | )

3. "Jesus commanded us to be fruitful and to bear more fruit. That's why this series is going to be called Faithfulness. So, if he can't stop you from bearing fruit, maybe he can offer you to settle bearing counterfeit fruit. Don't be faithful, just be an opportunist." [17:03]( | | )

4. "The Spirit of God on the inside of you does not prevent you from having fleshly desires. Rather, he gives you the power to avoid acting on them." [36:07]( | | )

5. "With the power of the Holy Ghost leading me, I can defeat the flesh every single time." [37:39]( | | )

### Quotes for Members

1. "If you use it, you miss the opportunity and the blessing to be formed by the Spirit when you study it yourself, because every message that you study, every message I study and I preach, I don't just, it's not just head knowledge, I've got to pray into it. I've got to be changed by it, I'm formed, I'm shaped by it, and that's why if you talk to me several days before I preach or several days after I preach, I'm still preaching it because I've been shaped by it, so you miss that, that spiritual formation." [07:19]( | | )

2. "The Spirit of God does not prevent you from having fleshly desires. He powers you to avoid acting on those desires. While the presence of sin remains, those desires and habits, they're there, that even legitimate ones that you might seek to handle outside the will of God in a Christian's life, Paul is assuring that because you have the presence of the Spirit, sin does not need to reign in your body and reign in your life. You have the power to overcome the desires of the flesh and not merely to give in to them." [36:07]( | | )

3. "The command is to walk, to live in the Spirit. It indicates, if he tells you to walk in the Spirit, it indicates that there's going to be some effort and resolve on the part of the Christian to proceed on the right course. That there's going to be some effort and some resolve from you, some work you have to do. It doesn't happen by accident. It doesn't happen by accident or by chance." [39:15]( | | )

4. "Pruning brothers and sisters oftentimes refers to hardship that will eventually produce faithfulness and closeness to God. He's got the pruning shears in his hand. He knows exactly where to cut you to get fruitfulness out of your life. Some people, I want to help you because you've been, you've been in a, you've been in a hard place. You've been going through some hardship and you've been rebuking the devil, but it's not the devil, it's the gardener." [52:49]( | | )

5. "God's not guessing with what he's doing with you. God's not Googling. How do I get JaVale to grow? No, no, no, no, no, no. The omnipotent, the omniscient, the omnipresent. Your good, good father is the gardener." [54:12]( | | )

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Transcript

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