Walking by the Spirit: Freedom from Envy and Comparison

Devotional

Day 1: The Spirit walks with us to lead and satisfy.

Walking by the Spirit is an intimate journey of trust and guidance. It is a daily decision to hold the hand of our divine companion, allowing Him to lead us into safe spaces and exciting adventures of faith. This relationship is designed to be so vibrant and fulfilling that it becomes our primary source of contentment. When we walk in step with Him, we find our souls restored and our deepest needs met. [55:25]

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical way you can consciously "take the hand" of the Spirit today, perhaps by pausing to seek His guidance before making a decision?

Day 2: The constant struggle between flesh and spirit.

There is a fundamental opposition between our selfish desires and the leading of God's Spirit. The flesh pulls us toward instant gratification and self-focused pursuits, which ultimately lead us away from the Father's love and into darkness. The Spirit, in contrast, consistently draws us toward the light, reminding us of God's word and His best for us. This internal conflict is a reality for every believer, requiring daily awareness and choice. [56:17]

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. (Galatians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you recently felt this internal tension, and what was one specific prompting from the Spirit that you chose to obey or ignore?

Day 3: Our hearts have a hole only God can fill.

Humanity often attempts to fill an innate emptiness with things like success, relationships, or substances. Yet, these temporal things always leave us wanting more, creating a cycle of dissatisfaction. This craving proclaims that we were made for a true happiness that can only be found in an infinite God. He alone is the immutable object designed to fill the infinite abyss within the human heart. [01:04:34]

What else does this craving and this helplessness proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are. (Pascal's Pensées)

Reflection: Beyond your relationship with God, what is one thing you are most tempted to rely on for your sense of satisfaction and identity?

Day 4: Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit to crowd out envy.

Focusing on the positive fruit God produces is a powerful antidote to sinful desires. As we actively engage in love, joy, peace, and patience, there is less room for jealousy and ill-will to grow. This is not about mere behavior modification but about cooperating with the Spirit's transformative work within us. Getting busy with these virtues allows the "to don't" list to increasingly take care of itself. [01:09:23]

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: Which one fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control—do you sense the Lord wants to cultivate in you this season to specifically counteract a tendency to compare or envy?

Day 5: Actively count your blessings to combat envy.

A heart of gratitude is a deliberate defense against the encroachment of envy. It involves intentionally listing out our blessings, from the air we breathe to the specific ways others have blessed us. This practice shifts our focus from what others have to what we have already been given by God's grace. Actively thanking God and others reorients our perspective and aligns our hearts with the Spirit's contentment. [01:14:44]

Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:26, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person you can reach out to this week to actively thank for how they have been a blessing in your life, and how might that act of gratitude weaken envy's grip?

Sermon Summary

Week two of Wholehearted focuses the congregation on Galatians 5, urging believers to find deep satisfaction in the Spirit rather than in fleshly desires, comparisons, or envy. Drawing from Paul’s charge to “walk by the Spirit,” the exposition contrasts the destructive works of the flesh—sexual immorality, strife, jealousy, envy, drunkenness, and division—with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A vivid contemporary illustration — a young woman offered $10,000,000 to sell out her vision — underscores what real contentment looks like: refusing a lucrative temptation when it would violate conscience and purpose, trusting that God will provide better ways forward. The argument presses that the Spirit not only convicts but guides, comforts, and satisfies; a vibrant relationship with the Spirit produces such contentment that external gains cannot displace it.

Paul’s warning is sharpened: those who persist in the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom, and envy is specifically named as a relational poison—jealousy that bakes into a grudge, producing ill will and fractured community. The remedy is concrete. Believers are called to crucify the flesh—preemptively refusing temptations, imagining the public exposure of secret sins, and embracing accountability—so that the fruit of the Spirit can flourish and the “don’ts” begin to fade away. Practical disciplines follow naturally: count blessings, cultivate gratitude, celebrate others’ successes, and remain sensitive to the Spirit’s nudges and the counsel of faithful Christians. Keeping in step with the Spirit transforms rivalrous emotion into worship and neighborly love, preserves relationships, and opens unexpected doors when integrity is chosen over compromise. The closing appeal is pastoral and urgent: pursue the Spirit’s lead, actively reject envy, and let a wholehearted trust in Christ shape decisions, speech, and community life.

Key Takeaways

1. Be led by the Spirit Deep spiritual life is not abstract but practical: being led by the Spirit means obeying convictions in real situations—choosing faithfulness over immediate gratification, listening to Scripture, and responding to godly counsel. That obedience trains affections so the Spirit’s promptings become recognizable and compelling. This is the daily discipline that turns moral clarity into moral courage. [54:48]
2. Crucify the desires of the flesh Crucifying the flesh is a proactive posture, imagining the worst-case exposure of secret sins and refusing the first step that leads to greater compromise. It includes accountability, concrete boundaries, and a willingness to remove opportunities for temptation rather than rationalize them away. This discipline guards both personal holiness and the well-being of others who would be harmed by one’s sin. [69:48]
3. Envy is grudge-forming jealousy Envy is not merely wanting what others have; it is a corrosive jealousy that hardens into spite and relational sabotage. It distorts perception, prompts moral rationalization, and quietly robs joy and community by turning gratitude into bitterness. Recognizing envy’s sneaky shape is the first step to repentance and relational repair. [50:18]
4. Practice gratitude; celebrate others' wins Counting blessings reframes attention from what is lacking to what is given, shifting the heart from rivalrous scarcity to generous abundance. Gratitude is a spiritual practice that diminishes the restless appetite the flesh tries to fill and enlarges capacity for rejoicing in others. Regularly naming gifts—both small and large—keeps the Spirit’s contentment present and contagious in the community. [74:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[42:57] - Wholehearted series and plan
[44:18] - $10,000,000 test of conscience
[48:32] - Entering Galatians 5
[49:33] - Fruit of the Spirit described
[54:48] - "Walk by the Spirit" explained
[58:37] - Works of the flesh enumerated
[69:48] - Crucify the flesh: practical urgency
[74:09] - Practical antidotes to envy
[77:07] - Closing prayer and invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Galatians 5:16–26 (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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.*

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Observation questions

What specific works of the flesh does Paul list in Galatians 5:19–21?
What are the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in verse 22–23?
According to the passage, what is the relationship between walking by the Spirit and gratifying the desires of the flesh?
What does Paul say will happen to those who persist in the works of the flesh? [49:20]

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Interpretation questions

Why does Paul contrast the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit in such a detailed way? What is he trying to communicate about the Christian life?
What does it mean to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires” (v. 24)? Is this a one-time decision or an ongoing process?
How does envy function as “jealousy that bakes into a grudge,” and why is it particularly destructive in relationships? [50:18]
In what ways does “keeping in step with the Spirit” (v. 25) help a believer avoid both conceit and envy toward others?

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Application questions

What is one area in your life where you’ve sensed the Spirit’s conviction recently? How can you actively choose to walk in obedience rather than gratify that desire of the flesh? [57:00]
Envy often disguises itself as criticism or discontent toward others. Who is someone you’ve struggled to celebrate because of envy? What practical step can you take this week to rejoice with them instead? [51:21]
How can you proactively “crucify the flesh” by setting boundaries or seeking accountability in an area where you’re regularly tempted? [01:09:48]
What would it look like to actively “count your blessings” this week? Try writing down three specific things you’re grateful for each day and see how it affects your heart. [01:14:09]
Is there a relationship that envy has damaged or prevented in your life? How can you take a step toward repair or reconciliation this week? [01:16:03]
When faced with a decision between compromise and integrity, how can you train yourself to listen to the Spirit’s guidance through Scripture and godly counsel? [57:58]
In what practical ways can you “keep in step with the Spirit” daily so that your contentment comes from Him rather than from circumstances or comparisons? [01:12:21]

Sermon Clips

And so if we begin to be led by the spirit again, to say, spirit of God, remind me of your word. Help me in these decisions. Help me day by day. Lead me. Remind me of the word of God. I will be led by you. That's a precious place to be. And our sensitivity toward the spirit grows and grows. Have you ever met people who are just like, how are they so sensitive to the holy spirit? They've trained themselves to listen. And when the holy spirit says do it, they do it. And when the holy spirit says don't do it, they don't do it. [01:08:12] (33 seconds) #ListenToTheSpirit

those who crucify the flesh, they imagine the worst case scenario, and they don't even get started at all. They imagine that everything they've said in secret will be shouted from the rooftops because it will, Luke twelve three. They imagine that every sin that they commit in the dark will be brought into the light because it will, Luke eight seven. Luke said both of those things, but he was just quoting Jesus who said those things. Jesus himself, the son of God, is warning us that the things we say in secret will be shouted from rooftops, so don't say things you shouldn't be shouted from the rooftops, that the things you do in the dark will be brought into the light, so don't do things in the dark that you're not ready to be seen in the light. [01:09:48] (40 seconds) #SecretsInTheLight

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Walking by the Spirit: Freedom from Envy and Comparison

Devotional

Day 1: The Spirit walks with us to lead and satisfy.

Day 2: The constant struggle between flesh and spirit.

Day 3: Our hearts have a hole only God can fill.

Day 4: Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit to crowd out envy.

Day 5: Actively count your blessings to combat envy.

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Walking by the Spirit: Freedom from Envy and Comparison

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