Victory Through the Spirit: Overcoming Fleshly Desires

Devotional

Day 1: Victory Through the Spirit's Power

Walking by the Spirit is a promise of victory over the desires of the flesh. This victory is not about the absence of fleshly desires but about the Spirit's power to prevent their fulfillment. The Spirit enables us to turn from these desires and embrace God's superior promises. [00:17]

Galatians 5:24-25 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: Identify a specific desire of the flesh you struggle with. How can you rely on the Spirit's power today to overcome it and embrace God's promises instead?

Day 2: Divine Conflict for Spiritual Growth

The conflict between the flesh and the Spirit is divinely ordained to prevent us from acting on our fleshly desires. This ongoing battle is a testament to God's purpose for our lives, ensuring that we do not do what our old selves desire. [02:36]

Romans 7:21-23 (ESV): "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 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: Reflect on a recent situation where you felt the tension between the flesh and the Spirit. How can you see this conflict as an opportunity for spiritual growth?

Day 3: Liberation Through the Spirit's Leadership

Being led by the Spirit emphasizes the Spirit's dominant role in guiding our lives. This leadership liberates us from the constraints of the law, as the Spirit's work within us fulfills the law's righteous requirements. [07:41]

2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV): "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel constrained by rules or expectations. How can you invite the Spirit to lead you into true freedom in this area?

Day 4: Redemption and Alignment with God's Will

The Spirit's presence within us signifies our redemption from the law's curse. This redemption is not only about freedom from the law's demands but also about living a life that aligns with God's will through the Spirit's guidance. [09:16]

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV): "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Reflection: What is one area of your life that needs realignment with God's will? How can you seek the Spirit's guidance to bring about this change?

Day 5: Living Beyond the Law with the Spirit's Fruit

The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—demonstrates our freedom from the law. These Spirit-produced qualities affirm that we are not under the law's constraints, as they fulfill the law's righteous requirements. [10:32]

Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."

Reflection: Choose one fruit of the Spirit you want to cultivate more in your life. What practical steps can you take today to nurture this quality?

Sermon Summary

In our exploration of Galatians 5:16-18, we delve into the profound promise that walking by the Spirit ensures we do not fulfill the desires of the flesh. This promise acknowledges the ongoing presence of fleshly desires but assures us that the Spirit empowers us to resist and overcome them. The conflict between the flesh and the Spirit is divinely ordained, serving a purpose: to prevent us from doing what our old, flesh-driven selves desire. This internal battle is not indicative of perfection but rather a testament to the Spirit's active role in our lives, granting us victory over the flesh.

Verse 17 highlights the implacable opposition between the flesh and the Spirit, emphasizing that this conflict is designed to ensure that we do not act on our fleshly desires. This divine arrangement is not about achieving perfection but about experiencing victory through the Spirit's intervention. The Spirit's presence within us is a sign of God's purpose for our triumph over the flesh.

Verse 18 further elaborates on the benefits of being led by the Spirit. While walking by the Spirit involves our active choice to align with the Spirit, being led by the Spirit emphasizes the Spirit's dominant role in guiding our lives. This guidance liberates us from the constraints of the law, as the Spirit's work within us fulfills the law's righteous requirements. The Spirit's leadership signifies our redemption from the law's curse and empowers us to live in a way that aligns with God's will.

The Spirit's fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—demonstrates that when we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the law. These Spirit-produced qualities are beyond the law's reach, affirming our freedom from its constraints. Thus, walking by the Spirit is an invitation to live by faith in God's superior promises and help, allowing the Spirit to guide us into a life that pleases God.

Key Takeaways

1. Walking by the Spirit is a promise of victory over the desires of the flesh. This victory is not about the absence of fleshly desires but about the Spirit's power to prevent their fulfillment. The Spirit enables us to turn from these desires and embrace God's superior promises. [00:17]
2. The conflict between the flesh and the Spirit is divinely ordained to prevent us from acting on our fleshly desires. This ongoing battle is a testament to God's purpose for our lives, ensuring that we do not do what our old selves desire. [02:36]
3. Being led by the Spirit emphasizes the Spirit's dominant role in guiding our lives. This leadership liberates us from the constraints of the law, as the Spirit's work within us fulfills the law's righteous requirements. [07:41]
4. The Spirit's presence within us signifies our redemption from the law's curse. This redemption is not only about freedom from the law's demands but also about living a life that aligns with God's will through the Spirit's guidance. [09:16]
5. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—demonstrates our freedom from the law. These Spirit-produced qualities affirm that we are not under the law's constraints, as they fulfill the law's righteous requirements. [10:32]
** [10:32]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Walking by the Spirit
[00:39] - The Promise of Victory
[01:18] - Understanding the Conflict
[02:36] - Divine Purpose of Conflict
[03:15] - The Divided Self
[04:40] - Implacable Opposition
[05:16] - Victory Over Fleshly Desires
[06:20] - The Role of the Spirit
[07:41] - Being Led by the Spirit
[08:24] - Freedom from the Law
[09:16] - Redemption and Adoption
[10:14] - The Fruit of the Spirit
[11:12] - Living Beyond the Law
[11:28] - Walking by Faith

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Walking by the Spirit

Bible Reading:
- Galatians 5:16-18
- Galatians 4:4-7

Observation Questions:

What promise is given in Galatians 5:16 about walking by the Spirit and the desires of the flesh? How does this promise relate to the ongoing presence of fleshly desires? [00:17]
According to the sermon, what is the purpose of the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:17? [02:36]
How does Galatians 5:18 describe the role of the Spirit in relation to the law? What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? [07:41]
What are the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in the sermon, and how do they demonstrate our freedom from the law? [10:32]

Interpretation Questions:

How does the sermon explain the concept of "walking by the Spirit" as an active choice? What does this choice involve in the life of a believer? [07:41]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit is a testament to God's purpose for our lives? How does this conflict prevent us from fulfilling our old desires? [02:36]
How does the presence of the Spirit within us signify our redemption from the law's curse, according to the sermon? What implications does this have for our daily lives? [09:16]
The sermon mentions that the Spirit's leadership liberates us from the constraints of the law. How does this liberation manifest in the life of a believer? [08:24]

Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent situation where you felt the desires of the flesh rising. How did you respond, and how might walking by the Spirit change your response in the future? [00:39]
The sermon emphasizes the Spirit's role in guiding us away from our old desires. Can you identify a specific area in your life where you need the Spirit's guidance to overcome a persistent struggle? [02:36]
Consider the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in the sermon. Choose one aspect to focus on this week. What specific action can you take to cultivate this fruit in your interactions with others? [10:32]
How can you actively choose to align with the Spirit in your daily decisions? Identify one decision you will face this week and plan how you will seek the Spirit's guidance in making it. [07:41]
The sermon discusses the Spirit's role in liberating us from the law's constraints. How can you live out this freedom in a way that aligns with God's will? What changes might you need to make in your life to reflect this freedom? [08:24]
Think of a person or situation that challenges your patience. What is a short prayer or practice you can adopt to help you respond with the fruit of the Spirit in that context? [10:32]
How can you ensure that the Spirit's leadership is the dominant influence in your life? What practical steps can you take to prioritize the Spirit's guidance over other influences? [07:41]

Sermon Clips

But I say you walk by the spirit and you will not fulfill the desires or the desire of the flesh. That's a promise. If this happens, walking by the spirit, this will happen. You will not fulfill the desire of the Flesh. [00:00:17]

There may still be rising desires of the flesh, but the spirit will enable you not to bring them to consummation. In other words, you may see them rising, and you will, in the power of the spirit, denounce them and turn from them in faith in a superior promise. [00:00:46]

There is an implacable opposition conflict between flesh Desiring and spirit Desiring. The reason God has ordained that the spirit intrude himself into the Fallen flesh dominated human heart to create this conflict is this is the Reason God established this conflict between spirit and flesh in this world. [00:02:52]

God has ordained that the Spirit come into the Fallen human heart in order that things that you, namely the you yielding to the flesh, you not do the things that you, you old you want. [00:03:37]

If you walk by the spirit, you won't fulfill the desires of the flesh. Why not? Because there's an implacable difference for a reason, an impliable Conflict for a reason. For the flesh desires against the spirit, the spirit desires against the flesh for a reason. [00:04:44]

God has ordained that we not do the things we want to do, and thus we get victory over the desires of the flesh. I don't think verse 17 implies Perfection too much about battle in this book and other books to say that this is not total and complete and constant triumph over the desires of the flesh. [00:05:11]

Walking by the spirit puts the focus on our choice and effort to bring our lives into submission to and Conformity to the Spirit. Led here is a passive verb. You are LED puts the focus on the spirit's dominant work in taking up the leadership in our lives and making sure we do what he wants us to do. [00:07:27]

The presence of the spirit in our hearts leading us is evidence that we have been redeemed from being under the law. So I take that to be the first and probably the main meaning of if you're led by the spirit. If the spirit is in your heart and you have it from God leading you, then you are not under the curse of the law. [00:09:20]

The spirit has fruit, and when it is in our heart, reigning through faith, it produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Then Paul says this against such things, such Spirit produced things, there's no law. [00:10:26]

When the spirit is leading us, we're not under the law, not only because it signifies that we have been redeemed from the curse of the law by the blood of Jesus, but also it signifies that we are being led to do things against which there's no law. [00:10:55]

If you're led by the spirit, you're doubly not under the law. You're not under the curse of the law because Christ bore your curse, and you're not under the law as an external constraint because the spirit within is moving you to do the very things which the law approves. [00:11:16]

Walk by the spirit, that is, walk by faith in the superior help and Promises of God through the spirit. [00:11:34]

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