Daily Devotional Tuesday 3rd November 2020
by William MoodyGalatians 5:16–26
Keep in Step with the Spirit
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,1 drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do2 such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
(ESV)
The problem with a religious life that relies on keeping the law, is that it doesn’t have power to deal with the sin (flesh) within us. It is only the power of Christ in the Gospel, brought into our souls through the Spirit that enables us to defeat sin within (the flesh) (v16).
The entrance of the Spirit into the believer at conversion, begins a conflict between the Spirit and the flesh (sin) within (v17). The works of the flesh are outlined (v19-21) and these belong to the life of sin and eternal death.
By contrast the fruit of the Spirit outlined in verses 22-23, leads to freedom and eternal life. The law doesn’t put to death the ways of sin, only the Gospel with the power of the cross can do this (v24). The power of the cross becomes real in our lives through the Holy Spirit and we must seek to keep in step with how He wants to lead us and not with the ways of sin (v25-26).
Do you know the power of the Christ real in your life through the Spirit, helping you to have victory over sin and to live a life of loving obedience?
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