Last Sunday, Pastor Travis shared from Galations 5 as we continued our teaching series "Pentecost" with a discussion about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In that passage of Scripture, the Apostle Paul lists four areas where our rebellious, resistant nature looks to produce its work:
1. Sexual areas - immorality, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lust, abuse
2. Spiritual areas - witchcraft (manipulating God) & idolatry (replacing God)
3. Community areas - breakdowns & divisions in our relationships
4. Behavioral areas - compulsions & addictions that enslave us
Paul then contrasts the product [fruit] of the Holy Spirit's work in & through us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And we asked the question: "How do we move from the work of the flesh/sin nature to the fruit of the Spirit in our lives?" Again, we followed Paul to his conclusive answer: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of the sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there." [Galations 5:24]
Paul would tell us, then, that:
1) we cannot see the evidence of the Holy Spirit fully and freely in our lives unless we belong to Jesus,
2) that belonging to Jesus means the death of our flesh-nature.
Jesus would say it to his followers like this: "Remain in me. Apart from me you can do nothing." The commission was given for us to belong to and remain in Jesus this week as the Holy Spirit continues to grow and produce fruit within us that pleases God.
Our worship gathering also featured these songs: "Songs of the Redeemed" (Charlie Hall), "Faithful" (Chris O'Brien), "In Grace" (Steve Deal) and "Breathe" (Kathryn Scott).
1. Sexual areas - immorality, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lust, abuse
2. Spiritual areas - witchcraft (manipulating God) & idolatry (replacing God)
3. Community areas - breakdowns & divisions in our relationships
4. Behavioral areas - compulsions & addictions that enslave us
Paul then contrasts the product [fruit] of the Holy Spirit's work in & through us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And we asked the question: "How do we move from the work of the flesh/sin nature to the fruit of the Spirit in our lives?" Again, we followed Paul to his conclusive answer: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of the sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there." [Galations 5:24]
Paul would tell us, then, that:
1) we cannot see the evidence of the Holy Spirit fully and freely in our lives unless we belong to Jesus,
2) that belonging to Jesus means the death of our flesh-nature.
Jesus would say it to his followers like this: "Remain in me. Apart from me you can do nothing." The commission was given for us to belong to and remain in Jesus this week as the Holy Spirit continues to grow and produce fruit within us that pleases God.
Our worship gathering also featured these songs: "Songs of the Redeemed" (Charlie Hall), "Faithful" (Chris O'Brien), "In Grace" (Steve Deal) and "Breathe" (Kathryn Scott).
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