Walking in the Spirit [Part 2]

Pastor author and Bible teacher I will write what God is inviting us into his own wife. In the spirit life is a wall in the spirit walking by grace in the Holy Spirit and this is just an amazing invitation. This describes your life in Christ Jesus to walk with God.

That's Pastor Alan Wright welcome to another message of good view that will help you see your life will Daniel Britt excited for you to hear the teaching today. In the series Galatians is presented at renewal the church in North Carolina able to stay with us throughout the entire program I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It can be yours for your donation this month made to Allen Wright ministries so as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today special offer.

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Now let's get started with today's teaching here is Allen right.

But if you remain completely enslaved to sin, it just demonstrates that grace has not come into your heart and how are we saved were saved by grace, so there is a way in which there is there is a lack of evidence in the grace of someone's life that points to the fact that they're missing the kingdom, but the second thing I think that Paul say is that you inherit the kingdom of God, not just as a future heaven, but also now and when your life is being ruled by the works of the flesh. You're very far from the things the spirit and if you want to taste of the things of heaven and you walk in the spirit support what Paul is saying here is that those who continually practice the works of the flesh are missing out on the kingdom of God which is at hand and the kingdom of God. Romans says consists of righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit, and so were missing out on the essence of the kingdom.

When our life is consumer works of the flesh.

I think that's what Paul means here, he certainly does not mean that all of a sudden he shifted gears and the focus is on human behavior and whether or not that saves us or not, but certainly not what he say I think we have got to find a way church that we can communicate the gospel while speaking of sin, and yet not being being caricatured by the world as it is as if the church only cares about about getting people to quit drinking and smoke. I I love the story of the preacher on a Sunday night he brought these three jars into the pulpit put them up there and he had these worms and he was doing this big illustration to make his point. They took the first jar any put some chocolate sauce down in it and then he pulled one of these worms, he said, look, this worm is it alive or by said yet alive and he dropped it down into the jar with a chocolate sauce and it asked rammer out. Aaron got home marked up in the chocolate sauce. Next thing you know it, and died and he pulled a worm. I was at what's that worm now Verizon Dan went on to the next jar they took a lit cigarette and he put it down into the jar and it filled up with smoke and a grandmothers worms. They dropped it down into the jar and I was suddenly pulled out the dead were say what's that worm now and they said Dan. They did the thing with the third jar. This time he poured some whiskey and then he took the live worm. He dropped it in a few moments he was dead. He put out see that were made by said yes dad and he said no. What's the lesson to be learned from this little old lady raised her hand said, well, I suppose it means if you eat a lot of chocolate and smoke and drink whiskey and never have worms under the law where there works of the flesh and move into a system of grace where you're invited to walk in the spirit that's the contrast when you walk in the spirit does your life look different. Absolutely absolute. Do we want to help people walk in love, joy, and peace. Walking kindness rather than dissension absolutely walk in self-control, rather than licentiousness absolutely, but the emphasis what Paul saying is not on you trying to be more patient person but there's a fellowship with the third person of the triune God the Holy Spirit that produces fruit. The idea of our lives being characterized by fruit rather than works is not new.

Israel is called the vineyard of the Lord, and someone says that whoever is planted next to the waters that there is a righteousness that comes about. Just by being planted there bear fruit in season, the leaf does not wither. It's not a new idea that there can be through a united fellowship with God, a change that takes place in your character and your priorities is a big contrast that is being issued here between works of the flesh and the spirit in the first place. Notice the two different words works. That's what you get with the law versus fruit.

That's what you get with the spirit and notice works is in the plural, but the fruit of the spirit is actually singular in the Greek language there is an expression of the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace in all the different expression, but the language that Paul uses here is a singular. The fruit everyone who has the Holy Spirit has all this fruit. This is what the Holy Spirit does and also notice the contrast again just studying the language how there is such a rambling disorderly list of all these sins that are the work of the flesh and in and doesn't stop there like and and and plus they're more than these goals. It but then we list the fruit of the spirit. There are there are nine that are listed and they come in and in seeming like threes, love, joy and peace patients kindness and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Three threes. It is like the order of God himself and it is harmonious love comes first. Like the Fountainhead of all of this. All of this fruit. The idea of the flesh. In some places in the Bible when you see the word flesh is just referring to your physical body your physical being, and other places. Paul is using in some larger sense in here he's using it in a larger sense that new international version refers to it as the sinful nature but I don't think that captures it either because when you become a Christian, you actually are made new in Christ and you have a new nature, you may not feel it right away and and and you may not abide by it, but your defined as a new creature in Christ and the old is gone and so the correct definition of the Christian's life is not just a miserable old sinner.

With us living by sin nature which are set apart under God, and Paul calls us holy one, so it doesn't quite work to say that the synonym for the flesh is the sinful nature. I think what Paul saying here is that the flash is the. The natural tendency of a human being to gravitate towards the law either in rebellion or religion and by self effort or self absorption.

To try to find fulfillment and there is an allure that is always tempting us towards what Paul calls the flesh.

I think that's what he means and what he's saying is it not only does the flesh and the spirit stand opposite one another but this defines your spiritual battle the spiritual battle that you face therefore is linked to the system of law versus the system of grace is linked to the allure of the works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If you want to fight the spiritual battle. Therefore, the invitation is to always do so from the vantage point of the gospel of grace.

The free gift of God, the works of the flesh and the, the, the fruit of the spirit. The power of the spirit are in opposition, but it's not dualism.

This isn't some cosmic battle were we wonder who win there is no comparison to the power of darkness, and the power of light many years ago I saw it just this simply, the light always dispels the darkness, but darkness can never dispel light ever think of this you going to an absolutely dark room, but if you just cut on a small flickering candle that smallest of candle flames will dispel the darkness. There is no such thing, however, is going into a bright room and shining into it. A beam of darkness as strong as the light is over against the dark so that when you turn the light on the darkness flees so is the Holy Spirit over all the works of the flash.

There is no comparison. And so you when you receive the Holy Spirit. You receive the very victory life-giving power of Jesus Christ in your life, what were invited into therefore is not a self effort, human effort program to overcome our pride in our licentiousness. What were invited into is a walk in the spirit that challenge right will have more teaching moment from today's important series feel like something is holding you back if you lack an important scene that could change everything. Is there someone you love hissing stack to help them out what's missing blessing.

We all need faith filled vision spoken over, I learned you can learn how to embrace the will practice a blessing to Pastor Alan writes new, but charitable acts which quickly became an Amazon number one bestseller after 370s until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month right ministries once to send you the I thank you for your Denilson make your gift today discovered the power to bless gospel is shared when you get Allen right ministries.

This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today. We listened you to get a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I thanks from Allen right ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website Pastor Alan.like today's teaching now continues your once again is I know that I'll often bring up the story of of what's called the prodigal son that is just my favorite story and it is. It is so remarkable in all its dimensions of how it explains human nature, but I reference it because if you live under the works of the flesh, it can manifest in either rebellion like the boy goes so far away land and spends his inheritance in riotous living. Or it can manifest in religiosity like the older brother who stays at home and tries to do everything dutifully.

As you know the story this young son decides to go take his inheritance early and he goes and he spends all his money on while living amongst the prostitutes and he has no real friends just people you hang around because he's got money when he's run out of money. He's run out of friends is run out of food. He finds himself longing to eat the food that the pigs are eating he's he's a Jewish boy not supposed to associate with pigs. But not only is he associate with the pigs he liked to even eat their food. And the Bible says. He comes to his senses. He says there my father's hired hands are living better than I am about to go back to my father when he comes back to his father and he he he has this rehearsed speech about is not worthy of father is so joyful to see him that he interrupts his son and he gets a robe and puts it on. He puts the sandals on his feet is all the picture of freedom everything the father does the picture of and the announcement of this is my son and we're gonna celebrate. They kill the Fatah gap. They have incredible celebration. The older brother stays out in the field, he never comes into the celebration. He says look I been slaving for you all these years and you never even killed me.

A young goat. Now this son of yours comes and he is he's he's got batted Killed for him and in the older brother is just jealous and he done come in.

What is is an expression of two different manifestations of the works of the flesh because there they are just as much works of the flesh in the that comes about in the brother or the the licentiousness and debauchery that comes about in the younger. It has the same route for if you live under a system of the law, you either say I can't keep it.

I might as well not try or you'll say look how well I keep it I'm better than other people and it just makes me think of this list of sins that that Paul is her sexual immorality and impurity, sensuality, these things seem to describe the younger brother but then we talked about anger and jealousy and strife and rivalry and dissension and division and in the sound like he's talking about the older brother, so either direction are equal and opposite, but their works of the flesh and what God is inviting us into is a life in the spirit a life that's a walk in the spirit walking by grace in the Holy Spirit and this is just an amazing invitation that this describes your life in Christ Jesus. A walk with God the things I just love to as much of anything and fellowship. My wife is gone for a long walk with love doing that. My favorite pages. Go take a walk on the beach walking a life on the beach and we we hold hands. We talk we might stop. She finds sharks teeth. I never do. We point to things that we see together we we listen, we share we look at other other people what they're doing weight comment on how cute the child is is tumbling about in the surf, take a walk.

Paul is describing the victorious powerful Christian life.

He's not talking about you striving to be a better person. What is actually describing is a walk. The Holy Spirit comes into your life when you're Christian, every single Christian receives a Holy Spirit we say we have Jesus in our heart we really mean is a Holy Spirit. The third person of the triune God lives in me is wonderful. He loves you.

He delights in loves being with you the same way that a good friend or spouse. This take a walk with someone if I the word that Jesus uses for the Holy Spirit is the helper of the counselor company were to sparkly to the means called alongside called alongside is the best teacher in the world is a counselor is a comforter he corrects in a loving way. He strongly could pick you up when you fall.

If you need an image for what it is to live in Christ by grace is walking in the spirit walking in the spirit is a fellowship that just because you have that fellowship produces in your life fruit you don't produce the fruit you fellowship with him, which means that it is right. Therefore, the spend a lot of time in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Any parent can attest to the fact that it's a myth to say all you need is quality time with your kids it done work like that. Does it and I think of all the really quality conversations are have my kids. They came at MoMA's are never expected him you I wish you could but you can't just say that out next Thursday at 730 were going to meet for 1/2 hour and I here's what's going to happen during this half hour sign you're going to tell me some of the deepest of your life you're going to confide in me the things that you're concerned about or worried about and you can also share a couple great dreams and then you'll ask me.

Father, would you please bless me. Like the patriarchs of old LA your hands upon me and I will receive an impartation that will empower me for gracious living and then will have a moment of prayer together and the half hour will be up and we could do it again the next week and then work that way doesn't is two hours and hours together that suddenly bubbles up out of nowhere, a revelation of thought, moment, intimacy and tenderness, and inside a revelation, a correction. This is the way it is with God.

This is the way it is what God let your life you lived such that the focus is your fellowship of walking in the spirit we don't read the Bible, pray and meditate, fellowship, go to church to do all these things so that God would be more pleased with us as if they were rules. These are just the things that have to do with a fellow shipping of the Holy Spirit are drawn towards the end of this fantastic book of Galatians.

I hope this study and it is changed your life.

It is an invitation to live by the gospel so pure and so powerful that it is not contaminated with any allure of the law.

We are drawn towards the law because the law promises to put us in control.

Do this and you'll guarantee that, then God will bless you do this and then you will not be worried anymore. But it is a great deception because in fact of matter.

The abundant life in Christ Jesus comes not by my efforts, but by my surrender to the glad news of what God has done for me in Jesus Christ and the way that you will overcome sin in your life is not by trying to overcome sin in your life the way you will overcome sin is by walking in the spirit those that walk in the spirit did not produce the works of the flash instead produced in them is the fruit of the spirit and that's the gospel. Allen right things teaching walking in this it from our series on Galatians and Allen right is back here in the studio.

In a moment with us for additional insight on how this applies to our lives. In today's final words they with the power of blessing your life, discover God's grace filled vision for your life by signing Allen rights free daily bless your heart with grace and encouragement.

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Pastor Alan got away feel like something is holding you back as if you lack an important scene I could change everything. Is there someone you love to sing stack to help them how. What's missing blessing. We all need faith filled vision spoken over, I learned you can learn how to embrace the practice of blessing to Pastor Alan Wrights new book, it's a blast, which quickly became an Amazon number one bestseller after 370s until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month. Allen right ministries once send you the I thank you for your donation. Make your gift today and discovered the power to bless the gospel is shared when you get Allen right ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today.

We will send you to get a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I thanks from Allen right ministries.

Call us at 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website. Pastor Alan.work now as we conclude our series on Galatians and we've heard so much about how the gospel is where we find our identity in Christ and the gospel is good news and there's power in the gospel of the secret of all of this really is the Holy Spirit filling our lives and walking in the spirit.

Christianity is not an invitation to try to be a good person. It is a relationship in which the pure gospel of grace becomes real to us by the revelation comes from the Holy Spirit in God's word and as we see this Daniel and as we are filled with the spirit on a continuing basis. He produces the fruit within us. It is not about us trying to be a good person is not about me trying to be more loving or trying that out to be more patient.

It really is an element walk and what a journey it is been through Galatians to see the extraordinary and beautiful portrait of the grace of God and just they know how absolutely pivotal how important this may Paul just absolutely furious against anyone that would contaminate the gospel and how powerful the gospel is when it is purified our prayer for everyone. This whole series on Galatians has been liberating and empowering and has set your soul into thrilling journey of wanting only the purity of the gospel. Today's good news message is a listener supported production Allen right ministries