The Battlefield!
Part 1
Galatians 5:13-26
13For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 15But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. 16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. – NASB 1995
1. The flesh produces fruit from a source (soul or spirit)! For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.- v.13-15
Romans 13:8-14 NLT – “So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 13Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see.”
Ephesians 2:1-5 NLT – “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2You used to live in sin”
Romans 7:5 NLT – “When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds”
2. The struggle is real! For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.- v.17
Galatians 6:7-8 ESV – “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
1 John 2:15-17 NLT – “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
3. The devil will fight hard to keep you out of God’s kingdom! “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” – v.19-21
1 Corinthians 6:9 NLT – “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves.”
1 Peter 1: 14-16 NLT – “Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then” – “you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.”
Hebrews 12:12 NLT – “let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,”
Romans 8:2 NLT – “And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death”
4. Only DEEP ROOTS in the Holy Spirit develop healthy fruit! “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.” -v. 24-25
Colossians 1:10 NLT – “Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.”
John 14:6 NLT – “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.”
John 15:4-5 NLT – “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me. 5Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”
WE CANNOT BECOME WHAT WE NEED TO BE BY REMAINING WHAT WE ARE! “But the fruit of the Spirit is…” -v. 22a
5. It’s manifesting from your intimacy with the Lord:
– LOVE (ἀγάπη)
Greek (NT): AGAPE Love—the primary form of fruit—is listed first. Four Greek words that translate into love:
• EROS
• Philos
• Storge
• Agape
1 Corinthians 13 – Paul begins to describe what love is, what love is not, and what love does.
➔ Highlight the words that describe what this love looks like.
➔ Highlight the words that describe what love does not do.
Romans 5:8 – But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
➔ The others that follow may be understood as different ways in which the fruit of love manifests itself!
– Joy (χαρά)
Greek (NT): Chara
Chara means joy, gladness or delight Also defined as: A deep sense of well-being that is not dependent upon favorable circumstances, but rooted in a fundamental acceptance of, and confidence in the will of God. A by-product of pursuing God and the good of others.
James 1:2-8 – “when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
Sources of Joy:
➔ Joy comes from having confidence or faith in God.
Philippians 1:25 – “I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.”
➔ Joy is a result of obedience to God’s word
Acts 8:5-8 – “So there was great joy in that city.”
➔ There is a relationship between joy and suffering. In the book of James, we read that we will face all kinds of trouble.
◆ This is not surprising, suffering is normal.
◆ But when we have trouble, we should count it as joy.
◆ This is because our faith is tested in times of trouble.
◆ When we trust God, He will increase our strength in Him.
◆ God uses difficulties to help us grow in Him.
◆ We have the strength to endure our suffering because the joy of the Lord is our strength.
➔ There is also a relationship between joy and sorrow. In times of sorrow, God promises to give us joy.
◆ This occurs in everyday life.
◆ When we become sad or sorrowful from difficulties at work, God will turn our sadness to joy.
◆ Sometimes our sadness comes when we feel distant from God. It’s usually because we have become too busy.
◆ But when we cry out to God, He turns our sorrow into joy. Jesus cares when we are sorrowful.
◆ Before His death, Jesus was concerned for his disciples. Jesus knew that they would be sad when he died on the cross, but Jesus promised that they would be filled with joy when they saw Him again.
– Peace (εἰρήνη)
Hebrew (OT): Shalom
Greek (NT): Eirene • A state of calm & quiet; freedom from disturbing thoughts or emotions; confidence in God
Isaiah 32:17 – “And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.”
Harmony between individuals; the pleasant state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ
Romans 12:16 – “Live in harmony with each other.”
1 Peter 3:8 – “Be tenderhearted”
Philippians 4:4-9 – “Then the God of peace will be with you.”
➔ Writing from prison to the Philippian church, Paul continually points to Jesus as our source of joy and our model for life and godliness. In chapter 4, Paul reveals powerful truths about the peace of God and how to experience it in our lives individually and in community. “His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
6. Steps for a strong relationships with the Lord:
A. Pray
B. Read/Study
C. Submit to God
D. Focus on God
E. Live Righteously
If you will remember that the first “qualified” servants in the early church where to be men of “good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom”- Acts 6:3 – to be full to the Holy Spirit was not a reference to having miraculous gifts, but rather it denoted a person who was wholly given to be obedient to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is an actual command from the Lord for the believers – Epnesians 5:18-18 – a person full of the Holy Spirit will certainly have the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT and THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT will manifest too!