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3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced (suffered) so much in vain, if it really was in vain?(Galatians 3:3-4)
In Galatians 3:1-4, the Apostle Paul identifies three reasons we backslide. We have considered the first two: 1) We forget the cost of our salvation and 2) We forsake a life of faith.
Today, we will consider the third of these three. We forbid the Holy Spirit from working in and through our lives.
In our text for today, the Apostle Paul juxtapositions the flesh with the Spirit. Of course, you will remember that the flesh is a term for the "evil desires" that are within us. You see, when Adam and Eve rejected God's definitions of everything, they unknowingly invited these evil desires to rule within their souls and spirits.
When we believe on Jesus as our savior, the Holy Spirit makes us "born again." It is our spirit that has been "born again" which means our once dead spirit has been made alive to God. And now, we are positioned to have a personal relationship with God. The Holy Spirit's activity is essential in our pursuit of a personal relationship with God.
I am sure that it was the desire of the believers in Galatia to know God. Yet, in their attempt to know Him, they served the flesh. And, as indicated in Galatians 2, they were following the example of Peter. Remember Peter? Peter was the one who made his declaration that he would not betray Jesus. When he made that declaration he thought that he was being most spiritual. And, he was not. The Spirit will always lessen us, at the same time validate us.
In v.4, Paul uses the word epathete, most often translated "suffer." The NIV translates this word "experience." This word is best translated, "did you suffer?" This and many other verses teach us that God uses a variety of things to sanctify (to get us to think and choose like God) the believer, especially suffering. And, remember, sanctification is the process whereby God changes our thinking and choices to be more in line with His.
I have grown the most in my walk with the Lord during those times that I have suffered the most. And, what I realized during those times is that the Christian life is more of Him and less of me. Suffering frames up the Christian life best, because in tandem with the Holy Spirit, suffering forces us to live for and depend upon the most important One in this life.
Following the leading of the Spirit is tricky. But, there are two ways to know His leading: The Holy Spirit always points us to the Lord Jesus and the Word of God will enable us to recognize His voice.
"We Christians are prone to follow the book while ignoring the music. We master the doctrine, outline the chapters, memorize the dispensations, debate the rules, and stiffly step down the dance floor of life with no music in our hearts. We measure each step, calibrate each turn, and flop into bed each night exhausted from another day of dancing by the book." Max Lucado
We must learn to hear the Holy Spirit, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and marvel at how we fit in to what He is doing. There is no substitute for prayer and a daily study of God's word, but if we just stop their without interacting with Him, then we have just followed the book and ignored the music.
byoungministry@gmail.com
"We Christians are prone to follow the book while ignoring the music. We master the doctrine, outline the chapters, memorize the dispensations, debate the rules, and stiffly step down the dance floor of life with no music in our hearts. We measure each step, calibrate each turn, and flop into bed each night exhausted from another day of dancing by the book." Max Lucado
We must learn to hear the Holy Spirit, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and marvel at how we fit in to what He is doing. There is no substitute for prayer and a daily study of God's word, but if we just stop their without interacting with Him, then we have just followed the book and ignored the music.
byoungministry@gmail.com
