Springs Articles 2020-10 (1)
Galatians 5:16-21
Galatians 5:22-26
Romans 8:1-14
What is the greatest hindrance to pleasing God?
- The flesh: the carnal (body-ruled and unrenewed) mind
- Romans 8:6-8, AMPC
What are the two major motivators of the works of the flesh?
- Pride and Selfishness!
- Pride: confidence in what you are and what you have (ego, rights, independence, self-esteem, entitlement, attitude), James 4:6
- Selfishness: wanting your way without due regard to God and others
- Galatians 5:19-21
What does it mean to be carnally minded?
- Focusing and filling your mind with the things and values of this world, Colossians 3:1-4
What are the things of this world?
- 1 John 2:15-17 NLT
- Materialism
- Fashion
- Lustful pleasure
- Entertainment
- Selfish ambition
How can you be spiritually minded?
- Focus and fill your mind with the Word of God. This requires regular meditation and fellowship
- If you’re not in fellowship with God AND other believers, you will find it easier to walk in the darkness of this world
- 1 John 1:5-7
What is the difference between walking in the flesh and walking in the Spirit?
- Walking in the flesh brings pleasure to the flesh and glory to the devil
- Galatians 5:16-21
- Walking in the Spirit brings glory to God even if the flesh is not pleased
- Walking in the Spirit requires walking by faith in God’s Word and not just by your reasons and feelings
- 2 Corinthians 5:7
- Walking in the Spirit requires walking in love and persevering in hope
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
How can you walk in the Spirit?
- Yieldedness!, Galatians 5:16, AMPC
What are the essential ingredients of yieldedness?
- Willingness (powered by Humility)
- Mind renewal
- Self-denial (Self-discipline)
- Hebrews 10:7, Romans 6:11-13, James 4:6
How can you walk in the Spirit?
- FEED – fill your life with the Word, John 17:17
- Quiet time, church fellowship, Christian TV, Christian books
- DRINK – charge your spiritual battery daily by praying in the Spirit regularly, Jude 20, Ephesians 5:18
- REGULATE your exposure to worldliness in terms of what you read, hear and watch, Matthew 6:22-23
- YIELD – obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:13-14
What should be the believer’s approach towards earthly achievements and possessions?
- The heavens and the earth will pass away. You cannot build an eternal legacy on this earth, Matthew 24:35-42
- Whatever you achieve on this earth will ultimately be superseded, forgotten or wiped away, 2 Peter 3:10
- Only the treasures that you lay in Heaven will last forever as your eternal reward, Matthew 6:19-21
- You lay treasure in heaven by using your time, skills and money to advance God’s kingdom and righteousness on the earth, Matthew 6:33