WALK IN THE SPIRIT – Pastor Chris
Saturday, February 23, 2019
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
Some people unwittingly allow every form of strife to take root in their hearts: bitterness, malice, anger, envy, hatred, and all forms of wickedness. But the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4:31-32, admonishes that we put away these things and walk in love: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
But the question is, “How do you consistently walk in love in a world where there’s so much hate?” Our opening text gives us the answer: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). When you walk in the Spirit, you see and walk differently; your perspective is different, and walking in love is natural to you. Being born again, you have the capacity to love even the most difficult or seemingly unlovable people.
When you walk in the Spirit, the love of God emits from you profusely; you’re kind-hearted and compassionate; you live beyond yourself and transcend the human level of selfishness and your own desires. When you walk in the Spirit, you go beyond “This is what I want” or “This is how I like it”; you think differently, and esteem others better than yourself (Philippians 2:3).
When you walk in the Spirit, you see with His eyes and think godly and loving thoughts towards others. There wouldn’t be any iota of anger, selfishness, bitterness or resentment manifested in or through you; those things just don’t find a place in you. The words of Jesus in Matthew 5:43-44 become your lifestyle: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the infilling of the Holy Spirit that I experience always. My thoughts, words and actions are motivated by your love, causing me to see and to relate with others with Christ’s love, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY: Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22-25
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Mark 6:1-29 & Leviticus 24
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 17:1-13 & Exodus 4
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