Today’s Scripture: Galatians 4:29, NIV- “At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.”
I claim these affirmations from the Word of God, not because I am already living in His power, but in the belief that this is who I will become in Christ. I desire to live by the Spirit of God, but my flesh falls short.
Paul warns us and instructs us in Galatians 5:16-17, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (NIV) There is a power struggle that goes on in our lives.
I purposefully came to Galatians this morning to review the “Fruits of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (ESV) Why did I come here? I have been told my tone of voice makes me sound mad or mean even. I am not seeing that as one of the fruits I desire to bear.
I even had to ask God and His Spirit to overcome my bad attitude in my prayer time this morning. The word gentleness hit me in the face. There are moments when my tone of voice does not reflect the gentleness of the Spirit. I do not like it, and it is not who I want to be.
Our battles between the flesh and Spirit are nothing new. In Galatians 4:22-30, Paul takes us back to the very first book in the Bible, Genesis16-18, to point out how Abraham, Sarai, Hagar, Isaac, and Ishmael battled between God and flesh. This battle is forever.
I find hope and purpose in that these daily battles serve to make us more Christlike. Galatians 4:19 tells, “Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.” (NLT) The pains of our lives serve to fully develop us in Christ.
I also had to chuckle at the next verse, Galatians 4:20, when I saw that Paul understood my battle with tone. “I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.” (NLT). How crazy is it that I came to the fruits of the Spirit because I know my tone is out of line with the Spirit and yet, Paul mentions it specifically. The Word of God puts us in the right place every time we return to it, so we are set free.
“I have been set free in Christ” was the first affirmation I harvested today from Galatians 5:1, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” (NLT)
I am thankful that Jesus Christ left us The Helper to help us stay free. Day after day, divine promise after promise, we come to know and live in the power of the Spirit of Jesus.
Holy Spirit please help us walk with You and produce Your fruits. Have Christ be fully developed in our lives.
Today’s Prayer: Thank You Heavenly Father for sending us Your Spirit into our hearts. We call out Abba Father. Thank You LORD for adopting us as Your very own children. Call us to Your Word and Your Spirit so we live in the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. In You LORD we learn to live and find the power to produce Your fruits. Help us Holy Spirit to live our lives of divine purpose. Amen.
Leave a Reply