16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
-Galatians 5:16-17, 24-25 (NLT)
Paul is teaching us about living by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is probably the least understood part of the Christian life. Not many churches today preach about the Spirit and the power that is available to us. I've heard people say that the Spirit isn't present in our day and age, but i disagree with them. Over the course of the next few days, we'll look at the Spirit, at the work of the Spirit, in our lives today. We'll also look at why the work of the Spirit in our lives is so important.
Paul writes, in verse 16, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves." We've been talking for the past several days about walking in the paths that God has revealed to you, about walking in the light of the love of God. That is the picture presented here. If we let the Spirit guide our steps, we will not fulfill our sinful desires. The guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives is essential to our walk. The Spirit will never guide you into something that is not of the will of God. The Spirit will guide you along the paths that God wants you to be in. Follow the leading and the direction of the Spirit, will help you stay away from fulfilling your sinful desires. The sinful desires and the guidance of the Holy Spirit are opposites. You cannot walk in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and fulfill your sinful desires at the same time. Why? Look to verse 17. "The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us the desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions." The desires of sin and the desires of the Spirit are opposites. They cannot coexist. You follow one or the other, not both. Just like light and darkness cannot coexist, neither can the Spirit and sin. They are opposite, and they are in constant battle for your life. Which one will win in your life?
Paul addresses that question in verse 24, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there." If you've given your life to Christ, you have killed the desires of sin in your life, you've nailed your sinful desires to His cross. Now, since you've nailed them, the sin nature, to the cross, leave it there. Don't go back and pick it up again. Verse 25 says, "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." Since we nailed our sinful desires and passions to the cross, we now must live by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Notice the words at the end of verse 25, "in every part of our lives." Don't give sin even the smallest part of your life. Don't let the door of your heart or mind open a crack, because that is all sin needs to get a foothold on your life. Live in the Spirit, follow the leading of the Spirit. Don't give sin any place in your life, because you have nailed it with Jesus on the cross. Are you living your life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Have you taken up your sins from the cross? Think About It.
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