Bible Study - Thirve - Purpose Lived (4) - Galatians 5:16-26 - September 22, 2024

Bible Study – Thrive – Purpose Lived (4) – Galatians 5:16-26 – September 22, 2024

We live out our purpose as we are led and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Our focus scripture is Galatians 5:16-26.

When we read and study the scripture regarding the working of the Holy Spirit, what runs through our minds? That was nice for then, but is the same Holy Spirit, at work today in the lives of GOD’S Spirit Born people? YES!!!

If so, why don’t we witness the working of the Hoy Spirit in our churches and through us who have been born by the Holy Spirit?

Let’s read again the opening statement, “We live out our purpose as we are led and filled with the Holy Spirit.” Often, we, as born-again Christians, must ask JESUS to help us clean house and toss out those things which clutter our minds and hearts. Often, it is unbelief and/or disbelief which we have allowed into our minds as truth, but they are lies. Our redeemed foundation must be based upon truth, as we study and apply GOD’S Word.

Let’s explore!

The Apostle Paul is writing to the Christians in Galatia, and we get to read what he wrote. Does what he wrote apply to us these many years later? Does the Word of GOD change? Can we apply what Paul wrote then to today? Is it for us who have received the Holy Spirit? Do we, who know the truth and have been Spirit-born, fear what we might become if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us as we journey through life?

Let’s read Galatians 5:16-26: The Spirit versus the Flesh

¹⁶ I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Step one must be CHRIST in you. A person cannot walk by the Spirit unless the Holy Spirit resides within that person and that person determines in his/her heart to obediently follow the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit. That requires faith and trust in JESUS.

How does a person receive the Holy Spirit? A person must be born-again as JESUS told Nicodemus in John 3:1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.” ³ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:9-10 – 9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, ² and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

This sounds impossible but what did JESUS tell us in John 5:19:

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you; the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things.

When we, as Spirit-born people, see GOD at work, that is our invitation for us to join HIM in HIS work.

So, as Spirit born people, what does our relationship to GOD mean? It means that we are Spirit-born into GOD’S eternal Family and GOD is our FATHER.

So, why don’t we see the hands of GOD working through us? Is it because of our unbelief as expressed in Mark 9:24: ²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

Going back to the origin of this statement ----

We read in Mark 9:17-29:

¹⁷ Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”

¹⁹ He (JESUS) replied to them, “You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father.

“From childhood,” he said. ²² “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Since the passion of JESUS, those who have been born-again Spiritually, by the redemptive shed blood of JESUS are members of those who can. But all must be prayed up – confessing any and all sins.

²³ Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’?^[a] Everything is possible for the one who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you: Come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ Then it (mute and deaf spirit) came out, shrieking and throwing him into terrible convulsions. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.

Only GOD can reveal the identity of the IT’S in life. We must know what we are dealing with before “IT” can be defeated and only GOD can reveal IT to us and how to properly deal with or dispose of IT.

FATHER, cast YOUR protective canopy over all who read this study and protect them and guard them from the IT’S of the evil world. Thank YOU in the name of JESUS!

²⁸ After he (JESUS) had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

Why do we not succeed in overcoming the issues we face in life? Is it unbelief? Is it our lack of prayer? Ask JESUS to reveal what blocks our Spiritual effectiveness?

²⁹ And he (JESUS) told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.”^[b]

This opens up a deeper study into dealing with the spirit-world, which I will reserve for another time.

Having a strong prayer life is good but also having fellow Spirit-born believers joining with you in prayer is also essential when you deal with the spirit-world. Do everything in the name of JESUS.

The shed blood of JESUS and HIS resurrection are our protection. When we minister to others, it is always good to have Spirit-born people praying for us and with us when we go to pray over those needing deliverance or healing. Spirit born people are always in battle with the spirit world, but they are under the protective covering of the shed blood of JESUS.

Let’s read Galatians 5:19-21:

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious:^[d] sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envy,^[e] drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (This is the fruit of Satan in the lives of humans.)

Let’s read Galatians 5:22-26:

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.^[f] 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

JESUS spoke of being the vine in John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”

Fruit grows on the true vine.

Guess who does not want Spirit-born people to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and bear Spiritual fruit? Hopefully, you said it, Satan. The world says, “Who is this goody two shoes who thinks he/she can do miracles in the name of JESUS?” LORD, help their unbelief.

All who have been saved by the blood of JESUS, through faith in JESUS, HIS Passion and is responding to the leadership of the Holy Spirit have the potential. We may have to say, “LORD I believe but help my unbelief.” We believe to a point but when it comes to miracles that may be another story. We must keep in our mind it is not us, it is GOD and HIS power at work through us who have been Born-again and empowered with certain Spiritual Gifts from GOD.

JESUS said in Matthew 17:20: He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

But what do we, who have been born-again by the Holy Spirit, know, as revealed in 1 John 4: ² This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ but every spirit that does not confess Jesus^[a] is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.

⁴ You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you (JESUS) is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world. Therefore, what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.

As we approach the second coming of JESUS, we who know the truth of being born-again through faith in JESUS, must be led by the Holy Spirit and work in GOD’S vineyard, earth, while the harvest for the souls of fellow humans is ripe. To GOD be the Glory for great things HE has and will do through us who know the truth!

Rejoice that you can be a part of HIS soul harvesters as you walk and are led by the Spirit. Nothing is impossible. We read in Luke 1: ³⁴ Mary (The mother to be of JESUS) asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” ^[e]

³⁵ The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.”

³⁸ “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

That took faith and courage! To be chosen by GOD takes courage and faith.

With GOD all things are possible! Do you believe it? If not, why not?

The father of the son who was delivered of the spirit entity said in Mark 9:24: ²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

There is nothing wrong in being honest with GOD because HE already knows our hearts. Confess it and ask GOD to help you build upon the solid foundation of JESUS, The CHRIST, and be led by the Holy Spirit.

It may mean that you have to confess your sins and ask JESUS to come into your heart and experience the miracle of Spiritual birth through faith in JESUS and experience HIS redemptive power.

It may mean that you have to confess your unbelief in GOD/JESUS ability to perform miracles today.

The main question for all who want to experience GOD through his/her faith in JESUS, “Do you believe in GOD, WHO is I AM, and JESUS, GOD’S only son and HIS passion? JESUS willingly left Heaven and came to earth to be born human. JESUS was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary and born physically by the virgin Mary. JESUS lived a 100% human life, subject to sin but HE remained sinless. HE willingly gave HIS sinless life upon the cross, died physically and was buried. GOD raised JESUS from physical death on the third day to show that HE paid the price for all sin, past, present, and future, in full for all who place their faith in HIM. JESUS physically ascended into Heaven and took HIS seat at the right-hand of GOD, HIS FATHER, and intercedes for all who have or will accept JESUS as their Savior.

John 14:12: JESUS was preparing HIS disciples for HIS crucifixion and the fulfillment of the purpose of HIS coming to earth to reveal GOD’S redemptive plan.

¹² “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he (she) will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me^[e] anything in my name, I will do it.^[f]

Another Counselor Promised

¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep^[g] my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor^[h] to be with you forever. ¹⁷ He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him because he remains with you and will be^[I] in you.

GOD sent the Holy Spirit after the physical death, physical burial, physical body resurrection, physical body ascension of JESUS into Heaven and JESUS taking HIS seat at the right-hand of GOD. GOD sent The Holy Spirit to indwell and confirm salvation for all who place their faith in JESUS and HIS passion and bodily resurrection and ascension.

The indwelling Holy Spirit is every Spirit-born person’s eternal guarantee and assurance of eternal life.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three in ONE.

Dear JESUS, this is a lot for a person to unpack. Please help all who have the desire to obediently walk with YOU and to serve YOU to see that the truth of CHRIST in him/her is his/her eternal hope. Remove the walls of disbelief and open the doors of faith through truth, as only YOU can.

Being honest with GOD is ground zero! We must confess our doubts and search GOD’S Word, the Bible, pray and ask GOD to help us discover truth. I use Bible Gateway online as a resource to read and study scripture.

If it is your desire to walk with JESUS, if you have not already asked HIM to forgive you for your sins and come into your heart, ask HIM to do so now. If you are not already in a fellowship of Spirit-born Christians, then ask JESUS to lead you to the fellowship and resources where you can be fed Spiritually and grow into the fulness of JESUS THE CHRIST!

Blessings!!!