If You Belong to Him, You Can’t Hide

Posted by Phil

Crestridge friendsHAVE YOU ever wondered why your nose is the way it is? Or maybe why some men never go bald and others have heads as shiny as bowling balls? Why do some women have high cheekbones and others don’t?
The answer lies in genetics. All the things that make you uniquely you—including those things you hate—were passed down to you from your parents, grandparents, and all those family members who came before them. Your genes help tell the story of who you are and to whom you belong.

Read Galatians 5:19-26 and read verses 22-23 out loud a few times.

What are the works of the flesh?
How have you seen your sinful desires fight against the leading of the Spirit?
According to this passage, what is the fruit of the Spirit?

Which fruit of the Spirit do you struggle with the most to express toward others?

How does the fruit of the Spirit help tell the world about whom you belong to?
What does it mean to “live by the Spirit”?

Take a good look at your life. Where do you see the work of the Spirit? In what areas do you need to let Him have more control? What steps will you take to do so?

When Paul was writing to the Galatian Christians all those years ago, he wanted them to recognize the war going on between their sinful desires and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He explained to them (and us) that the fruit in our lives points to whom we belong. If our lives are dictated by the desires of our flesh, as Paul put it, then we aren’t in a relationship with Christ. If we know Jesus and the Spirit of God lives within us, it will be obvious. Our lives will be marked by peace, joy, love, gentleness, and all those other laudable qualities. God’s Word is clear: we must live for Christ or live for the world. We can’t live for both. It’s your life that tells the truth. So, what does your life say?


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