Galatians 5:22

We are studying Galatians 5, which deals with the spiritual life.

Galatians 5:16 (NASB) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

This verse is one of the most important verses on the Christian life in the New Testament. This command is the central concept in Paul's ethical appeal since the Christian life begins with the Spirit:

Galatians 3:3 (NASB) Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Galatians 4:6 (NASB) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"

The only way to continue the Christian life is by the power of the Spirit.

Do you see the contrast in this verse between the Spirit and the flesh? This struggle is made clear in the next verse:

Galatians 5:17 (NASB) For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

What I want us to see from this verse is that struggle is a normal part of the Christian life. Walking by the Spirit is not easy, and it does not happen automatically. Many Christians prefer not to hear this truth, because they want a guarantee that all their problems will be solved if they will follow the right formula. But the conflict between our flesh and the Spirit is continual and inevitable.

Paul says we are to "walk by the Spirit" - this is a present-tense command: "Continue to walk by the Spirit." The Christian walk is a daily routine. Paul goes on to give a promise - "You will not carry out the desire of the flesh."

Now remember, this verse comes after Paul has said that the believers in Galatia had "begun by the Spirit" and "are sons" and "had run well." They were Christians, they all had the Spirit of God indwelling them. Because of that, they all had the capacity to walk by the Spirit. All believers have the capacity to walk by the Spirit, but do we? No! Why not? Because it is a battle, and we are lazy and unmotivated.

Paul is telling the Galatians to walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh, and then he gives a list of manifestations of the flesh and Spirit so we can know without a doubt if we are walking by the Spirit or by the flesh:

Galatians 5:19-21 (NASB) Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Is there any exhortation or imperatives in these verses? What is Paul telling the Galatians to do in these verses? Nothing! He is simply showing them what the flesh produces. Then he goes on to tell them what the Spirit produces:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

What Paul is really talking about here is practical sanctification. Practical sanctification is spiritual growth, it is conformity to Christ likeness. It is walking by the Spirit:

1 John 2:6 (NASB) the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

Do you walk like Christ? How can we learn to live like Christ lived? How do we do it? How do we become sanctified? How do we grow into Christ likeness? How do we walk by the Spirit? These are really all the same questions, with the same answer. Practical sanctification is a matter of "Dependant Discipline." Dependant emphasizes our need for God's power to work in us.

John 15:5 (NASB) "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do some thing.

Sanctification is a matter of trusting God to work in you. But we have a part, God uses means to sanctify us. Discipline sums up our responsibility to grow in sanctification. What is our part, what do we need to do? We need to apply the means of sanctification. Let me give you the mechanics of our part in sanctification.

1. We must spend time in the Word of God:

Colossians 3:16 (NASB) Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Paul tells the Colossians that they are to let the word of Christ "richly dwell within you." Dwell is from the present active imperative of enoikeo, and means: "to live in," or "to be at home." Paul calls upon believers to let the Word take up residence and be at home in their lives. The Word of God needs to inhabit us. This is more than just reading the Bible. Apart from a regular, consistent time in the Word of God, you will never grow in sanctification, and you will never walk by the Spirit.

2. We must confess our sins as they are revealed in God's word:

1 John 1:9 (NASB) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As we are spending time in God's Word, we will see areas of sin in our lives. We need to confess these sins to God.

3. We must watch how we live:

Ephesians 5:15 (NASB) Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise,

We must be conscious of all we are doing as if we were walking through a mine field. When I was a boy, we had a pool in the very back section of our back yard. Our yard had many clovers in it, which often had bees on them. So when we went from our house to the pool barefooted, we had to walk very cautiously. If we walked carelessly it could end up being very painful. I can remember on many occasions pulling out a bee's stinger from my foot. We must walk in wisdom in every area of our Christian lives.

4. We must choose to obey the Word of God.

We must depend upon the Spirit of God to provide the power. Our daily lives contain a constant stream of moral choices. We choose to lie or tell the truth, to forgive or to harbor resentment, to entertain lustful thoughts or to think on what is good. We choose to respond to opportunities or to ignore them. Life is a series of choices. The choices you make will determine how you live.

We are responsible to discipline ourselves toward spiritual growth, all the while depending on God to work in us. Perhaps the analogy of a farmer will help us understand this.

Consider the farmer and his crops. There are certain "disciplines," or tasks, he must do. He must plow, plant, fertilize, and cultivate. In some areas he must irrigate. But he cannot make the seed germinate and grow. Only God can do that. The farmer, whether he recognizes it or not, depends on God both for the physical and mental ability to do his tasks and for the capital to buy his supplies and equipment. And he obviously depends on God for the growth of his crops.

In the same way, the Christian depends on God to enable him to perform his disciplines. But the performance of the disciplines does not itself produce spiritual growth. Only God can do that.

Walking by the Spirit or growth in sanctification, then, is not a matter of personal discipline plus God's work. It is a matter of dependant discipline, of recognizing that we are dependant on God to enable us to do what we are responsible to do. Then it is a recognition that even when we have performed our duties, we must still look to Him to produce the growth. Paul put it this way:

1 Corinthians 3:7 (NASB) So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 is similar to the list of qualities in:

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NASB) Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

Whereas, Paul emphasizes the divine source of those qualities, Peter emphasizes the Christian's responsibility to acquire them - "applying all diligence."

Paul says in Galatians 5:16 that if we walk by the Spirit - "You will not carry out the desire of the flesh." We have seen that Paul uses the word "flesh" to mean: "something that is totally human, with no special grace attached." In Paul's use of the term "flesh" in Galatians, he does not simply mean: "possessed of a physical body"; rather, he means: "limited to only a physical body and the physical strength it contains."

So the flesh is what you do in your own power, in your own strength, what you can do yourself - which is legalism. Legalism is anything that I think I can do in order to make myself more righteous before God. It is human achievement; it's a form of self-righteousness. To walk after the flesh is to seek life in terms of what man can accomplish of himself.

To live by the flesh is depending upon the resources and abilities of the physical body, or humanness. To live by the Spirit is depending upon the resources and abilities of the Spirit whom God gives by grace through faith. In both cases, the fundamental issue is "depending." The critical difference is the object of the dependence.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The first thing that we need to understand here is what is fruit? The Greek word for "fruit" is karpos. It means: "result, outcome, or fruit."

Romans 1:13 (NASB) And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.

He wasn't saying that he wanted to come and eat apples with them. He wanted to produce some spiritual results from their lives.

Romans 15:28 (NASB) Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

Philippians 4:17 (NASB) Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit [karpos] which increases to your account.

The "fruit" he is talking about here is a financial gift.

Philippians 1:11 (NASB) having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Righteousness is the fruit of Christ's work in our lives.

So, Paul is talking about the result the Spirit produces, which is Christlikeness. Fruit is not something which is attached to the branch, fastened on from without, but is the organic product of the inner life. Too often attention is directed to the outward services and actions, or the results of these services. Good fruit is a Christlike life produced by Spirit through us as we abide in Christ:

John 15:4-5 (NASB) "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Israel was God's vineyard; notice what the fruit was that He looked for in them:

Isaiah 5:7 (NASB) For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.

What God wanted from Israel was justice and righteousness. Justice is how we treat our fellow man, the way in which we deal with each other. Righteousness is living in conformity to God's established laws. These are the fruit that God is looking for, and they are produced through us as we abide in Christ.

Notice that these are not the "fruits" of the Spirit - plural, but they are the "fruit" of the Spirit - singular. The nine fruit of the Spirit are like a cluster of grapes all flowing from the grapevine. Paul is not speaking of a series of fruits that would be shared around, so that one believer has one, and another believer has another. Rather, he is referring to a cluster, such that all the qualities are to be manifested in each believer.

Notice that he called what issues from our flesh "deeds" (v.19), but he called what issues from the Holy Spirit "fruit" (v. 22). This contrast is consistent with Paul's emphasis throughout the epistle. He repeatedly contrasted working and trusting.

The fruit of the Spirit is the moral character developed by the power of the Spirit. The nine character qualities are a unity, a perfectly formed Christlike character. Lets look at these nine qualities. As we look at them, remember that this is what your life will look like if you are walking by the Spirit.

LOVE

It's not surprising that love heads the list. Remember the closing verse of I Corinthians 13? "But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

The first place in the list, the place of emphasis, is given to love. Love is the focus of the entire ethical appeal: "serve one another in love" (v. 13). Love fulfills the law (v. 14); love is the expression of faith (v. 6). Love is demonstrated in a tangible way in the sacrificial love of Christ (2:20) and the service of Christians (5:13). All the other moral qualities in the list define and flow from love.

Our culture uses the word "love" to mean just about everything except what the Bible means by it. So Christians are easily misled into thinking love is primarily a feeling, something we fall in or out of. We equate it with lust or sex, we talk about "making love." The word "love," used here is not the Greek word eros. That word is used to describe erotic love, sensual love, what you feel when you "fall in love," a passionate attraction to another person. That kind of love is not even mentioned in the Word of God, though it is a common form of love today. And the word here is not phileo, which means: "affection, friendship, a feeling of warmth toward someone else." This, too, is a universally distributed love, but this is not what is mentioned here. In this verse as in all of Scripture, love is first of all an action.

The word Paul uses here is agape. This Greek word was rarely used in Greek literature prior to the New Testament. In the New Testament, the word agape took on a special meaning; it was used by the New Testament writers to designate a volitional love (as opposed to a purely emotional love), a self-sacrificial love, a love naturally expressed by divinity, but not so easily by humanity. It seems as though the early Christian church took this word out of its obsoleteness and made it a characteristic word for love.

Agape love is a response to someone who is unworthy of love. This concept of love was derived from the cross. God loved the world and gave His Son for it. That was a response to unworthy people, to sinners, to those who were His enemies. That is agape. It is a love that proceeds from the nature of the lover, rather than the worth of the person who is loved. It is a love that gives, a love that seeks the best of the object loved. Agape, is a commitment of the will to cherish and uphold another person. It is the only word ever used to describe God's love. It is a decision that you make and a commitment that you have launched upon to treat another person with concern, with care, with thoughtfulness, and to work for his or her best interests. That is what love is, and this is what Paul is talking about.

As believers, we are commanded to love:

John 15:12 (NASB) "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

1 John 3:11 (NASB) For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

Just how important is it that we love one another? Paul answers that question in:

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NASB) If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

If a believer does not display agape, he, himself, is nothing! The Greek text at the end of verse 2 does not say that he is nobody, that would be strong. But the Greek text says he is nothing! From this text, we could draw this equation: life minus love equals zero. The loveless person produces nothing, is nothing, and gains nothing. That's how important love is in your life and mine. Do you think that maybe that is overstating it a little bit? Is love really that important?

Mark 12:28-31 (NASB) And one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" 29 Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' 31 "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

So, Jesus is saying that the greatest commandment is to love. Paul says the same thing in Romans in a little different way:

Romans 13:8 (NASB) Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Peter puts it this way:

1 Peter 4:8 (NASB) Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

Look at what God told the children of Israel, about 3500 years ago:

Leviticus 19:18 (NASB) 'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.

Those verses ought to make it clear enough that love is preeminent. Above everything else, we are called to love God and one another. Is this possible? Not in the flesh. We can only love as we walk by the Spirit. Since this is true, hopefully, you're starting to see how important it is to walk by the Spirit.

JOY

Joy is from the Greek word chara, which means: "a deep-seated gladness regardless of circumstances." Anyone can be happy about good circumstances. Instead, the reality of joy is that it marks the life of the believer even when facing difficulties and trials. I can't help but think of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippian church. He wrote from a prison cell in Rome. You do not detect the least sense of fear or anger or complaint about his circumstances. Instead, the whole epistle is permeated with a sense of joy in the Lord. Over and over he reminds the Philippian believers, who were themselves facing difficult times, to "rejoice in the Lord." Paul knew this joy personally; he could sing when manacled in a dark prison dungeon:

Acts 16:23-25 (NASB) And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; 24 and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

This is not Paul the super-Christian. This is Paul the Christian walking in the Spirit!

When we live with the consciousness that our sins are forgiven and our enmity with God removed, joy ought to emerge from even the worst times. Yes, there are situations that bring sadness and heart-ache. But the Christian has an eternal hope before him. Such knowledge serves to liberate us from the sullenness of this world into the exuberant joy of belonging to Christ.

Believers, we are commanded to have joy:

Philippians 4:4 (NASB) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

PEACE

This is the Greek word eirene, which means: "an inner quietness and repose regardless of circumstances." This peace is a tranquility of mind based on a right relationship to God. It has nothing to do with circumstances. The verb form means: "to bind together." You experience peace when nothing ruffles you, because you know everything is under control. No matter what happens, you know that everything between you and God is right.

As believers, we are commanded to have peace:

Colossians 3:15 (NASB) And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

We are commanded to exhibit spiritual fruit, but we cannot unless we are living in dependence on God.

PATIENCE

This is the Greek word makrothumeo, this word as it is used in the New Testament is a word that almost on every occasion conveys the idea of having an infinite capacity to be injured without paying back. It is used with regard to people, not circumstances. It's having a long fuse. The patient person is able to be inconvenienced or taken advantage of by a person and yet not be upset or angry. Chrysostom, the early church father, said, "It is a word which is used of the man who is wronged and who has it easily in his power to avenge himself but will never do it."

To the Greeks it was a virtue to refuse to tolerate insult or injury and to strike back in retaliation for the slightest offense. To the Greeks of Paul's day, vengeance was a virtue, and the same is defiantly true of our day. We make heroes out of those who fight back at the slightest provocation. In our society, just as in the Greek society of Paul's day, patience is considered a weakness. But the Christian who walks by the Spirit is patient, he has a long fuse.

What are the things that keep us from being patient?

Mistreatment? How do you respond to ridicule, insults, and undeserved rebukes, or outright persecution? When you are a victim of office politics or organizational power plays, do you respond in patience? When you are rejected or mistreated by a spouse, do you respond in patience. How do you treat another believer who is rude to you or gossips about you? I think if we are honest, we will admit we don't always respond patiently.

I think another thing that keeps us from being patient is the shortcomings of others. People are always behaving in ways that, though not directed against us, affect us and irritate or disappoint us. It may be another driver who is driving too slow or in some way doing things that irritate you. It may be a friend who is late for an appointment. It may be a teenager whose pants are ten sizes too big and has a pierced eyebrow and a ponytail. It may be a fellow church member who doesn't raise their children as we think they should.

Impatience with the shortcomings of others often has its roots in pride. John Sanderson observes, "Hardly a day passes but one hears sneering remarks about the stupidity, the awkwardness, the ineptitude of others." Such remarks stem from a feeling that we are smarter or more capable than those with whom we are impatient.

A train was filled with tired people. Most of them had spent the day traveling through the hot dusty plains, and at last evening had come, and they all tried to settle down to a sound sleep. However, at one end of the car a man was holding a tiny baby and as night came on, the baby became restless and cried more and more. Unable to take it any longer, a big brawny man spoke for the rest of the group. "Why don't you take that baby to its mother?" There was a moment's pause and then came the reply. "I'm sorry. I'm doing my best. The baby's mother is in her casket in the baggage car ahead."

Again, there was an awful silence for a moment. Then the big man who asked the cruel question was out of his seat and moved toward the man with the motherless child. He apologized for his impatience and unkind remark. He took the tiny baby in his own arms and told the tired father to get some sleep. Then in loving patience he cared for the little child all through the night.

Patience demonstrates a willingness to take someone's unpleasant character traits in stride and to exhibit enduring patience.

There are several passages that command Christians to be patient:

Colossians 3:12 (NASB) And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Believer, if you are not patient, you are not walking in the Spirit. It is the flesh that produces idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, and factions.

KINDNESS

This comes from the Greek word chrestotes, which means: "to show oneself useful, to act benevolently: - be kind." The New Testament has much to say about the kindness of God, and, as His children, we are to imitate Him:

Luke 6:35 (NASB) "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Here the Greek word chrestos, is translated: "kind," and in Romans 2:4 the same word is translated: "good" in the NKJV.

Romans 2:4 (NKJV) Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Kindness and goodness are so closely related that they are often used interchangeably. We are to be kind to one another, we are to be good to each other, we are to be gracious to each other. We see this fleshed out in the story of the good Samaritan. The Samaritan was kind, he responded to the need that he saw.

Kindness manifests compassion this is action comes out of empathy. It may take the form of a kind word, an invitation to lunch, an offer to help. In our cruel and unkind society, we have unlimited opportunities to show the world love through kindness.

Believers are commanded to be kind:

Ephesians 4:32 (NASB) And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

GOODNESS

This is from the Greek word agathosune, which carries the idea of generosity this is how some translate it. Timothy George calls it "benevolence and generosity toward someone else." Generosity may imply financial gifts, but it also suggests the giving of our time and energies to others in practical ways to show our care and concern for them.

We are commanded to be good in:

Galatians 6:10 (NASB) So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

FAITHFULNESS

This is from the Greek word pistis. We admire "faithfulness" in all realms of life. It is that quality of being true, trustworthy, and reliable in all one's dealings with others. Faithfulness means something like "dependability." The person with this quality keeps his word, his promises, and his vows.

The Bible tells us that this is a quality of God:

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB) The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.

We see this supremely manifested in our Lord, whom John calls faithful:

Revelation 19:11 (NASB) And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

We are also assured that "faithful is He who calls you, who also will bring it to pass" (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Our God is faithful, and as His children, we are to be faithful:

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NASB) In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy [pistos].

The believer is never to be like the chameleon, which changes colors with the surroundings. He is to be steady and reliable in all circumstances. His friendship and concerns are never to be dictated by what is in it for him or even how much it will cost him. Just as our Lord is faithful in all things, even so He manifests this characteristic in His children who walk by the Spirit.

Believers, look at these two sets of manifestations. Be honest with yourself, is your life characterized by the flesh or the Spirit?

The flesh produces:

Galatians 5:19-21 (NASB) Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The Spirit produces:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Be honest, which set more accurately characterizes you? If it is the deeds of the flesh, you are not walking in the Spirit; you are not living in Dependant Discipline. Let me remind you of the words of our Lord:

John 6:63 (NASB) "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

The Spirit gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The only way we will over come the deeds of the flesh is by walking by the Spirit.

The Fruit of the Spirit
Part 2

Galatians 5:23-26

We have been talking about the spiritual life of the believer. The central theme and command in this chapter is to "walk by the Spirit." The difficulty in doing this comes from the fact that the flesh battles the Spirit:

Galatians 5:17 (NASB) For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

What I want us to see from this verse is that struggle is a normal part of the Christian life. Walking by the Spirit is not easy, and it does not happen automatically. Many Christians prefer not to hear this truth, because they want a guarantee that all their problems will be solved if they will follow the right formula. But the conflict between our flesh and the Spirit is continual and inevitable.

How do we walk by the Spirit? I believe that walking by the Spirit is a matter of "Dependant Discipline." Dependant emphasizes our need for God's power to work in us. Discipline sums up our responsibility to grow in sanctification. We are responsible to discipline ourselves toward spiritual growth, all the while depending on God to work in us.

To win the war against our flesh, we must be diligent, we must know the weapons of our warfare, and we must trust in the One who has won the victory on our behalf. The enemy, our flesh, is strong, and the pull of the world is magnetic.

When we are outnumbered and out-gunned there is only one place to run which will assure us of victory, and yet so many today are running around in circles looking for answers. We would do well to follow the path of King Jehoshaphat when he found himself in a similar situation. Turn with me to 2 Chronicles 20, and let's see what we can learn from King Jehoshaphat. This is one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament.

Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah (1 Kings 15:24). He occupied the throne for twenty-five years (873-848 B.C.). The biblical record of his reign is contained in the final chapters of 1 Kings and in 2 Chronicles 17-20. He was an able ruler and a faithful worshiper of Yahweh (1 Kings 22:43).

I like this story because it so illustrates the way the Christian life is to be lived. I believe that if we follow the example of Jehoshaphat, we will also experience the blessings that he experienced.

Before we look at Jehoshaphat's battle, let me give you a little background:

2 Chronicles 17:9 (NASB) And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

The people of Judah were biblically illiterate. They had never taken time to listen to and discuss God's Word and understand how it could change them. Jehoshaphat realized that knowing God's Word was the first step to getting people to live as they should, so he initiated a nationwide religious education program. He reversed the religious decline that had occurred at the end of Asa's reign by putting God first in the people's minds and instilling in them a sense of commitment and mission. Because of this, the nation began to follow God.

We need to see here that exposure to the Bible is essential for living as God intended. How can any of us live the Christian life when we don't spend time in God's Word to learn what it is he wants from us?

Jehoshaphat gets some bad news:

2 Chronicles 20:1-2 (NASB) Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi)."

Jehoshaphat learned that this great host was already at En Gedi, on the west shore of the Dead Sea, and would soon head for Jerusalem. One minute things are fine, and the next their world is caving in. Do you know the feeling?

Life's trials come in various wrappings, but the results are similar- you get that empty, sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, you feel hopeless, you feel like your world is caving in. If you were in Jehoshaphat's spot, what would you do? Or better yet, how are you dealing with your own trial? When you get the bad news, how do you respond?

Let's look at Jehoshaphat's reaction and see if we can learn from him:

2 Chronicles 20:3-4 (NASB) And Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD; and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to seek help from the LORD; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD.

Jehoshaphat's initial response was fear. Can you relate to that? We get bad news, a problem arises, and we fear. Is that wrong? No, it is the sense of fear that drives us to God. What do we do when we are afraid? David tells us in:

Psalms 56:3-4 (NASB) When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee. 4 In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?

It's when we are afraid that we turn to God, who is our refuge, and as we trust in Him, the fear goes away.

Psalms 46:1-2 (NASB) (For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to Alamoth. A Song.) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

David is saying...when your world is caving in...look to God! He is our refuge and strength. The Hebrew word "refuge" is makhseh; it means "a shelter from danger." We are safe in His presence.

When you ask a person who has been a believer for many years "When were the times you have felt closest to God?", the answer will almost invariably be that it was during a time when they were going through some kind of trial, and they found in the experience that God is truly a refuge, a shelter from danger.

So Jehoshaphat's fear moved him immediately to turn to God, who was his refuge. He calls for national fasting and prayer. Notice Jehoshaphat's prayer:

2 Chronicles 20:6-7 (NASB) and he said, "O LORD, the God of our fathers, art Thou not God in the heavens? And art Thou not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Thy hand so that no one can stand against Thee. 7 "Didst Thou not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Thy people Israel, and give it to the descendants of Abraham Thy friend forever?

It seems to me that he is reinforcing his own theology as he prays. He is, in effect, saying you are the God who rules the universe, the absolute sovereign One, and that is why I come to you.

2 Chronicles 20:12 (NASB) "O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on Thee."

What is Jehoshaphat saying here? In his desire to show his complete dependence on the Lord, the king uses hyperbole in describing his army, which is well equipped and of good size:

2 Chronicles 17:14-19 (NASB) And this was their muster according to their fathers' households: of Judah, commanders of thousands, Adnah was the commander, and with him 300,000 valiant warriors; 15 and next to him was Johanan the commander, and with him 280,000; 16 and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who volunteered for the LORD, and with him 200,000 valiant warriors; 17 and of Benjamin, Eliada a valiant warrior, and with him 200,000 armed with bow and shield; 18 and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 equipped for war. 19 These are they who served the king, apart from those whom the king put in the fortified cities through all Judah.

The heart of this prayer is: God, I have no strength or ability of my own, I am utterly and completely dependant on you. Please notice carefully his attitude. This is the attitude that brings glory to God - complete dependence.

Jonathan Edwards' most famous sermon is "Sinners in the hand of an angry God," but maybe a more important sermon, as far as American Church history is concerned, is the message he preached on July 8, 1731 in the city of Boston titled, "God glorified in man's dependence." The opening paragraph stated, "There is an absolute and universal dependence of the redeemed on God. The nature and contrivance of our redemption is such that the redeemed are in everything directly, immediately, and entirely dependant upon God. They are dependant on Him for all and are dependant on Him in every way."

There is nothing in our Christian experience in which we manifest our dependence on God, thus glorifying Him, more than in prayer. We ask God to do for us through Christ what we can't do for ourselves. Prayer is the open admission that without God, we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves, the flesh, to God in the confidence that He will provide the help we need. Prayer humbles us as needy and exalts God as wealthy.

Psalms 50:15 (NASB) And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me."

Jehoshaphat's response to trouble was prayer, and that should be our response; not just in time of trouble but in everything. Our dependence glorifies God.

As Jehoshaphat and the children of Israel seek God, He speaks to the assembly through Jahaziel:

2 Chronicles 20:15-17 (NASB) and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's. 16 'Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you."

God tells them not to be afraid; they won't even need to fight in the battle. God is going to fight for them; all they need to do is to trust in Him. This is true of us also; if we walk in the Spirit, we don't need to fight the flesh, the Lord subdues it for us.

2 Chronicles 20:20 (NASB) And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God, and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed."

Trust God! That is all they needed to do. Now God had given them a specific promise to trust, he told them he would defeat their enemies. We have a similar promise in Galatians 5:16: "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."

2 Chronicles 20:21-22 (NASB) And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, "Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting." 22 And when they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed.

They put the singers out in front of the army, and they began to sing and praise the Lord, and as they did, the Lord destroyed their enemies. The Lord caused the enemy troops to turn on one another. The Ammonites and the Moabites fought against those of Mount Seir until the latter were annihilated, and after that, the Ammonites fought against the Moabites.

2 Chronicles 20:24 (NASB) When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped.

Just as God has said, they didn't even need to fight. God wiped out all their enemies. When they got to the battlefield, they found all their enemies dead. This great army that caused Jehoshaphat to fear was now a bunch of corpses.

Now how do you imagine Jehoshaphat and the people felt at that moment? They must have been in awe of God's power and provision. I think that this is exactly how God wants us to deal with our flesh. We are to go to Him in prayer, trusting Him to give us the strength and courage we need to get through our every battle.

That would be a great ending of the story, but it isn't over yet, look at the next verse:

2 Chronicles 20:25 (NASB) And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found much among them, including goods, garments, and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much.

They spent three days gathering the spoils of this war, and they didn't suffer one casualty or even swing a sword. This is victorious Christian living. Not only was their enemy defeated, but they were abundantly blessed in the process.

2 Chronicles 20:26 (NASB) Then on the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD. Therefore they have named that place "The Valley of Beracah" until today.

Berachah - a Hebrew word meaning: "blessing." This is a picture of the blessings that come in our lives as we face every difficulty and problem in prayerful dependence. This is a picture of what God wants to do in your life if you will learn to trust in Him.

This is what it means to walk by the Spirit, we are to live in dependant discipline. As we do, God will give us victory over the flesh. He has promised:

Galatians 5:16 (NASB) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Paul then goes on to tell the Galatians what the flesh produces and what the Spirit produces. We have looked at what the flesh produces and it is ugly. We began looking at what the Spirit produces in our last study.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The first thing that we need to understand here is: what is fruit? The Greek word for "fruit" is karpos. It means: "result, outcome, or fruit." So, Paul is talking about the result the Spirit produces, which is Christlikeness. Fruit is not something which is attached to the branch, fastened on from without, but is the organic product of the inner life. Too often attention is directed to the outward services and actions, or the results of these services. Good fruit is a Christlike life produced by the Spirit through us as we abide in Christ:

Notice that these are not the "fruits" of the Spirit (plural), but they are the "fruit" of the Spirit (singular). In our last study we looked at love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. So we'll pick up this morning with:

Galatians 5:23 (NASB) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

GENTLENESS

This is from the Greek word praiotes. The KJV translates this word as "meekness," but the NASB translates it: "genteelness." It is used 9 times in the New Testament, and it is difficult to gather its meaning from its usages.

It is closely related to humility. It is not weakness or spinelessness, but rather the willingness to suffer injury instead of inflicting it. The gentle person knows he is a sinner among sinners and is willing to suffer the burdens others' sins may impose on him.

Kittels defines the word as meaning: "mild and gentle friendliness," but, as this can imply an easy-going attitude that has nothing intrinsically dynamic about it, they go on to note that the ancient Greeks: "value this virtue highly so long as there is compensating strength." That is, we shouldn't think of the word as denoting an attitude which has no power with which to meet the situations that confronts the person who displays it.

We generally think of this word as implying someone who is "mousy, a pushover." But that is far from the meaning of this term. Instead, it implies that a person's natural strengths, abilities, and mental powers are harnessed by the Spirit of God for the good of God's kingdom and others. Timothy George says that gentleness is: "a submissive and teachable spirit toward God that manifests itself in genuine humility and consideration toward others".

Numbers 12:3 (NASB) (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)

Moses was anything but a pushover! He was a man with unusual strengths and abilities, but yielded and taught by the Lord as His humble servant.

It is important for the Christian to see that the self-assertiveness that is so much part of the twentieth-century life should not be valued highly. It is much better that each of us curtails the desire to be pre-eminent and exercises a proper meekness (or gentleness). Gentleness means not behaving harshly, arrogantly, or self-assertively but with consideration for others.

The Bible commands us to be gentle:

Colossians 3:12 (NASB) And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

1 Timothy 6:11 (NASB) But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

If gentleness is not manifest in your life, you are not walking in the Spirit.

SELF CONTROL

This is from the Greek word egkrateia [eng-krat'-i-ah]. In our out-of-control world the believer is to stand against the tide by exercising "self-control." Such a quality implies a "restraining [of the] passions and appetites," particularly in a moral sense. It is a word that expresses the idea of personal discipline over one's life and lifestyle. It suggests that a person understands his own natural leanings and, by the Spirit, restrains them so that the life of Christ might be pre-eminent in his personal world. Paul spoke of this candidly in:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NASB) Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Paul speaks of his own personal disciplining of his life: bringing his body into subjection to Christ, so that in no way would he be disqualified as a believer.

Self-control is the opposite of self-indulgence. Believers, we are commanded to be self-controlled:

2 Peter 1:5-6 (NASB) Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness;

If we are willing to be honest about what is happening to us, if we are willing to look at ourselves as we really are, then we will either see that the flesh is producing its deeds - strife, enmity, immorality, sorcery, drunkenness - or we will see that the Spirit of God is truly producing His fruit in our lives, and there is more love, more real joy, greater peace, and more self-control than ever before.

Paul concludes his list of fruit by saying, "Against such things there is no law."

What does that mean? Here again we see that Paul is directing his comments to people who want to be under the supervision of law. Paul assures them:

Galatians 5:18 (NASB) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

The Spirit produces all the qualities that fulfill the requirements of the law:

Galatians 5:14 (NASB) For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

There is no rule in the Mosaic law which can be cited against such character qualities. The Spirit-led life is not a life against the law; it is a life that fulfills the law. The way to the fulfillment of the law is not to live under the law like slaves, but to live by the Spirit as children of God.

The law speaks against the deeds of the flesh. But there is no law against love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

I believe the law has no place so far as a means of sanctification or salvation; however, the law does provide a standard of righteousness. Paul says that those who walk in the Spirit will fulfill the law:

Romans 8:4 (NASB) in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

The law is thus a beautiful standard, but it is not a source or a means of righteousness.

Galatians 5:24 (NASB) Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Those who belong to Christ belong to Christ on the basis of one thing - they realize that they cannot save themselves. They realize that no amount of religious performance and no amount of trying to be good can ever merit righteousness before God. Therefore, they have died to that way of thinking and they realize: "I was crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me."

What Paul is saying, finally, is that despite the reality of the conflict, despite the fact that every day the flesh wants to overthrow us, the Spirit provides us with the power we need to follow him.

In other words, if in my heart of hearts I came to the conclusion that it was only the Spirit of God that could save me, then it's only logical to come to the same conclusion that it's only the Spirit of God which can make me righteous. And it's only the Spirit of God that can produce the life of Christ in me - what we call sanctification- that process of becoming more like Christ.

Martin Luther compares the flesh to a man's beard. What happens when you shave on Monday? The beard grows back on Tuesday. If you shave on Tuesday, it grows back on Wednesday. If you stop shaving (even for a few days), soon you have stubble everywhere on your face. Crucifying the flesh is like taking a daily shave.

John Stott is quite eloquent on this point: "If we are going to follow Christ, we must be brutal with our flesh. Too many of us fondle our sin and then wonder why we give in. We make excuses for our flesh and act surprised when the flesh controls our words and our deeds. No more wimping out! No more excuses! No more pampering your flesh! There must be a ruthless and uncompromising rejection of sin. We must not go easy on ourselves."

The remarkable feature of Paul's statement about the crucifixion of the flesh in verse 24 is the use of the active voice: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galatians 2:19 and 6:14 say that Christians have been crucified with Christ, but 5:24 says that they themselves have acted to put to death their flesh. Believers are responsible to crucify the flesh.

Galatians 5:25 (NASB) If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

The "if," is a first class condition in Greek that here states a condition true to reality. It could be translated: "Since," God has given us new life, we should do something. We should walk by the Spirit. We can better understand what Paul says here if we understand that the Greek words for walk are different in Galatians 5:16 and 5:25. The first (peripateo) is the normal word for walking, used there as a picture of the "walk of life." The second (stoicheo) means "to walk in line with" or "to be in line with." Paul here is saying that we should keep in step with the Spirit.

So the fight remains. We are called on to take this conflict seriously: to learn to follow the Spirit, to serve one another through love, to lay down our lives for love's sake for each other, to walk by the Spirit day in and day out in the little things as well as the big things. What does this mean in practice? Paul gives a general but practical application to the Galatian churches:

Galatians 5:26 (NASB) Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

This verse and verse 15 clearly indicate that the community life of the Galatian churches had been torn apart by pride, which caused provoking and envying. In their concentration on keeping the law, the Galatian believers had become very competitive in their spiritual life, attempting to outdo each other. To provoke means: "to challenge to a contest." Some were so sure of their spiritual superiority that they wanted to prove it in a contest. Others felt spiritually inferior and resented those who made them feel that way. Both attitudes were caused by pride that could not tolerate rivals.

This whole chapter lends itself to a searching examination of ourselves. We often think that our problems and difficulties are all outside of ourselves. We think that we would be fine if everyone just treated us right and if circumstances just got better. But that ignores the tenor of this whole chapter: the problems are in us and needs to be dealt with by the Spirit of God. Augustine used to often pray, "Lord, deliver me from that evil man, myself." With that kind of reality check, we can see a new world and a new life, and not one other person or one other circumstance has to change! All we must do is yield to the Spirit of God and begin to truly walk in the Spirit.

Believer, the Lord wants to fight your battle. He will fight your battle if you will live in the Spirit, if you will keep in step with the Spirit. He will fight your battle, and you will live! The battle plan for living the victorious Christian life is quite simple: Stay in God's Word and stay in step with the Spirit. It is in God's Word that we find God's truth for living the victorious, life and we find the lives of people like Jehoshaphat who show us that God's counsel is proven and true. It is as we live in the Spirit, as we live seeking God's will, that we learn of God's ways, and we experience the victory that He has promised.

I want to ask you this morning to allow the Lord to search your heart. Are you living out the desires of your flesh, or are you keeping in step with the Spirit? Are you throwing yourself before the Lord in total dependence upon His grace and Sovereignty, or are you trying to figure out a way to get out of your latest mess?

I am convinced that the "fruit of the Spirit" is available to all of us. No one needs to walk in the path of the flesh. We all have a choice to make, and we must make it every day. And most of us must make that choice a hundred times a day. Will we walk in the way of the flesh, indulging our desires and producing the ugly "works of the flesh" Paul mentions in this passage? Or will we walk in the Spirit and in step with the Spirit, following His leading moment by moment, allowing Him to produce his "fruit" in us?