Walk in the Spirit!

(Galatians 5:16) “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

If we do not walk as strangers to this world then we qualify for what I need to now say, firstly I speak to myself and then to those who note what is now said.

Don’t do the same thing over and over and expect a different result; this is a principle even life itself teaches us. The mathematicians, scientists and astronomers are the first among the scholars to echo these sentiments. But on the other hand if we practise the same thing over and over as an athlete, it then helps hone our skills in a particular sport and we get better at it. The same principle can be applied to bad behaviour in our lives, in order to break them, we must interrupt their pattern, and we must do things differently! Our routine must change in order to break any ties to those bad routines and the good practices that produce fruit to our lives we must nurture with all our hearts. There are many opinions on how we should go about achieving this, the world and even our friends are full of idea’s, even my own mind concurs up information, but how do I know if what I am feeding will last? In other words will it stand the test of time in my life? Bear with me for just a minute and reason with me, the example I will use is a ridiculous analogy but it will help get my point across.

Say it was summer and we wanted a suntan, how would we go about getting one? Depending on the free time readily available to us, time would govern how we would go about achieving our goal, a bronzed body! But as this is now our objective we would rearrange our day to allow for this to happen. It would be ridiculous to say to ourselves, I am free form 8-9 at night so what I will do is lie next to the pool then and hopefully achieve my objective. I will use the moon to help me get a suntan. Impossible, right! The only way I will change the colour of my complexion is to be exposed to the rays of the sun. I need to lie in the sun or lie on a sun bed, I could always go for a fake can tan, it is an option, but easily picked out by a trained eye. It is also easy to spot out a wolf in sheep’s clothing to a trained eye.

If my objective is eternity, then I need to go to the source that can provide me with correct information regarding eternity. What use will it be to me if I ask a man who will die the truth on eternity, do you think it will be any different to trying to get a sun tan from the moon. It is a waste of time! I must go to the source to understand! Or at least enquire from someone who has gone to the source to find the information. Astrologers are mostly intellectual individuals, but what is their general mistake? They look to the creation to find answers instead of the Creator, why do you think they do this; I know the answer, not because I am gifted or special but because the Creator has shown it to us, all those who look to Him for answers will know this. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:20-23)

Many of them speak as if they have the answers to life, but they cannot with any certainty speak of the creations origin, they throw out theories like the “Big Bang”. They expect people to believe that nothing created something, it is so ridiculous and yet so many believe their gobbledegook.

Now back to my original point; how will we break bad habits and feed the good works in our lives to generate eternal fruit? We must go to the source; we must rely on the Ruler of eternity to understand eternity. In other words it is very simple, we must give earnest heed to that which will live for eternity, our souls! Our bodies will die, but our spirits will be eternal. Now whether we believe this to be true or not, it makes no difference to the truth, it is out of our hands because God has so commissioned it. Our spirits will either live forever or die forever, the Bible is very clear on this. Why do we waste so much time on our bodies and this life if it will eventually end, when we are taught that our spirit will live forever? Surely we should be mindful of this truth and store up treasures for heaven. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21)

We are what we do!

So all those bad habits that keep us from storing up treasures in heaven need to be broken and all that glorifies our Heavenly Father must be hone and practised so that we get even better at it. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

We must recognize that our natural make up as humans oppose us achieving this objective, and all because of our sinful natures. We didn’t ask for it in person but this is what we have received because of our forefather’s sin, Adam’s sin! Therefore we must strive to find grace to accomplish walking in the Spirit.

“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Galatians 5:17)

Therefore the bad habits in our lives are anything that keeps us from walking in the Spirit, let us seek with earnestness to lose them and replace them with walking in the Spirit. Now this we know is sound advice as it comes from the word of God and it will have everlasting fruit to it.

Signing off

Tyrone