The War Within
Who Are You • Sermon • Submitted
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· 11 viewsThere is a war within you, for you. One looks like freedom, but in the end will enslave you. The other looks like slavery, but in the end will set you free. Which will you choose?
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Intro
Intro
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life:
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
”It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil–he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you–and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Taken from another source...
As Christians there are two parts of us at war. There is a war within you, for you. One looks like freedom, but in the end will enslave you. The other looks like slavery, but in the end will set you free. Which will you choose?
Today we will come from an epistle (letter) written to the church in Galatia. This is a congregation that had the Gospel and began to fall into the grasp of a false Gospel. This Gospel was perverted with the teachings that one first had to become a righteous Jew in order to then become a “good” Christian. Paul teaches them that they have freedom in Christ and are not bound to the burdensome Law. It is in our passage today that we see the differences between what the flesh offers and what the Spirit offers.
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Strategy From A General:
Strategy From A General:
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
How many of us have ever played with fire before? Any arsonists? We had the priveledge of doing certain experients in school with candles. We were given two small candles. We light both and then place a glass over one of the candles. When the glass is placed over one candle the flame begins to die out. The fire needs oxygen in order to continue to flame. Paul asks of the same for these Christians. He tells them to live according to the Spirit so as not to feed the flesh!
To walk in the Spirit- Paul is telling them I need you to live a certain way. I need for your behavior to be as the Spirit would have it to be.
AND IF THIS HAPPENS...
Fulfilling the lust of the flesh- Then you will not accomplish what the flesh wants.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
The flesh wants what the Spirit does not want. The Spirit wants what the flesh does not want. They are opposite. So you are not able to do at times what you wish to do. You can only be ONE thing! FOR the Spirit or FOR the Flesh.
1 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during that person’s lifetime?
Paul speaks about the war within to the Roman church...
rom 7:15, 18, 19
15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.
19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.
Does God leave us hanging in the balance?
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.
rom 5 21
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18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
The Law outlined for a sinner what exactly that sinner was. It pointed the finger and caused a burden on the person because it did not eradicate the sin. But with Christ we have a way to get rid of the burden/guilt of sin!
15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Paul is saying that we do not go backwards into the mess that we came from we press on because we are His children! We can cry out Abba! The same word that a trusting child would have called out to his father in those times we have the same relationship trusting and knowing that our God, Yahweh will respond as we are joint heirs with Christ! He rose and so will we!
Paul has a plan for this congregation in Galatia. He tells them to be free but not so free that they become slaves again to the flesh. Freedom is found by submitting to God.
The Enemy’s Battle Plan:
The Enemy’s Battle Plan:
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
What we are reading here is a vice list. Paul is about to outline a list of the works of the flesh. Not an exhaustive list. They may have been dealing with some of these issues.
ADULTERY IS USUALLY OMITTED FROM GREEK MANUSCRIPTS. FORNICATION COVERS ALL BASES.
Fornication- GREEK WORD —> πορνεία (porneia). Looks the same as the word that we know in our culture as porn. This is any intercourse that is not between a husband and a wife.
Uncleanness- Immorality <—> Filth Usually dealing with sexuality, can be any immoral actions.
morals= principles of right and wrong in behavior.
Lewdness- Lacking moral restraint. Sinful abandon. Indulgence in sensual pleasure unrestrained by convention or morality.
sinful abandon n. — indulgence in sensual pleasure unrestrained by convention or morality.
πορνεία
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
Idolatry- The worship of a material representation of a deity. Creation worship instead of worshipping the creator.
idolatry n. — the worship of a material representation of a deity.
Sorcery- Sorcery especially exercised through the mixture of substances to make potions; especially used of poison-making.
Hatred- A state of hostility. Being enemies of people.
sorcery ⇔ potion-making n. — sorcery especially exercised through the mixture of substances to make potions; especially used of poison-making.
Contentions- Strife (w/ a focus on talking mess about other people)
Jealousies- A greedy or prideful longing for something that belongs to another; even something intangible, such as a skill.
jealousy n. — a greedy or prideful longing for something that belongs to another; even something intangible, such as a skill.
Outbursts of wrath- It is what it says!
Selfish Ambitions- Doing things only to make yourself look better.
Dissensions- Causing people to not like one another.
Heresies- Factions. A circle of people with a common purpose who dissent from another group.
faction n. — a circle of people with a common purpose who dissent from another group.
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Envy- Ill will towards someone because of some real or presumed advantage.
Murders, doesn’t actually show up in the text I translated…
Drunkenness- A temporary state resulting from excessive consumption of alcohol.
A temporary state resulting from excessive consumption of alcohol.
Revelries- Wild drinking parties. An occasion for excessive eating or drinking (with moral debauchery normally ensuing).
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
binge party n. — an occasion for excessive eating or drinking (with moral debauchery normally ensuing).
gal 5
Paul gives the tactics of the enemy. He gives a list that shows sins that affect self, the relationship with God, and relationship with others. Engaging in these actions leaves us alone and damaged, depending on these actions to make us feel complete.
Weapons For War:
Weapons For War:
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
When a spouse has become a bit on the heavy side and we want them to be healthy, we can approach them in different ways. You can say “You sure are getting fat!” or you can say “My love, I would like for us both to live healthier lifestyles so that we can spend more time on this earth, TOGETHER.” Paul presents what comes from the flesh as being a bit of a strain by using the word works. And then when it comes to the Spirit he uses the singular noun, FRUIT. Something that is produced. Living by the singular Spirt produces one fruit that has MANY advantages. This is the best fruit that I’ve ever heard of!
Fruit- Paul keeps this singular. It is also telling that he chooses to call this fruit instead of works. It seems to carry less weight.
Love- Agape (unconditional love)
Joy- Gladness
Peace- State of freedom from anxiety and inner turmoil
Long-suffering- A state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation.
Kindness- Providing something beneficial for someone without reciprocity.
Goodness- The act of generous giving.
Faithfulness- Being someone in whom complete confidence can be placed in.
Gentleness- Dealing with others in a gentle manner.
Self-Control- Exercising complete control over one’s self.
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
“Against such there is no law”
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If you belong to Christ, you crucify the flesh along with its physical desires (natural yearnings or character) and evil desires (craving to do something that is against God).
Paul’s use of the word crucify is interesting here. As he could have just used murder or any other forms of death. To crucify something stood for many things. A crucified man would be singled out, shown off to the public that he was wrong, made to carry a cross showing that he was in submission to a greater power, hung on a tool of shame to die a slow and permanent death. The things that we overcome through Christ must not be left to secret! We must show the world that we are submissive to a greater power! We must show the world that we are killing off things that are natural to mankind! We are killing off things that compel us to go against God! We crucify our flesh daily so that we can live for an eternity with God!
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
to live (supernaturally) v. — to be or become alive in a transcendent manner; especially as characteristic of resurrected life, or life without sin or with sin subjugated.
to live (carefully) ⇔ process (march) v. — to live in careful observance of requirements; conceived of as walking in a straight line or in file.
If we are going to take advantage of the what the Spirit offers us, then let us carefully make sure that we align with what is required of us in regard to the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
In doing what is stated in verse 25, don’t think that you played a major role in the thing. Do not call out folks to a contest of righteousness or being angry or made because someone is more successful at being Spirit filled!
Conclusion
Conclusion