Friends, if we are being completely honest, you and I have found ourselves at moments moving ahead without God’s guidance. When we have done this or will do this, we are operating in our flesh while grieving the guidance of the Holy Spirit. During these times, we are often moving so fast that initially we might not even realize that we are moving without the Holy Spirit, and that is exactly where Satan wants you and me. He wants us to act alone, to leave our relationship with Jesus aside, so his spirit can creep in with worldly desires that he uses to appeal to each of our sinful nature.
If you were not able to worship with us yesterday, please watch Pastor Mary’s sermon because it divinely connects to Paul’s message within today’s devotional passage. Friends, we cannot forget that Jesus is the Vine and as believers, we are connected to Him as the branches, and we cling tightly to that loving connection we need to keep seeking to grow in our relationship with Him. When we do this, the Holy Spirit can work within us to produce righteous fruit within our lives that can then be shared with others. When you and I chose to follow Jesus, we laid down our sinful nature, and Satan absolutely hates that we made that decision. He spends every second looking for moments when he can try and appeal to that in which we left behind. Don’t allow Satan a foothold, cling to your relationship with Jesus, pray all of the time and ask the Holy Spirit to produce more righteous fruit within you. Remember, if what you are doing, saying, thinking, or believing is not in alignment with what Jesus would do, say, think, or have us believe, than Satan is messing with your soul (mind, will, and/or emotions), turn quickly back to Jesus, ask for His forgiveness, seek other believers to pray with and for you, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, and remain in the Word all of the time and ask for wisdom and revelation.
Galatians 5:16-26 (NLT)
Living by the Spirit’s Power
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our Vine. Help us to remain connected to You and to continue to grow in our personal relationships with You. Holy Spirit, please continue to work within us to produce more righteous fruit and guide our every step. Quicken our spirit to know when we are not in alignment with Jesus and allow the Word to rise up within us. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.