STEP 1 - Read Galatians 5:13-26
(13) You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh (Sarx); rather, serve one another humbly in love.
(14) For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (15) If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
(16) So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Sarx). (17) For the flesh (Sarx) desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
(18) But if (since) you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (19) The acts of the flesh (Sarx) are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; (20) idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions (21) and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(24) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh (Sarx) with its passions and desires.
(25) Since we live by the Spirit, let us
keep in step
with the Spirit.
(26) Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
STEP 2 - Reflect
This final paragraph begins with a reminder of who you are: a child of God who lives by the Spirit. Once again, remember that you’re different from the world! They live by Sarx, you live by the Spirit!
We often remind ourselves that God is sovereign in our salvation. In other words, we’re saved completely and totally by His strength, not our own. This is certainly true, but don’t for a moment think that the Christian life is a passive one (passive means things happen to you, rather than you taking the initiative and being the one doing things).
The Holy Spirit quite literally expects you to keep up with Him. Think of how hard you need to work to keep up with the fastest person on the court, or the fastest tractor in the field. That’s how hard you need to be working to keep up with the Spirit!
So how do you increase your Spiritual speed? The good news here is that you know how to make yourself physically faster: work hard and practice, practice, practice. You need to apply that same know-how to your Spiritual life: work hard, and practice, practice, practice.
The core disciplines you need to work on is being in church regularly to hear God’s Word, be reading the Bible daily, and praying constantly throughout the day. So it’s no coincidence that these are the very things we’ve been working on together as you get ready to leave for Nebraska.
STEP 3 - Respond
STEP 4 - Reach up in prayer
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: God our Father, who has provided all we need for our salvation
ALIGN YOURSELF WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the discipline it takes to keep up with the Spirit
ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED: for what you need today
