Galatians 5:16-26 (AMP) But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. 17 For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do. 18 But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law. 19 Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], 21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. 25 If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. 26 We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.
Apostle Paul is making us answer a serious question through the Word of God. In the midst of difficulty, we become believers of Jesus and become saved. We then build our faith. But due to our mistakes, foolishness, and ignorance, we can shipwreck our faith that would lead us to salvation. Apostle Paul is casting a question to us. There are certain things that will prevent us from inheriting the kingdom of God. This is a very fearful statement. There are certain manifestations shown through our bodies. The Word of God is hinting to us that our spiritual areas could possibly be shattered through our physical bodies. Can sexual immorality have power to cancel our salvation? What about filthiness and sensuality (see above definition)? Some people are curious about sensuality. Some desire and covet that relates to sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control). If these people continue in such way, what kind of influence will come to their salvation? Idolatry, if we worship some kind of idol, what kind of fatal damage will strike our salvation and faith lives? Disputes, do you have any unresolved issues with anyone? Are you still holding a grudge against someone? Are you failing when it comes to having relationships with other people and personal relationship/friendship with other people? It is the same with dissension, arguing, envious, jealousy, fits of anger, and forms of faction. People who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
When some kind of gap is created within you and I or between you and someone else, through that gap, some kind of impact will occur and escalate. Think about a bad impact. There are moments when something stirs up inside and our flesh reacts. It is because Satan is working within us. Although, I am very gentle and nice to the church people, I am a very difficult father in my household. When I handle my children strictly, my children’s feeling and emotions get hurt. Still, we must not give any gap to Satan even when it comes to our emotion and feelings. Every one of you are all precious people of God who possess a mission and the calling of God. You may create trouble and make problems, then it will be great if you demolish and crush that part of you that creates trouble and make problems. But many times, people are stubborn. Satan works through the opportunity that was given through our flesh. When this occurs, what kind of impact and how much impact will it affect our faith and salvation? Here is a fearful statement.
“I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
We must not practice such things. One important truth is that all types of sin will damage us. All types of sin include the element that will lead us to death. Therefore, the people of Jesus must crucify the sinful nature together with its passion and appetites. I believe, this dying process is something that we must carry out until the day we die. The desires of flesh comes against the desires of the Holy Spirit. Everything that is created within our flesh always prevent us from the things that God desires to carry out through us. These two forces are coming against each other. God desires us to carry out our mission and given work.
When we are led by the Holy Spirit we are no longer under the Law. The church in Galatians were built with great difficulty and effort. Apostle Paul said to the Galatians, “All your work and effort are not in vain. But there are things that may make your work in vain. The counterfeit messages, counterfeit ministries, things that can make you corrupted, the things that makes your faith vain and so on.”
What can cancel your salvation? The things that comes out of your flesh will cancel your salvation. Everything that is coming out from your flesh will fatally damage the spiritual work.
As time passed, the church, once filled with the Holy Spirit gradually became weak. When the church became spiritually weak, the people became satisfied just by attending church. People no longer cared whether they possess the power of the Holy Spirit with His authority or not. The church became irrelevant to the spiritual battle. The Galatians church had a problem. Everyone has their personal characteristics, personality and traits. The people of Galatia paid a heavy price obtaining faith. But later on, their hearts gradually changed. Their idea of obtaining and completing salvation became very easy. They began going toward the way of Judaism.
At first, Paul built and established the church with the power of the Holy Spirit. All the churches that are built by Apostle Paul began manifesting bad symptoms. The churches began to be obsessed with Judaism and the Law. Therefore, Apostle Paul once again preached to the churches regarding the work of the Holy Spirit. The church may have been built and established in the midst of difficulty and much effort but if people make fleshly mistakes and carelessness act, the church and their salvation can be damaged. In theory, it may seem like it is impossible for us to damage our salvation, but in reality, it is a different story. If you commit adultery, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. If you burst in anger, you will not fulfill the will of God. When Moses did not represent the holiness of God, his mission had ended. But because he repented, at least, he was saved. But for us, we are living in the days where we may obtain many chances and forgiveness only if we properly repent even if we have angered ten or twenty times. Even though we sin many times, only if we properly repent before God, God will restore us. Although we may be living in such days, we have to be cautious because the eyes of God observes everything in us. If we think, ‘Well, I can always repeatedly repent’ and sin carelessly, God will know our thought and hearts.
As we live in this world, we will encounter some kind of situation. Depending on how we handle our situation, our faith and the content of such faith will be changed. Also, the quality of a person can be changed. There are contents within us but that content can be damaged because of someone. Our contents and faith can be influenced. When we are influenced, there will be two ways path to choose from. There is the good way and the other way in which we will commit sin. In order for things that are in our hearts to come out and be revealed, we need to encounter some kind of situation.
God tested Abraham. “Give me your son, Isaac. Go to Mount Moriah. Cast away your son Ishmael and Hagar.”
God continuously tested and asked from Abraham. When we encounter such situations, things that are hidden within us will be exposed. When we encounter such situations, will our faith be properly activated according to that reality or not? Even if people are given the same type of test and situation, because their trait and characteristics are different, they will react differently. Even if my wife and I look at some kind of problem, because our perspective is different and our ability to think is different, we may end up arguing. When we encounter certain situations where you and the other party has a different perspective, how can you guys overcome the difference? Will you overcome the situation with an argument? Or will you yield to the other party? Will you agree somehow and acknowledge the difference with the grace of God? Will you gently persuade the other party with the grace of God? We all need the wisdom of God in these areas.
A person may possess the power of God. But how can you know if such a person has properly received it through the proper method? Moreover, what kind of process or method? You may observe a person for a long period of time. Does he/she consistently manifest the will of God with humility for a long duration of time? Does he/she live according to the will of God? Based on these factors, the person may be revealed and approved. Someone may come to you one day and show you the power of God but please do not only look at the power. You must also continuously observe the person as much will be revealed.
We must learn to discern the difference between the holy gifts and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. When a gift is granted and manifested, you will be able to utilize it right away. But when it comes to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, you may not see it right away. People who have received the holy gifts can possibly become corrupted. When it comes to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, time is required to determine if one is bearing it. You need to observe the characteristic and the personality of the person to see if these areas have bore the fruit of the Holy Spirit. How much fruit has the person bore when it comes to love? How much joy does the person possess? How well is the persona a peacemaker with the other people? It is more important whether you possess the fruit of the Holy Spirit or not rather than you possessing holy gifts. It is difficult to pray but when we carry out the will of God, God will recompense ten, hundred, and a thousand times.
Jesus had led His disciples to utilize the disciple training method. Jesus preached the Word of God and many other things during the day time. But because they needed to be taught on the teaching of Rehma, the Lord prayed each night and He had desired His disciples to join Him. But when it comes to the area of Rehma, it was difficult to be properly trained for the disciples. They were more easily trained in the area of Logos. Sometimes, the Lord would train them using some awkward assignment which they were not used too. The Lord had sent all His disciples away by themselves. Then the Lord walked on the water in the middle of the night when the wind and wave was most severe. In such a situation, the Lord tried to draw out the Rehma within them and train them to only focus the Lord. This training is the training to perform the miracles of the Lord. But the disciples could not carry it out properly.
We may all go through a similar type of training and experience with the Holy Spirit. The process of becoming the image of Jesus and bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit will not be easy for all of us. When we go through the training of discipleship and as we experience the Holy Spirit, the purpose is not to boast and show our righteousness. As we receive more grace from God, more training, and as we develop as closer relationship with God, it is not increasing our power but, possessing a stronger passion and personality in denying ourselves.
“I am nothing. Everything is done by the Lord.”
We must express this statement in such a way as often as possible.
When we continuously say, “I AM NOTHING! THE LORD HAS DONE EVERYTHING!”
We will not be cast away so quickly but will be utilized for a long time. If we are not filled with the Holy Spirit, we will not be able to be properly trained as His disciple. When it came to the disciples of Jesus, they had finished their “program of discipleship.” But their training had not fully completed because the last course in discipleship was to follow Jesus and die. And they all had ran away when Jesus was captured.
Even in the midst of their training by Jesus, the disciples doubted, argued, envied, were jealous, and one even betrayed Him in the end. When Jesus was captured, the condition of the disciples went back to their original condition before they had begun disciple training with Jesus. But still, Jesus visited and restored them. The Lord explained why they had become such a way. The reason was that they were not filled with the Holy Spirit. Unless they waited on the promised Holy Spirit and received the Holy Spirit, they could not become true disciple of Jesus. The more we become the disciples of Jesus, the more we must deny ourselves and we must properly follow Him. When the disciples had finally received the Holy Spirit and were filled with the Holy Spirit, they had become true disciples and apostles of Jesus. They finally began to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If you are truly filled with the Holy Spirit, your character, personality and nature will transform and change. The Holy Fire is not the most important aspect if there is no fruit of the Holy Spirit. Even if you impart and you are a minister of the holy fire, but if your character and personality has not changed, your impartation will not edify the other party. Especially, when it comes to the ministering of the holy fire, you must be transformed and changed even more. You must never argue with people. You must be very cautious of the people whose character and personality that has not changed. Please fix your weaknesses. When people come to the Lord’s Church, God reveals their weaknesses and shortcoming. When these things are revealed, please fix them.
Pastor Kim Yong Doo
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