Spiritual Warfare 101: Reaping What We Sow, Part 6

The Righteous:

2 Timothy 2:22-24 “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.”

What does Paul expect of his protégé Timothy?

 

Galatians 5:16-18 “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”

 

How can you live by the Spirit? Begin my praying Luke 11:13 until you are filled with the power and presence of the Holy SPirit...

 

Remember that Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you note know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You were bought for a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

 

Galatians 5:22-26 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

How can we avoid sinful actions and attitudes?

 

Conclusion

 Galatians 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

 

Reflect on the principle that what you are sowing, you will be reaping.

 

What are you sowing with your words, attitudes, behavior, spending, worship, devotional life and prayers?

 

What do you expect to receive as a result? Why?

  

Summarize what you’ve learned through this study.

 

 

Spiritual Warfare 101: Reaping What We Sow, Part 5

We’re All in the Battle.

We are always engaged in spiritual warfare whether we sense it or not. The enemy, however, is very limited in what he and his helpers can do against us. But beware: overconfidence will trip you up in time.

 Stay on guard like a sentry—be vigilant, sober, rested, and righteous in God’s eyes.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

What is Paul telling us in this passage?

 

1.   There are no new temptations.

2.   God is ever faithful to the faithful according to Psalm 18:24-26,

a.   “The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.”

3.   God limits our temptations to a degree that we can, with his help, resist it.

4.   We will all be tempted at some time or another.

5.   God will provide us with an exit.

6.   If we take it we will overcome temptation.

The attributes of evil are seen in the actions and attitudes of mankind.

 The Lost:

 

2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”

Compare this passage with what you are observing in American Culture.

 

Galatians 5:19-21 “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 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.”

What does this passage say to you?

 

 

How can you help others to resist the devil and draw near to Christ Jesus our Savior?