My Need for God’s Spirit

Christian discernment notices things that  otherwise would be missed. For instance, when another believer is filled with the Spirit, the attitudes or fruit that the Spirit produces are very obvious to a discerning mind. Because this happens, God’s grace is richly recognized and enjoyed. Rather than crediting a spirit-filled person for being nice, God is glorified as He should be. However, if a believer is walking in the flesh, discernment easily senses selfishness, or rudeness, knowing that this doe not come from the Holy Spirit. Fleshy behavior is the opposite of godly behavior. The difference is described in Scripture by comparing the two:

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4–7)

Fleshy behavior is selfish, but not always discerned as such. I need to watch how I react to it. If someone is rude to me, my reaction could be critical or anger or wanting to retaliate. Yet God tells my to be discerning and pray for that person. They are not walking in the Spirit and need to get back on track. If I am offended by what they did and react in a fleshy way, then I am not walking in the Spirit either.

How is it even possible to respond rightly to the sin of others? Is it not because of Jesus? Because He died as my substitute and took my penalty for sin, He also lives as my substitute and gives me His life as my righteousness. Today’s readings verify this:

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18–19)

The law of God requires not only that I am without sin, but also that I am completely obedient to holiness. I am to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and being, and others as myself. This righteousness Christ performs for me as my Substitute. In Him, I’m to obey God  through the power of the Holy Spirit. I do not have to live by the dictates of my old nature, no matter how others treat me.

The Bible says that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness and that when God imputed the righteousness of Christ to us, He was made my righteousness. In other words, I have the righteousness of God in Christ. This is not just about my legal standing before God, but about my state in this world. He makes it happen by filling me with His Spirit so I can walk in obedience.

Galatians 5 begins with, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) This refers to the slavery of sin, of living by my old nature, which is sinful. It goes on. . . .  

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:13–18)

Fleshy behavior is not only sin against God and a lack of love for Him, it is sinful against others, and that lack of love can offend and hurt them. However, if I’m on the receiving end, I’m not to retaliate but do what Jesus does — die to it and intercede for the other person, not only with a spirit of forgiveness but pray that God will work in their lives so they realize their fleshy motivations and actions, confess them, and ask for His fullness so they are filled with the fruit that only the Holy Spirit can produce:

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22–23)

PRAY: Lord, my flesh resents my own flesh behavior, never mind the things others do apart from Your Spirit. Enable me to respond to whatever others do in the same way You respond to me — with love, patience and kindness as you gently show me how deeply I also need self-control that comes from Your amazing righteousness. I do not have any of this without You and need You every day, every hour, every moment of my life.