Living—Led by the Spirit—OR—Led by the Flesh?
Are you impatient or impetuous?
- Are you one who is easily provoked and irritated? IMPATIENT
- Are you one who eagerly acts quickly without thought or care? IMPETUOUS
The apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, people who were known to be much like us (Americans), and within this biblical letter, we read—
“For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
(The Letter of Paul to the Galatians 2: 18-21 NASB)
For through the Law I died to the Law,
so that I might live to God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ [Who] lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by faith
in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God,
for if righteousness comes through the Law,
then Christ died needlessly.”
Truly, we can be such impetuously, impatient individuals who readily walk forward in our own thinking, in our own doing, totally without the leading of the Spirit of God. Yet, the Bible is clear: Those who know Christ as their Savior—
“have been crucified with Christ; . . .”
& not only that but—
“it is no longer I who live, . . .”
It is not just us who now reside within our bodies BUT—
“Christ lives in me; . . .”
We now have Christ Jesus Himself—God’s Holy Spirit who now lives inside us who believe—
- JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!
- HE AROSE FROM THE GRAVE, OVERCOMING DEATH SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE IN HIM!
- THROUGH JESUS’ RESURRECTION FROM THE GRAVE, JESUS HIMSELF IS ALIVE WITHIN US!
Therefore, we who believe, who have been ‘made alive through Him’ cannot afford to live as Impetuous & Impatient people. That’s right! We must walk by faith! That’s right! We must walk by faith, for the Bible says: “and whatever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14: 23 NASB)
How are we doing?
Are we Living—Led by the Spirit?
—OR—
Are we Living—Led by the Flesh?
The apostle Paul continues in his letter to the Galatians:
“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
This is the only thing I want to find out from you:
- did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law,
- or by hearing with faith?
Are you so foolish?
Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?”
(The Letter of Paul to the Galatians 3: 1-4 NASB)
Truly, we live in a time, in a space, and even in a generational place where ‘hurry’ is admired.
Hurry to—
- Get ahead.
- Get started.
- Get an education.
- Get a spouse.
- Get a family.
- Get a career.
- Get 2.5 children.
- Get a life.
- Get further, faster.
- Get all that we can while we are alive here on earth.
BUT IS THAT THE PURSUIT GOD TRULY DESIRES FOR HIS CHILDREN?
WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO BE PURSUING?
Living—Led by the Spirit—OR—Living—Led by the Flesh?
So, in closing, let us end with lyrics to a song by Cochran & Co that proclaims much more in a few lines what I could write all day to express. May we be God’s people who are focused, faithfully following the Son of God as we daily continue—
“Running Home”
—EXACTLY WHERE WE SHOULD BE RUNNING TO!
& if there is any impatience or impetuous fiber inside our bodies, then his melody reminds us
—EXACTLY ‘WHO’ WE SHOULD BE RUNNING TOWARD!