THERE IS A WAR WITHIN
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. GALATIANS 5:16-17 NLT
TO WIN THE WAR WITHIN, I MUST:
IDENTIFY THE SIN I NEED TO CRUCIFY
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. GALATIANS 5:19-21 NLT
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. GALATIANS 5:24 NLT
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. GALATIANS 2:20 NIV
SELFLESSLY SERVE OTHERS
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” GALATIANS 5:13-14 NLT
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! GALATIANS 5:22-23 NLT
31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. 1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 1 CORINTHIANS 12:31-13:3 NLT
SAY YES WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT PROMPTS
25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. GALATIANS 5:25 NLT
Do not quench the Spirit. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:19 NIV
What Sandals Church Believes about the Holy Spirit
My Notes
Discussion Questions
Choose a couple questions from each section to discuss and reflect on the sermon as a group:
- START HERE: Think of a time when someone helped you become a better version of yourself. What did they do that made a difference?
- START HERE: When you’re stressed, tired, or frustrated, what’s a side of you that comes out more than you’d like? What does that look like for you and those around you?
- KEEP GOING: Read Galatians 5:16–17 NLT. What do you notice about the conflict Paul describes between the sinful nature and the Holy Spirit? Where do you most recognize that tension of conflicting desires in your life?
- KEEP GOING: Looking at the sins Paul lists in Galatians 5:19–21 NLT, which are easiest for you to overlook, defend, or rationalize? What behaviors, patterns or habits do you need to bring to the cross to be crucified?
- KEEP GOING: Read Galatians 5:13–14 NLT and Galatians 5:22–23 NLT. How could the practice of serving and loving others help you focus less on self and instead, make room for the Spirit’s fruit in your life? What’s distracting or discouraging you from doing that?
- LIVE IT OUT: Read Galatians 5:25 NLT. Identify one simple, ordinary way you want to be more open to the Holy Spirit’s leading this week. What do you need to believe about yourself or trust about God to say “yes” to the Spirit?
- LIVE IT OUT: What desires of your sinful nature do you need to surrender to the Holy Spirit? How would being freed from that sin impact your relationship with God or others?
