19 DAYS TO PENTECOST

19 DAYS TO PENTECOST

TEXT:  GALATIANS 5

¹⁶This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

 ¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

 ¹⁸But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

 ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

 ²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

 ²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

 ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 ²⁴And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

 ²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

 ²⁶Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

KEY TEXT: Galatians 5:22 “…But the fruit of the Spirit is …TEMPERANCE…”

REFLECTION:  We come now to the last, but certainly not least, aspect of the Spirit’s fruit.  Temperance is literally “self-control.”  Thayer, a noted New Testament scholar, defines it as, “The virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites.”  Moderation in sleeping, eating, drinking, and a controlled temper are evidences of temperance.

The Scriptures confirm what experience has shown—Self control is not easy.  In Proverbs we read, “it is easier to capture a city than to be in control of our spirit.” (Proverbs 16:32).  James lamented the difficulty of controlling our tongues, “Every kind of beast, and birds, and serpents, and things in the sea is tamed and has been tamed: but the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:7,8). 

Truthful people know James is right.  And honest people know that controlling their tongues is only one of many intemperances to which they are prone.

The Apostle Peter anticipates that Christians, those who are partakers of the Divine nature, (I think this a very apt description of the jSpirit-filled) will diligently add virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity to their faith.  (1 Peter 1:4-7).

Temperance or self-control, is promised to all those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.  When we love God the Spirit of God enables us to walk in harmony with the will of God.

Those who are Spirit-driven, or “Spirit-filled,” are Spirit-controlled. (The Spirit will not remain where He does not reign.)  The Spirit brings self-control—temperance to every yielded heart.

In contrast, those who are self-centered, who live to please themselves, are inconsistently temperate. Their anger and hatred erupts into fits of temper. Their lust draws them into illicit affairs.  Their pride drives them to crave attention and approval. Even if their past experiences (i.e. discipline or negative outcomes) have conditioned them to be outwardly restrained, they inwardly seethe and scheme for retribution or fulfillment.  In every case, their measure of self-control is not Spirit-driven, it is self-aggrandizing. It is self-promoting.

After listing all the aspects of the Spirit’s fruit, Paul concludes “against such there is no law.” Those who possess this fruit will never be condemned by the Law of God.  Indeed!  Those who are Spirit-driven obey both the letter and the Spirit of God’s law. “There is therefore now, no condemnation!” (Romans 8:1).

PRAYER: Our Father, It is with deep gratitude in our hearts that we humble ourselves to seek Thee.  We thank you for inviting us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace.  We confess that without Thee our hearts grow cold.  O how we need the blessing of Pentecost.  We pray that the mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire would ignite in us a passion to love and to do thy will.  May we be filled with the Fruit of the Spirit.  Fill us with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. We long to see Thy Church revived.  We fervently pray that our nation would be awakened.  Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on us we pray!  In Jesus Name, Amen. “Our Father, &c.”