TheHirts

Led by the Spirit - Galatians 5:13-26 (Episode 17)

Peyton Episode 17

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0:00 | 26:48

Kelsey and I discussed Galatians five. Specifically, verses 13-26. We go through talking about living life through the spirit we have list of traits that are flesh desires, and then we go through talking about the fruits and the spirit. Kelsey and I also relate and share personal stories on walking by the spirit thank you guys for listening and have a great week.

SPEAKER_01

Hi everybody, welcome to another episode, episode 17 of the Hurts Podcast. I'm Kelsey Hurt.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm Peyton Hurt.

SPEAKER_01

And we are so excited to once again talk to you today and get to share the word of God.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so we kind of just want to go through our week and weekend. Um, from the top of my head that I can remember, um, we started our oksano group. Again, it's something that uh you could just gather to do something with other believers. Uh, we're doing pickleball, so we started our pickleball group. Uh and that was really fun.

SPEAKER_01

That was fun, got a little competitive.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, but but it was a good time. Uh, and then this weekend we just really got to rest uh before things get really uh super busy before the summer. So yeah, we're excited, good things. Um, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, um, my week, so again, I'm on summer break, so I'm able to do like some fun things throughout the week. So I've been able to um meet up with friends and just pour into people, be poured in too. And I actually I have such a cool story, I've been wanting to share it. Yes. A couple weekends ago, we went to Texas Roadhouse and I become have become really good friends with our server. I'll probably go into that more like another time. But I've been able to hang out with her, and it's just been so cool. Like, I'm just having such a fun time on summer break. And this weekend we have a wedding. Um, one of my college friends is getting married, so we're gonna go celebrate her and the groom.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, we spent some time in our favorite spot.

SPEAKER_01

So yeah, we love it.

SPEAKER_00

Super excited for that.

SPEAKER_01

Yep. Um let's jump in.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, jump in. Um, so again, the topic is gonna be led by the spirit.

SPEAKER_01

We are focusing on Galatians 5.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, Galatians 5, 13, verses 13 and 26. So that's what we're gonna be reading.

SPEAKER_01

Through 26.

SPEAKER_00

Um, so if you guys want to go ahead and get there and follow along, or you can listen along. So um I'm yeah, let's get started. You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free, but do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, rather serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command. Love your neighbor as yourself. If you bite and devour each other, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are a conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh 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. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh 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.

SPEAKER_01

Such good stuff.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

I love it. We're each gonna kind of break down a few verses. We're gonna go verse by verse and talk through it. And I want to point out that the heading, so the title of this chapter is Freedom in Christ, or the heading.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, and then as we move further, now we're talking about life by the spirit.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

So let's go back.

SPEAKER_00

Before you get started, I actually wanted uh this is just something that came to my heart.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Uh something that was very cool about this is um this was actually the first when I first started my walk with the Lord, um, I was praying for God to speak something to me, to like just speak to me. Um, and you know, I was sitting down, laying on the floor with my Bible open, and I was like, I just had my eyes closed. I was just letting God speak to me, and all of a sudden Galatians came to mind.

SPEAKER_01

And I was like, Did you even know Galatians at that time?

SPEAKER_00

I didn't, I didn't. I was like, I was like looking on my phone, yeah. I was like, is Galatians even a book? Like, I've never heard that word before. So I found Galatians and then the word five came to mind. Um, and so this was the first verse uh section that that the Lord kind of spoke to me. Um and it was just kind of cool because it's like this is literally like this is such a great way to like for a new believer to be like, hey, this is how you're supposed to live as a believer. Like, you know, I mean, like the life, like the sp the spirit is so powerful.

SPEAKER_01

I was going to say, how did that meet you where you were at that time? Like, how do you think that was significant to you? What stuck out to you?

SPEAKER_00

I think because I was new in my faith, I was I was trying to still learn about everything. So, like, life by the spirit, I was like, wow, the Holy Spirit's inside of me. Like, this is how I'm supposed to live. And then it gives a list of kind of like what we read in verses 19 through 21. It gives the acts of the flesh, so I could, so I could kind of like pick and choose and be like, oh, this is what I need to change in my life. And then it and then I looked at the fruits of the spirit and I was like, Oh, this is what I want to get to produce.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's amazing. That's so cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, go ahead. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01

No, that's fine. Okay, so starting with verse 13, you, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free, but do not use freedom to indulge the flesh. This is saying that we were called to be free. It's a choice to sin or not. We have free will. He's a loving father who allows us to choose him, um, and he meets us where we are at.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Verse 14. Where are you at? There it is. Oh, it keeps going. Um, rather serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command. Love your neighbor as yourself. This just screams community. Yes. This screams creating an environment where people feel the freedom to live by the spirit, not to tear each other down, but to love one another.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, and it goes on to say that if you bite and devour each other, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other. Literally by flesh. Isn't that crazy to think about?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

The picture that came to my mind when I read that verse was like a house caving in on itself. That's how powerful and how fast it can happen. Yeah. Um, so making sure that we lift one another's up and being spirit-led while doing so is so important.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I love that verse too. I love like love your neighbor as yourself because I also think like your neighbor could be anybody, right? Like, yes, we we would maybe consider like a neighbor, you know, if if you own a home, apartment, whatever, like that's your neighbor next to you. But your neighbor is is is anybody, right? Like it could be in your workplace, it could be um, you know, in the store, like you know, it it's not just the a specific person that lives close to you, it can be anybody around you, wherever you're at in life.

SPEAKER_01

Right, that's so true. Thanks for pointing that out.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Verses 16 and 17 go on to say, So I walk by the spirit. Sorry, so I say, walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the def for the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, what is opposite to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other. So wow.

SPEAKER_00

Hey, you got it.

SPEAKER_01

Let's go. I need to slow down, that's what gets me. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want. Literally, when I read this, I'm like, do you I don't know if you can relate, but when you are maybe about to make a bad choice of sin, maybe you're about to speak ill of someone to their face or behind their back. Do you ever, whatever sin you might be tempted to do, feel that clash of like, I know this is not right. I feel conviction, but I want it, or whatever that might be. Like, do you ever feel kind of like the butting heads?

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Yeah, like the like the spirits kind of try and like pull you away from that, but your flesh is saying, eh, whatever, right?

SPEAKER_01

Right, right. And sometimes I think like whether you give in or not, you feel that kind of push and pull, right? So that's kind of what it's alluding to.

SPEAKER_00

I also want to touch on uh verse 16, so I say, Walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of your flesh. Um, when I read this, uh going over it, I I thought of 1 Corinthians 10, verse 13, and it says, No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind, 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 endure it. So, um, you know, obviously we walk, we want to walk by the Spirit, and we won't d gratify the desires of the flesh, right? But I I think what came to my mind in this is like showing the power that God has that God will not tempt you above uh above what you cannot bear. So you can overcome any temptation, right? You God gives you the power to do that, but you have to you have to continue to make to make that decision every single day with free will, right? Like you can be tempted with something and be like, Am I going to indulge in this or am I going to continue to ask Christ for the power and the strength to overcome this temptation?

SPEAKER_01

And that's why being led by the Spirit is so important, and it's like an act you have to choose daily. Um temptation could be like a whole other episode. I'd love to do that. And it's just important to know like you can overcome it with the help of God. And I think also I think there's conviction when you feel tempted, and temptation is different from sin. Like sinning is when you choose to do whatever you're tempted by that is not good for you.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Um, but knowing like even when you're tempted, God is still with you, He still loves you is so important. So I just wanted to add that in.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, no, that's really good. I like that.

SPEAKER_01

Um, so to finish my section out, I'm gonna read 17 and 18 again. I have a quick point I want to say, a quick little story, and then we'll dive into the rest.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, so again, verse 17 for the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh, they are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. So, yes, we have free will. We God gives us the ability to choose every day, every whatever it might be. Um, but it says so that you are not to do whatever you want. When you are spirit led, we are called to go by the Bible, you know, not sin, right, um, and to live a godly life. So that's what it's saying.

SPEAKER_00

I think also I wanted to add like um kind of what we were talking about before about being led by the spirit. Um, I think like obviously reading your Bible, praying, staying in the word, being having community, because if if if you don't have any of those, um, you know, obviously you still believe in Jesus, but if you're not being fed, um it can be easy to fall back into temptation uh because you don't have that that spiritual food that you need, right? So when you don't when you don't surround yourselves with that, I feel like it's easier to fall into temptation because um yeah, you you get around. For sure.

SPEAKER_01

And this chapter is called Freedom in Christ. Notice it's not called freedom in the world. So you're going to have to shed those things that you're accustomed to that you're that's normal for you to sin with, and it's gonna be uncomfortable to do that, but you don't grow in the comfort zone. I like to keep saying that throughout different episodes. Um, okay, so last thing I will say before you take off, an analogy I wanted to have, and I was thinking about this the other day, but when it says um they the flesh and the spirit are contrary to each other, like they want different things, and then it goes on to list why. I thought about how the other night I'm trying to be more conscious of my health and like what I eat. I want to feel good, I want to eat good nutrition.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And I couldn't fall asleep the other night, and I got on Walmart delivery and I ordered Reese's to come the next day along with other things we needed. But as soon as I woke up in the morning, like there that was my craving at night.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

As soon as I woke up in the morning, I remembered my goals, and I remembered I don't want this to be the first thing I eat. I'm gonna feel terrible. Right. I lost my taste for it. When we are spirit-led, when we make it a habit to consistently walk with Jesus, you lose the taste for the world, you know. And that's something I want to do better at because I'm kind of talking to myself. I've noticed when I'm more spirit-led, the more and more I go, I lose the taste for the things I once wanted that weren't for me.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

But again, it's freedom in Christ, not freedom in the world. So I just wanted to say that.

SPEAKER_00

I love that analogy. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01

I did end up eating the Reese's later, but it wasn't my first thing. They were good. They were good. Okay, and take us off.

SPEAKER_00

Alright, so uh I'm picking up at verse 19 and gonna continue uh obviously to the end of Galatians 5. So um again, going starting back at 19, we see the acts of the flesh are obvious sexual immorality, impurity, 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. So very powerful statement, right? But so if you are a believer in in the sense and you're and you're saying, like, am I living by the spirit? Look at every single one of these, look at this list, kind of similar to like like I shared in my story. Um, and if you feel like you're falling into any of these, um, you know, you have the answer in the next verses when it says the fruits of the spirit, right? We continue to pray. Um, but yeah, look at your life, reflect in your life, and look at these and saying, Am I living by any of these daily or weekly, monthly, whatever that looks like?

SPEAKER_01

Uh can can I say one thing? Yeah, yeah. And I think it could be easy to look at that verse because even me, like, I I highlight verses and I must have done this a while ago, but I highlighted specifically like what I struggled with at that time, so like jealousy, if it's a rage, whatever, uh, one of those some of those things. And it's easy to look at it and be like, okay, but at least I don't do that. I don't do that. But it's not about that, you're still living in the world, like it's you're still sinning. So just be conscious of that because I think we can tend to compare our sin when at whereas it's just it's sin.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, right. Yes, yes, agreed. Thank you. Um, so I want to also uh touch on the last part because for me at a time this was very confusing, this was very scary because I was like, well, if we're forgiven of our sins, then why does it say, you know, I warn you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God, right? It's like, well, I I fall short, I sin, right? But I think in the context, or I know that in the context, what that what Paul is saying is that if you do these things without the act of repentance turning away, uh, and you're doing it out of um, you know, like like you're not feeling the conviction and you're not wanting to repent of of this, I think that is when it shows that you will not inherit. Right, because in that you don't have that heart change, right? So if I have somebody that's saying, you know, I believe in Christ, uh, I've accepted Christ, but you haven't seen the heart change in them, they might just be proclaiming that with their mouth. Right? Like if you look in their heart, they might not be fully living and and accepting Christ to change their hearts.

SPEAKER_01

And I think of the verse we read of maybe a few episodes ago where it was like, you can look in the mirror, but then so like reading the word and not applying it is basically what was saying to your life. It's like looking in the mirror and forgetting what you look like a few seconds later. Like you need to have that application piece to grow in your relationship with Christ. Good point.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, thank you. Okay, so moving on, uh, we're jumping to verse 22. Uh, and then obviously, so obviously what I read, we just read what is from full from the flesh, right? What what desires the flesh. So this is the fruits of the spirit. So the fruits of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. So um, so we get what's of the world, what's of the flesh, and so same thing for what we just read in verse 22. Look at this in your life. Do you have the do you like what fruits of the spirit do you have in your life? Like, are are you living by these? Do you have an area in your life where you're like, oh yeah, I have gentleness or I have self-control, right? So uh if you feel like you are falling into the desires of the flesh, look at these, continue to prey on it, and look at maybe something that sticks out to you that that maybe you can change and and and plug into what you're struggling with.

SPEAKER_01

And same thing, just like for the acts of flesh, don't maybe don't I mean be encouraged by what you do have, but don't let it overshadow what you need to have.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Because you could be having a good day and you're very kind, but then the next day, how is your love for others, your deep love for others? So just like to be conscious of that as well. It's a good encouragement for everybody.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Yeah, so uh, so yeah, fruits of the spirit. Um, and then I'm gonna jump ahead to verse 26, uh, which is the end of Galatians 5 here, and it says, Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. So um again, that might seem confusing, uh, whatever, but we also have to look at the context of what's going on here. Um, and I'm assuming that the Galatia people, right, Paul was teaching them about living by the Spirit, right? Maybe they had people living by the Spirit, but something that we need to do as believers is to not judge and compare or look down upon other people that um, you know, may not be living the same life we are, right? Like if I'm living like my life to the fullest, I have, you know, I'm on fire for God, I'm living by the Spirit every single day, and I look at somebody and I'm judging somebody that's not living life by the spirit, right? They may be struggling, they may go be going through a tough season and looking at them and be like, oh, well, I'm doing better, you know, like I'm being more spirit-led than they are, but it's not about that because that's where it becomes and it can be flipped, right?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. Instead, you could walk alongside them, encourage them, and righteously judge them. You could say, like, say, hey, I see this, say it with love, and I struggled with this too. But can you walk alongside me and see how I keep in step with the spirit? Changing it in a way where you uplift others. That community aspect, once again, instead of verse 15, if you bite and devour each other, watch out for you will be destroyed by each other. Right. That's how serious it is.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Uh, and then yeah, last thing is uh uh being and envying each other, being jealous of each other's walks. Um, we're a team, guys. Uh us as believers.

SPEAKER_01

Gay team.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, we're brothers and sisters in Christ. Like we're we're all going towards the same goal. We should all be helping each other.

SPEAKER_01

It's not a it's not like a race to compare to each other, you know.

SPEAKER_00

It's not a competition either. Uh because it's nothing that we deserve. Uh Christ has given us the spirit, um, and thankfully it teaches us, convicts us, and helps us to grow uh in our walk.

SPEAKER_01

So Yeah. Um so really quick for verse where is it at? Oh, verse 25, where it says, Since we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit. I know I mentioned this before, but I just want to emphasize it's a constant walk. And I think it's I I have a few points of like be aware, just like a kind of a little pep talk. Um I don't want to take away from what you're saying, but I'll go into like like a constant walk. It's you're keeping in step, it's not pick and choose, you know. But do you want to do you have more to say? No, no, go ahead. Perfect. I'll go into that. So I have three things to be aware of, and these just came to me as I was sitting with what we read and chewing on it. So, first off, picking and choosing when to be spirit-led. I think that, you know, weekdays maybe you're choosing to be more spirit-led at work because you have accountability there, another Christian friend, but then on the weekends you choose to, hmm, I'm gonna live more in the world. Yeah, you can't have one foot in and one foot out. It's really, it's not good for your relationship with God. And I'm speaking from experience, you're ultimately gonna feel further away. Um, and may there might be a disconnect between how you feel and in your relationship with God.

SPEAKER_00

Also, I I wanted to touch on that because that's like that's really good. That's a really good point. And I also think like if you look in your life, and it may feel like you know, exciting, fresh now, like it like doing whatever, like you said, on the weekends or or indulging in in the the ways of the world, but as you live your life longer, you notice like if you if you continue to follow Christ, you notice that those things have no purpose and that they they aren't fulfilling in the long run. Like it's a it's a it's a temporary pleasure and then it kind of fades away, right?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, right. The whole kingdom minded thing. Um, another thing which Peyton talked on is your acts of the flesh. Be aware of your acts of the flesh. This list is amazing. Um, maybe pray about where you can grow because maybe you've been In a sin or in a lifestyle, so long that you don't understand how detrimental it has been to your relationship with Christ. So understanding where can I grow? And then lastly, knowing that fruit takes time. And I say this thinking of a song, and it's called Fruit Takes Time. It's by like, oh, I don't know, SEU worship. Yeah, I think that's true. I don't know how to say that. Um, but I think it really does highlight how you know you might be seeking to be more loving, you might be seeking to be more kind, um, any other of the list patient, and you might have good days and bad days, but being spirit-led is allowing God to come into that space and lead you through it, and knowing that it does sometimes take time to grow.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Um, and that's okay, but just as long as you're being spirit-led and walking with Christ.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and yeah, kind of like you said, it's it's not gonna change overnight, it's gonna be a thing. Uh something that as as Christ followers, like, and especially in today's world, like we have access with phones, like we can get answers on on Google, anything like right away. So I feel like we we have that mindset where you know, more, more, more, like I want it right away. But God is is patient. God, God takes his time with continuing to help us to grow. Like, um, you know, looking at these these lists of the flesh, you know, you can pray and continue, but the best thing that you can do is look at look at it in your life and be like, oh, this is where I'm falling short.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Pray about it. And then now that you notice it and seek it is when you can start to be like, oh, this is where I'm this is where I fall into this, right?

SPEAKER_01

And if you have a good community, maybe they already point things out to you with love. Maybe ask like a good trusting friend who's also walking with Christ and trying to be spirit-led, hey, where do you think that I need to grow? Where do you see that I fall short? What am I blindsided to?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Uh so that's that's really good.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um going back to that song, I really encourage you to listen to it. It a lyric says, Thank God your ways are better than mine. And I just think of how true that is and how living for Christ and having freedom in Christ, you know, again, it's not freedom in the world, but freedom in Christ really leads you to helping further the kingdom and having that kingdom mindset where again the things of this world are temporary, but Jesus is forever.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yes, eternal life. Yeah, eternal life forever. Yes, with the people we love.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, worshiping the Lord.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Uh do do do you want to go? I think that's wrapping everything up. Yeah. Do we have the challenge? Do we have a challenge?

SPEAKER_01

Value the challenge was to see what fruits you need to grow.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, what habits you need to change, just like a heart check with Jesus. How's your relationship? Maybe that's something you can dwell on and pray about. And I think that's it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I think that's it too. So uh wrapping us up again, guys, walking by the Spirit. Uh, it's such a powerful thing. It's something that we need to do as believers. Um, we have access to it. The Holy Spirit lives in every single one of us. Um, and it's it's the it's the most powerful tool we have. It's literally um it's literally something that walks alongside inside of our hearts, um, that leads us and guides us, convicts us, tells us when we're long. It's like a it's like a mentor.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um a lifelong mentor that that leads you through life.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, and I believe, oh, I I know the New Testament uh refers, I want to say advocate, is that correct? An axe. I'm leaving with you an advocate, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That sounds familiar. I think it is.

SPEAKER_01

But anyways, I could be wrong, but I'll have to read about that. Yeah. But just the power of Jesus leaving this gift where we have we have access to him, but the again, just like the conviction part, and it's beautiful. Conviction leads us closer to Christ and leads us closer to Christ and allows us to continue living in the spirit.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, and there's also times uh there where there's times where you know just reading the word and you know, maybe I'm discipling somebody or speaking to somebody about Christ, and it's just crazy to see how the spirit works, how it just remembers things for you, and that things just come out of your mouth without even thinking.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Um so for sure. So yeah, life by the spirit. So um thank you guys for listening again. Uh we have YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify every Tuesday morning at five AM. We use we post. So um please listen.

SPEAKER_01

And um, if you have any prayer requests, please feel free to comment. If you know us personally, reach out. We are here for you and we just love doing this. So thank you for listening.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you guys. Have a great week. Have a good week, guys.