Galatians 5

Galatians 5:1

We come to the third and final section of this glorious Epistle written to the Galatians. In chapters 1 and 2, Paul outlined his personal experience with grace. In chapters 3 and 4, he gave doctrinal instruction about grace. And now in chapters 5 and 6, he will demonstrate the practical application of grace. Paul borrowed the term “yoke of bondage” from Peter, who, in Acts 15, used it in reference to the rules and regulations of Judaism. You see, years previously, Paul was involved in this same basic controversy. Accused of preaching “cheap grace,” he and Barnabas were summoned to appear before the church leaders in Jerusalem. “Believing in Jesus is terrific,” they said, “but it’s not enough. To be a good Christian, one must also be a good Jew.” “Wait a minute,” protested Peter, “neither our fathers nor we were able to bear the yoke of Judaism. Why should we expect the Gentiles to be able to bear it?” “Don’t let anyone put a yoke of bondage on you,” echoed Paul. The yoke Jesus bore on His shoulders as He carried the Cross to Calvary is all-sufficient.

Galatians 5:2

“If you add anything to the Cross in an attempt to obtain a right standing with God, you’re not saved. That’s how strongly the Father feels about the sufficiency of the finished work of His Son,” said Paul. I know the Mormons are sincere. I see the zeal of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. But their doctrines very clearly state that, although the Cross is a good starting point, it is not enough in and of itself to save a man. Therefore, they’re lost. The Word says if any man adds anything to the Cross, Christ profits him nothing.

Galatians 5:3

Suppose, while driving through town, you saw a flashing red light in your rearview mirror. You pulled over, and the policeman said, “You were driving fifty-five miles an hour. You broke the law.” If you said, “Oh, come on now, Officer. Lighten up. I never robbed a bank. I never shot a person. I never was involved in drugs. So don’t give me this ticket,” he would say, “I don’t care how many other laws you haven’t broken, you did break this one. You’re guilty.” The same is true of the law. If you’re seeking justification by keeping the law rather than by accepting grace, breaking the law in even one point means you’re guiltyregardless of how many “good things” you’ve done in other areas.

Galatians 5:5

It doesn’t matter whether you’re circumcised or uncircumcised, whether you worship on Saturday or on Sunday, whether you eat meat or live on birdseed. As far as your relationship with the Father goes, this stuff is irrelevant. Grace does not produce lazy, hazy Christianity. On the contrary, as James would write, true faith works (Jas_2:17). Why? Not because it’s got to, but because it gets to. I asked one of the brothers at Applegate Christian Fellowship what he was going to do on his day off. “Oh, I can’t wait,” he said. “I’m going to my fiancie’s house, and I’m going to paint her living room, fix the plumbing in her bathroom, and then do some yard work.” “That’s your day off?” I said. “Plumbing, painting, and yard work? It’s amazing what love does!” Truly, when you’re in love with someone, it’s not “got to’s"it’s “get to’s.” We get to worship the Lord as a congregation. We get to start our day with morning devotions. We get to tithe and be free from our own greediness. We get to lift our hands. We get to share our faith. We don’t have to do those things. We get to. The reason faith works is not to fulfill a requirement of the law. It was in response to an incredible love.

Galatians 5:7

Perhaps the reference in your margin says, “Who cut in front of you?” The idea is exactly as it sounds: Paul is referring to an Olympic race, saying, “You were running well, but someone cut into your lane and caused you to stumble.” One of the major showdowns in Olympic history was in the 1500 meters, as Mary Decker Slaney took on archrival Zola Budd from South Africa. Although Slaney held every record on the books, she had not yet won Olympic gold. In the middle of the race, Budd crossed into Slaney’s lane, sending Slaney sprawling. The image of the American Olympian watching the rest of the pack run by is etched on our collective memory. So, too, allowing legalists to cut in front of them and obstruct their freedom in Christ, the Galatians had set themselves up for a fall.

Galatians 5:8

When cultists knock on your door, try to sell you their magazine, or lay their esoteric trip on you, on the basis of this verse, say, “Where did you get that idea? You didn’t get it from the Bible, did you?” “Well, not really,” they’ll say. “It’s from The Pearl of Great Price,” or, “from our magazine,” or, “from a pamphlet.” We who are believers in Jesus Christ, on the other hand, can truly say, “Just read your Bible. It’s all you need. You don’t need special literature. You don’t need something some man has written to reveal the keys of spirituality to you. If you really want to know the truth, just read the Word.” I’m constantly encouraging people to read their Bibles because I know that if they do, they’ll be on solid, secure footing. They won’t fall prey to some new idea or philosophy.

Galatians 5:9

Shifting his analogy from sports to cooking, Paul relates leaven, the symbol for evil throughout Scripture, to legalism. “Be careful,” he said. “Just as leaven hidden in a portion of dough causes all of the dough to rise, if you open the door to even a little legalism, it will surely spread.” The tricky thing about legalism is that it begins with the right motives. Because we care so much about our congregations or our kids, we put legalistic perimeters around them. Although the motive is sincere, it ends in disaster because rules and regulations produce only one of two things: self-glorification, or self-condemnation. “The secret to God’s blessing lies in getting up at four o’clock every morning,” you might say. Consequently, for two years you roll out of bed every morning at four o’clock on the dot, thinking, Look at me. I’ve got it all together. One morning, however, you ignore the alarm. Self-glorification turns to self-condemnation, as you cry, “Alas. The Lord will not hear my prayer today. For that matter, He probably won’t hear any more of my prayers ever.” You then find yourself on a spiritual roller coasterup when you succeed and down when you fail. Suppose you’re sitting on a 747 Honolulu-bound jumbo jet. Just before takeoff you hear the voice of the captain over the loudspeaker, saying, “We have a small problem here today. Our navigational instrument is one degree off. But what’s one degree? Sit back and relax, and we’ll be taking off shortly.” If I were on that plane, I would say, “Open the door. I’m out of here.” One degree might not make a very big difference from Medford, Oregon, to Ashland, but it would cause the plane to miss Hawaii by three hundred miles. We’d all be shark bait! Legalism might not make any noticeable difference at first, but over the long haul it will be disastrous.

Galatians 5:10

In other words, “I’m confident you’re getting my point,” said Paul. Let every Sunday-school worker, every Bible study teacher, and every family devotion leader hear Paul’s heart as he says to the Galatians, “Those who are causing you to get entangled in legalism will bear the responsibility for what they’re doing.” James would echo the same warning. “Let not many of you desire to be teachers,” he said, “knowing that you shall receive the greater condemnation” (see Jas_3:1). Each of us involved in teaching needs to approach our calling soberly and prayerfully. Like Timothy, we need to “study to show ourselves approved unto God, workmen that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Ti_2:15).

Galatians 5:11

Accused of preaching circumcision, Paul said, “If I am, indeed, preaching circumcision, why is it the legalizers who persecute me? It’s not circumcision, but the Cross that offends them.” The same is true today. When we tell people that the work is done and the price paid, it was all taken care of on the Cross,” they most likely say, “It’s not that simple. You’re being naove. There’s a lot more to it than that.” The Cross is offensive to the religious person because he wants to get in on the action and contribute to his own salvation or blessing. However, the finished work of Jesus Christ doesn’t allow for that.

Galatians 5:12

Before we were saved, we were in bondage to our own lusts. There was no alternative. We thought the coolest thing was to find the darkest place and go party. But it wasn’t too long before we found out that sin stinks. Sin ruins relationships. Sin kills joy. Sin wipes people out. It destroys families, messes up kids, and results in mental fuzziness and physical illness. Praise God! We’re free from that stuff. Therefore, the liberty to which we’re called is not liberty to sin, but liberty from sin. “If I’m not going to party anymore,” you say, “what am I going to do?” Serve one another! “But I’m so bored.” Serve one another! Pour yourself into people. Get involved in talking to others who are doomed and damned and struggling. You’ll find that talking to them about eternal issues will be more exciting and thrilling than anything you’ve ever done. Get involved in the things of the kingdom, and you won’t miss the old stuff at all.

Galatians 5:14

Get ready. You are about to become an Old Testament scholar, knowing the one word that sums up the entire aw… Love is the one word that encapsulates the entire law. Not legalismlove.

Galatians 5:15

What if we really believed that every time we put someone down, made a snide remark, or rolled our eyes in response to someone else, sooner or later we would be hurt to the same degree? Scripture says flat out, straight on, and with great clarity that if you bite and devour, take heedyou will be consumed by another. Others will talk about you to the degree you talk about others. On the other hand, the more grace-oriented you are, the more loving you’ll be.

Galatians 5:16

In the arena of liberty, the key is not to suppress the flesh. The key is to surrender to the Spirit. Legalism says, “Deal with the flesh through ritual, pain, and agony.” Paul says, “There’s a much better way. The solution is not to worry about the flesh, but to walk in the Spirit.” Walking in the Spirit is so exciting. The way the Lord will lead you on any given day, the opportunities that will open before you to do something significant, the insights He’ll give to you as you’re reading the Scriptures, the joy of just looking at a sunset and realizing you know the Creator of such beautywill be overwhelming to you. Too many believers miss all of that because, caught up in wrestling with sin, they live in a perpetual “sin-drome.” If I said to you tonight, “Thou shalt not think of a purple elephant,“suddenly, you would be able to think of nothing else. But, if I then set before you a huge hot fudge sundaecreamy vanilla ice cream, laced with deep dark fudge, topped with mounds of whipped cream, lightly toasted almonds, and a juicy red cherrythe purple elephant wouldn’t enter your mind because you’d be captivated by something much better right before your eyes. So, too, to overcome preoccupation with sin, walk in the Spirit. Enjoy the Lord. Do what He tells you to do in any given moment, and you’ll forget sin. I see this in Moses’ life. On two occasions, while in the presence of the Lord on Mount Sinai, we are told he did not eat or drink for forty days and nights (Deu_9:9; Deu_10:10). What was the reason for his fast? Was he trying to impress God? No. He was just so entranced and enthralled in the presence of God, that he forgot to eat. How do people overcome the lusts of the flesh? The simplest, most effective way is to walk in the Spirit. Just be enraptured with the goodness of the Lord. Do what He’s telling you in your heartwhether it be some practical expression of love, a moment of intercession for someone, an encouraging word to share, or a merciful act to do.

Galatians 5:17

If you’re trying to overcome the flesh in your own energy, you’ll struggle perpetually, regardless of how many resolutions you make on December thirty-first, or how many slogans you paste on your refrigerator. The fact is that you’ll never overcome the pull of the flesh on your own. Even though the spirit may indeed be willing, the flesh is too weak (Mat_26:41). “Down with purple elephants!” you may write upon your mirror. But in reality, whatever your elephant is, whatever your heavyweight fleshly tendency might be, it will never be overcome by your own resolve or religion.

Galatians 5:18

I love this word “but.” Gaining victory over the flesh by keeping the law is futile in our own ability, but if we’re led of the Spirit, we’re not under the law theologically or practically. We’re free!

Galatians 5:19

Uncleanness speaks of impurity of thought or life. Lasciviousness speaks of licentiousnessor, literally, doing things without a license. “Who needs a marriage license if we love each other?” people say.

Galatians 5:20

Although I’m an athlete, I think one of the biggest idols in our culture is sports. I’m convinced that if we’re not careful, we actually teach our kids the idolatry of athletics whenever we say, “You don’t have to go to church today. You have a game.” Too many believers don’t have time to study the Bible or fellowship with other believers due either to their own athletic pursuits or those of their kids. While I encourage you to keep in shape and to cheer for your kids, if you forsake ministry, worship, or the study of the Word to do so, you are guilty of idolatry. The Greek word translated “witchcraft” is pharmakeia. Pharmakeia refers to drugs. In Paul’s day, those who were involved in witchcraft would brew potions that were, in reality, hallucinogens. Thus, it is no surprise that the drug culture and the world of the occult remain linked together to this day. A teenage golfer was killed when he whacked a bench in frustration with his club after a bad shot. The broken shaft pierced his pulmonary vein, and he bled to death. Don’t lose your temper. It will break your heart in one way or another! Most of us can literally feel our blood boil, the hair on the back of our neck begin to stand up, or our veins bulge as wrath manifests itself in our flesh quite literally. When you begin to feel wrath welling up within you, don’t smash a club or lash out at someone else. Instead, walk away from the confrontation. It may save your life. Closely related to wrath, strife means “being antagonistic.” Why would heresy be a manifestation of the flesh? Because people who propagate heresy do so for one reason: to glorify their flesh. “Look what I have discovered,” they say. “I have been studying the Dead Sea Scrolls, and now I alone have insight into the true Jesus.” Heresies always arise from someone wanting attention, wanting to build a movement around his flesh.

Galatians 5:21

“Revelling” means partying. This list is not exhaustive. Paul says, “Here is only a sample of what the flesh is like.” “I’m telling you again,” Paul says, “that those who are involved in heresy, adultery, strife, envying, drunkenness, and reveling shall not inherit the kingdom.” When did Paul say this before? In 1Co_6:9; Eph_5:5; and Col_3:6. “That’s legalism!” you protest. No. It’s not legalismit’s revelation. The works of the flesh in one’s life reveal an absence of relationship with the Lord. You see, Paul is not speaking of the person who struggles with these things, or has fallen into these things. He’s speaking of the one who perpetually, habitually practices these things arrogantly, stubbornly, and with no desire to be set free from them. People who have a mind-set or a heart attitude that says, “Once saved, always saved. I’m doing this stuff, like it or not,” will not inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore, wise is the man or woman who takes Paul’s words at face value and says, “Lord, forgive me and help me. Cause me to be full of Your Spirit lest I miss out on heaven.”

Galatians 5:22

The fruit (not fruits) of the Spirit is loveas defined by joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. The Fruit of the Spirit A Topical Study of Gal_5:22-23 The beloved Rabbi was on his deathbed. His students had one last question to ask of him: “What is the secret of life?” Looking into the eyes of the earnest young men, the Rabbi said, “Life is like a river.” Then he drifted into a coma that lasted for several months. Through the duration of the Rabbi’s silence, his disciples discussed and pondered the puzzling analogy. Life is like a river? What does that mean? they wondered. A few months later, the Rabbi awoke from his coma. The young men quickly gathered around him once again and said, “Rabbi, we’ve been considering the last word you gave us. What did you mean when you said life is like a river?” With furrowed brow, the Rabbi said, “Maybe life is not like a river"and he died. What is the secret of life? Although we might look to gurus or rabbis, pastors or philosophers, thinkers or movie stars for the answer, the only One who truly explains life to us is the One who came to be Life for us… The Secret of Life Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.Joh_15:16 What is the secret of life? Bearing fruit. What is fruit? Galatians 5 describes it in its simplest form. The fruit of the Spirit is love. “What about joy and peace, longsuffering and gentleness, goodness, meekness, and self control?” you ask. When Paul said that the fruit of the Spirit is love, the implication is that joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control all describe what love is. Fruit doesn’t exist for itself. It exists for others. Too often, we want the fruit of the Spirit in our lives so we can be satisfied, so we can be happy, so we can be fulfilled. But that’s not the purpose of fruit. So fruitful was Joseph that his branches hung down into the neighbor’s yard (Gen_49:22)ready to be picked and stripped. “Picked and stripped?” you say warily. “I don’t know if I like that.” Really? In Son_4:16, we read: “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.” “That’s more like it!” you say. “The desire of my heart is to be a garden for my Kingjust Jesus and me in silence and solitude.” Wait a minute. Read on. What does Jesus do? He brings His friends with Him into our garden (Son_5:1). They trample on us and pick from us, until we protest, “Who invited them?” “I did,” answers the Lord. “I’ve produced this fruit in you, not for you, and not even primarily for Mebut for My friends.” Truly, the secret of life is fruit-bearingnot for our own satisfaction, but in order that others might be nourished from the fruit produced in, through, and often, in spite of us! Focus on yourself, and you’ll be miserable. Be a lover of God and of people. Get your eyes off your problems and pains, your tears and fears. Look for ways to refresh, satisfy, and bless othersand you’ll find the secret of life itself. The Secret of Fruit-bearing Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.Joh_15:4 What is the secret of fruit-bearing? Abiding. What is abiding? Abiding simply means “hanging in there.” Suppose I said, “My family loves apples. So to make their favorite fruit a little more accessible I’m going to cut a branch from the apple tree in the backyard, put it in the kitchen, and when spring comes, it will blossom right herewhere the apples will be easy to pick.” That would be ridiculouswhich is precisely why Jesus said, “Here’s the key to bearing fruit: Stay close to Me. If you cut yourself off from Me in any way, at any time, you won’t bring forth fruit. If you abide in Me, fruit will come supernaturally, naturally.” Looking at my apple tree, I notice that when the branches abide, when they simply cling to the trunk, blossoms come forth, and fruit is produced. I never see the apple tree struggling, sweating, or red in the face. Yet I do see Christians straining and striving, grunting and groaning because they fail to understand that the secret of fruit-bearing is not to try to figure out how to make fruit. The secret of fruit-bearing is abiding, just hanging in there with the Lord. Our text gives three identifying marks of one who is abiding: First, there is production of fruit. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (Joh_15:5). Second, there is correction from the Father. “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit (Joh_15:2). Some say the purging spoken of here means pruning. Others say “to purge” means “to clean” (Joh_15:3). You see, when a vine was prolific, the branches would become weighed down with an abundance of fruit. Add a rainy season to the picture, and the result would be muddy grapes. Thus, the vinedresser would wash the branches periodically in order that the fruit would remain pure. What does it mean to be purged? Does it mean to be prunedor does it mean to be washed? I think it means both. You see, the Lord will cleanse you as you study the Word corporately on Sundays and Wednesdays, intimately in your quiet times with Him, and practically through small-group study with other believers. And He will prune you through trials and difficulties, dark days and hard times. God is so in love with you, He is committed to teaching youone way or the other. Let me suggest that you choose to be washed by the water of the Word rather than trimmed by the trials of the world! Finally, the third mark of an abiding believer is fruition in prayer. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (Joh_15:7). Answered prayers are indicative of an abiding heart. If your prayers are not being answered, it means you’re not in harmony with the heart of God. You’ll understand the heart, nature, and character of Jesus if you’re abiding in Him. Consequently, your prayers will be in line with His desires. The Secret of Abiding If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.Joh_15:10 What is the secret of abiding? Obeyingsimply doing what the Lord is telling you to do at any given moment. “I did all that God told me to do. I wiped out the Amalekites,” boasted Saul (see 1Sa_15:13). “Then, who’s that guy standing with you?” asked Samuel. “Him? Oh, he’s their king. I brought him back as a trophy, along with a few sheep we’re going to sacrifice,” Saul answered. “Oh, Saul,” said Samuel. “Don’t you know that to obey is better than sacrifice, that disobedience is as the sin of witchcraft?” (see 1Sa_15:22-23). Gang, whatever we don’t deal with in obedience will return to destroy us. Years later, as Saul lay dying in battle on Mount Gilboa, perhaps the last words he heard were those of his attacker saying, “I am an Amalekite” (2Sa_1:8). Obedience is the key to abiding. If we don’t obey, an Amalekite will be produced within us that will eventually rise up and destroy us. The Secret of Obeying Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.Joh_14:23 What is the secret of obeying? Love. Jesus didn’t say, “If a man love me, he should keep my words,” or, “he had better keep my words.” He said, “If a man love Me, He will keep My words.” It’s true. Obedience is no problem if you love someone. Saul had no love for God. That’s why obedience was so difficult for him. The Secret of Loving Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.Joh_15:15 What is the secret of loving? Knowing. “I’ve let you know all that I know,” Jesus said. “What I have heard from My Father, I’ve shared with you.” The old adage “familiarity breeds contempt” is only true regarding contemptible objects. The longer we know people, the greater the chance we’ll be disappointed with them. Not so with the Lord. The longer we know Him, the more impressed we are with Him. The Secret of Knowing “If the key to loving is knowing, how do I know Him?” You already know the answer. Knowing Him means taking in the Wordjust as you’re doing right now. I know it would be easier for you to be at the lake, or watching the 49’ers. But the fact that you’re studying the Word proves that you already know what it takes to know the Lord. Walking by a once-productive vineyard that had become covered with thorns, Solomon stopped to see what had brought about its decline. His conclusion? “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands” (see Pro_24:30-34). The same is true for the believer. The longer we walk with the Lord, the greater the temptation to say, “We’ve been to plenty of church meetings (yawn). Morning devotions? I’ve done them long enough (zzz). I don’t need fellowship anymore” (hands folded in repose). Then what happens? The walls break down; the thorns creep in; the fruit dries up. Don’t let that happen, saint. The secret of life is to bear fruit. The secret of bearing fruit is to abide in Him. The secret of abiding is obedience. The secret of obedience is love. The secret of love is knowledge. The secret of knowledge is to do just what you’re doing right nowstudying the Word. Stay the course, pilgrim. Continue on, branch. You’ll see fruit produced in you in a way that will not only bless others, but that will bring great satisfaction to you.

Galatians 5:24

There are many ways to execute yourself. You can hang yourself, shoot yourself, poison yourself, or jump from the top floor of a ten-story building. But there’s one form of execution you cannot do by yourself: crucifixion. If you pounded a nail in one of your hands, how could you do it to the other hand? What does this mean? Go back to Romans 6, and see what Paul said so powerfully and beautifully when he wrote, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord” (see Rom_6:6, Rom_6:11). We don’t have to crucify ourselves. Our sin nature already died on the Cross with Jesus. Therefore, the bottle, pills, anger, gossip, or temptation that used to dominate us no longer has control over us if we simply acknowledge that we’ve already been crucified with Christ. We who are in Christ have already been crucified, said Paulnot “should be,” not “better be,” but “have been.” The work is done!

Galatians 5:25

Walking in the Spirit simply means doing what the Lord tells you to do moment by momentwhether it’s making a phone call to someone in need of encouragement, getting away for five minutes to pray, or chopping wood for someone in need. It is also the most impacting, exciting, unpredictable life there is. Walking in the Spirit A Topical Study of Gal_5:25 It has been rightly said that the problem with life is, it’s so daily. A lot of people find their life to be rather mundane, unexciting, predictable. One writer declared that in his situation, life was like a merry-go-round without the merry. That’s not the way life for the believer is meant to be lived. As Paul said, “Ifor as is more properly rendered, “Since you live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit.” What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? Walking in the Spirit is the most exciting, interesting, wonderful way to live. It is the direct opposite of routine, drudgery, and predictability. As proof, consider the lives of three men who did indeed walk in the Spirit… Paul In Acts 16, setting out on his second missionary journey, Paul, Silas, and Timothy headed for Asia in order to check on the churches planted there during Paul’s first missionary journey. In verse Act_16:6, however, the Spirit suddenly closed the door, preventing them from accomplishing what they had set out to do. Changing their plans, they headed for Bithyniabut were again forbidden by the Spirit to proceed. So it was that Paul found himself in the seacoast town of Troas (Act_16:8). In my mind’s eye, I can visualize Paul walking up and down the beach questioning, wrestling, wondering, “What are You doing, Lord?” Suddenly, a vision of a man from Macedonia, saying, “Come and help us,” appeared to him. Consequently, although the thought of taking the gospel to Europe had never before occurred to him, Paul and company set sail across the Aegean for Greece. Upon their arrival, they met with a group of women (verse Act_16:13), for there was evidently not a male believer to be found. Paul was expecting to find a Macedonian man. Instead, he found a group of women. That’s the way it is when we walk in the Spirit. Doors close unexpectedly. Others open miraculously. But when we go through them, things are rarely how we thought they would be initially. While the Macedonian man does, indeed, appear as the chapter unfolds, he could hardly have been who Paul thought he would be. Who was the Macedonian man? I believe he was the jailer, who put Paul in stocks before coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus (Act_16:30-34). Prison doors opening, churches starting, miracles aboundingthat’s what it means to walk in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit means letting the Holy Ghost close doors, open others, and surprise us at every turn. Peter In Acts 10, we find Peter waiting for lunch on Simon the tanner’s rooftop. Looking out over the Mediterranean Sea, Peter saw a vision of a sheet carrying all sorts of unclean animals previously forbidden for the Jews to eat. In this, the Lord said, “The law, given to drive you to Christ, has done its job. You’re free, Peter.” Taken aback by this, Peter went downstairs to find three men at the doorjust as the Spirit had promised (Act_10:19). Accompanying them to the house of Cornelius, Peter preached the Wordand the entire household of Cornelius was radically converted. Now, I am certain that when Peter first arrived at Simon the tanner’s house, the last thing he dreamed he would do was preach to a family of Gentiles. But, like Paul, as Peter walked in the Spirit, he was led to people and places beyond his wildest expectations. Philip In Acts 8, we see the entire city of Samaria responding to the ministry of Philip. Demons fled. Souls were saved. Joy filled the entire community. Suddenly, however, the Lord said to Philip, “Leave this revival and go to the desert” (see Acts 8: Act_8:26). And, because he walked in the Spirit, Philip wentmost likely not understanding why. When he reached Gaza, the Spirit prompted him to talk to a certain political leader from Ethiopia. Returning from Jerusalem, he was sitting in his chariot, reading the Book of Isaiah. What did Philip do? Scripture says Philip ran to him (Act_8:30). After receiving the gospel from Philip, the Ethiopian asked to be baptized immediatelya request to which Philip complied eagerly. How I want to be more like Philip. When the Lord places an impression on my heart, or puts a thought in my mind, how I want to respond not begrudgingly or reluctantly, but to run! “Go to the desert,” the Spirit said. Philip went, not knowing whyand the single conversation that took place still has ramifications two thousand years later, as the light of the Good News of salvation continues to shine in Africa. Look at Paul called to Macedonia, Peter going into the house of Cornelius, Philip called to the desertand you will see that each man walked in the Spirit. Perhaps you’re saying, “I’d like to walk in the Spirit, but I don’t have visions of men from Macedonia; I don’t see sheets dropping down from heaven. I don’t hear a voice telling me to go to Gaza. I agree in theory that life should be exciting and meaningful, impacting and Spirit-ledbut how does that happen practically?” I suggest three ways… Request Jesus gave us the first key to walking in the Spirit when He said, “Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you” (see Luk_11:9). It’s interesting to me that the Greek verbs translated “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” are in the perfect tense. This means they speak of a continual asking, a continual seeking, a continual knocking. It’s not something we do once a week at church, or once a year on a retreat. It’s what we do every day, as we say, “Lord, I need Your help. I want to be used by You. Give me sensitivity to Your Spirit.” Relax If the first step to walking in the Spirit is to request, the second step is to relax. In 1 Samuel 9, we see Saul looking for his father’s donkeys. Unable to find the lost livestock, Saul was about to return to his father empty-handedwhen he heard about a man of God who could help him. Making his way to the prophet Samuel’s house, Saul inquired of him concerning the lost herd. “Set not your mind on the donkeys,” said Samuel. “Come to my table. There’s a far bigger issue at hand: You are about to be made king of Israel” (see 1Sa_9:19-20). We’re Saul, folks. Bunches of us are searching high and low for our lost donkeys. Desiring to come to our Father with something of substance in our lives, we, nonetheless, wander aimlessly and return empty-handed. We struggle with a job, a house, a career, a relationship. Yet as important as those things might be, they’re only donkeys in comparison to the bigger issue, in comparison to the kingdom. The Lord calls us to significant service, to touch people’s lives, to impact our world. He says to us, “Set not your mind on the donkeys. I know right where they are. Instead, come to My table, and fellowship with Me.” Receive What happened when Saul went to Samuel’s table? First, Samuel said, “Stand thou still awhile that I may shew thee the Word of God.” Then he anointed Saul king (see 1Sa_10:1). Lastly, he told Saul where his father’s donkeys could be found (1Sa_10:2). Do you want to walk in the Spirit? Do what Saul did: Forget the donkeys; set aside your own agenda, and commune with the Lord at His table. Chew on His Word. Stand still in His presence. Receive His anointing. Then, like Saul, you will be told where to find your lost donkeys. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom, and all these things shall be added unto you” (see Mat_6:33). It’s just that simple. In the morning hours, during the day, Wednesday night, Sunday evening, Sunday morningseek first the kingdom of God. Not only will you be anointed by the Spirit with significant opportunities opening before you, but, like Saul, you’ll find what you were looking for all along.

Galatians 5:26

Those who live in legalism desire vainglory. “Look how many people I witnessed to. Look how many hours I prayed. Look what I don’t do,” we say whenever legalism creeps into our lives. But the problem with vainglory is this: It’s never enough. Don’t get caught up in the cycle of legalism, saint. Don’t be one who competes with people. Instead, be one who completes people.