Summer Fruit Devotion: Self-Control Day 5

By the Spirit

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:16-26

We made it! This has been our main theme verse for the past 9 weeks. The fruit of the Spirit begins with love and ends with self-control. We don’t live for the flesh anymore. We’ve been saved by God, given a new heart with new desires, and given the Spirit as our helper and guide. We belong to Christ. We don’t belong to the flesh and the law can’t condemn us. They have no right to threaten us with temptation and guilt. Jesus took all that away on the cross. Now we have an inheritance in the Kingdom of God that no one can take away. Isaiah 30:21-22 says, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!” We defeat the flesh, defile our idols and slay the dragons “by the Spirit.” So walk by the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, live by the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit. He will lead you in fruitful life.

Journal time. Are there any “works of the flesh” that cling to you? Repent and ask the Spirit to help you “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires.” Say to your idols, “Be gone! I belong to Jesus.”

Pray with me today. Heavenly Father, thank you for your mercy that is new every morning. Thank you for your word that teaches us who you are and how much you love us. Thank you that Christ paid the price to buy us back from hell and give us an inheritance in your kingdom. Thank you for sending us your Spirit, to fill us with your love, to teach us and guide us in the way we should walk. We surrender our selfish and prideful and greedy flesh to you and your will. Spirit please continue the work of growing your fruit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our lives. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.