Birchman MA2 Mid-week devotional
Have you ever had a horrible week? I mean one of those weeks where nothing seemed to go right and you feel that you are about to lose your Christian witness? Yes, me too. Thankfully we have access to the “fruits of the Spirit”. I had to be reminded of these in recent days.
In Galatians chapter 5 Paul reminds us that the things of the Spirit and the things of the flesh are at enmity with each other. What we are more inclined to do when adversity is experienced is to follow these fleshly desires; immorality, impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, HATRED, STRIFE, JEALOSY, OUTBURSTS OF ANGER, SELFISH AMBITIONS, DISSENSIONS, FACTIONS, ENVY, drunkenness, carousing, and (just to include anything that hasn’t been mentioned but should) anything similar. (Galatians5:20-21a). We may not do all of these but our flesh desires these. I like the add-on statement “and anything similar”. The military has a clause referred to as the General Article 134. This GA is there to cover something that isn’t necessarily detailed as against the Uniform Code of Military Justice but should be due to it disrupting “good order and discipline”.
If we are led by the Spirit, as we should be, we should exhibit the “Fruits of the Spirit”; “love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians5:22-23). Paul goes on to tell us that if we belong to Christ then the fleshly desires are “crucified” along with its passions and desires.
So why then do we let the fleshly desire surface? Again, I have to be reminded constantly that since I am being led by the Spirit the fruits should be exhibited.
That is all! Carry On!
D. Shannon Rainwater