10-23-11 AM - How to Know the Voice of the Spirit

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Galatians 5: 13-26

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 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. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Some have mistaken this freedom from dead religious acts as a license to commit sinful acts, as though they are no longer responsible for their own actions.


I. Learn to recognize your own inner voice. (vs. 19-21)
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 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.

1. Acts that drown out the voice of God.                                                               
-Sexual immorality is sexual behavior that is not in step with Scriptural principles.
-Impurity are acts that are "dirty", unclean. Things done that defile the body to get a "rush" of pleasure.
-Sensuality (debauchery) are acts done to arouse the body. Pornography is such an act, or even leering at women (or men).

2. Acts that manipulate the spirit realm for your own good.
–Idolatry is the worship of another God or the extreme devotion to a person or organization that you hope will grant you desires.
-Sorcery (witchcraft) is the act of using supernatural means to gain power over people.

3. Acts that are meant to manipulate people.
-Enmity (hatred) is taking a position of antagonism or hostility toward someone.
-Strife (discord) is to compete against someone to win some "prize" that they may be able to get, but you want.
- Jealousy is when you guard what is rightfully yours; including the loyalty from people that you feel you are owed.
-Fits of rage is how you back people off who threaten you, your way of intimidating them into treating you with respect.
-Rivalries (selfish ambition) are when you compete against someone to get something that someone else has.
-Dissensions are when you quarrel with someone else to get your way.
-Divisions (factions) are when you actually organize opposition against those who won’t follow you.
-Envy is the ill-will you feel toward others advantages.

4. Acts that cause others to become or remain separated from God.
-Drunkenness (intoxication) cause people to become dependent on the source of the high.
-Orgies and the like a wild celebration, partying, often, but not always, including sexual activity.


1. Develop a habit of prayer and Bible study on your own.
2. Remain in godly relationships with people who will tell you the truth about yourself, or at least will ask the kinds of questions that make you think.
3. When you fail, confess your sin and repent.                                          

II. Secondly, you need to know the Holy Spirits voice.

"stay out of the winner-takes-all conflict"

"be patient, that is, wait for your opportunity without complaining or manipulating".

"be sympathetic with people, consider them to be friends."

"your goal is to produce favorable results for everyone, not just yourself

"be dutiful to what I have called you."              
"be gentle with them, I am not done with them, or you, yet."

"Reign in your horses, bubba."

How do you overcome the flesh to listen to the Holy Spirit?
May I suggest...
1. Pray until you are willing. Even Jesus had to pray until he was able to make his body go through an actual crucifixion. "Not my will, but yours be done" Jesus repeated.
2. Grieve. You may not get your way, maybe never. You live at the pleasure of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has better things for you.               
3. Find joy in serving the Lord. Fake it until you make it, as the saying goes. But you will make it, and you will find new joy in serving.