2022_03_09 Insight Post- Rusty Coram

  -   March 9, 2022

This week’s reading- Galatians 5-6

We’ve all been in a place where we knew the right thing to do but ultimately chose to do a wrong thing instead. It can feel like we are in the middle of tug of war… and that’s because we are! Listen to what Paul tells the Galatians:

“So, I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. ¹⁷ The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”   Galatians 5:16–17 (NLT)

Well, what can we do?  Here’s the deal, in a tug of war the strongest side wins. Here we have the Holy Spirit and our sinful human nature pitted against each other, and whichever one has the strongest influence in my life will win. In simple terms, the side I nurture and feed the most will ultimately lead me. Reading and learning the truth of God’s Word, and prayerfully relying on Him will feed the influence of His Spirit in my life. However, if I have more of a diet that feeds my sinful human nature, then that is the side that will win the war. A recent survey shows that the average adult in the US spends 3.5 hours a day consuming social media. What do you think that feeds? I haven’t found good data on how much time per day that Believers spend reading and learning the Bible but I feel safe in saying it is merely a fraction of 3.5 hours.

If you and I want to have the Holy Spirit lead us, we need to nurture and grow the influence He has on us in practical ways. New Hope’s Bible reading plan is a good start, along with Monday Night Bible Study and Prayer Night, and weekend worship services. It’s not a secret: the one you feed will lead.