We Belong To Jesus – Fruit of the Spirit Part 12

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26 (Click Link) 24 Keep in mind that we who belong to Jesus, the Anointed One, have already experienced crucifixion. For everything connected with our self-life was put to death on the cross and crucified with Messiah. 25 We must live in the Holy Spirit and follow after him. 26 So may we never be arrogant, or look down on another, for each of us is an original. We must forsake all jealousy that diminishes the value of others. (Galatians 5:24-26 The Passion Translation)

When we put our faith in Christ, our self-life was crucified with him and our spirit-life was born anew. Because we belong to Jesus, we won’t be arrogant, we won’t look down on other people, we won’t be jealous of others, we won’t be competing and comparing. These attitudes all proceed from the self-life and they are at war with the spirit-life. Here’s an important story about Jesus and John the Baptist that points out the difference between Spirit-life and Self-life: 1 Jesus realized that the Pharisees were keeping count of the baptisms that he and John performed 2 (although his disciples, not Jesus, did the actual baptizing). They had posted the score that Jesus was ahead, turning him and John into rivals in the eyes of the people. 3 So Jesus left the Judean countryside and went back to Galilee. (John 4:1-3 MSG) When the Pharisees tried to get John to compete with Jesus, John said, “He must increase and I must decrease. When the Pharisees tried to get Jesus to compete with John, Jesus refused to be caught up in competition and left Judea for Galilee. Self-life says, “We’re rivals – Compare and compete.” Spirit-life says, “We’re on the same team – Cooperate and complete.” Here’s the key takeaway from the Fruit of the Spirit series: This stuff is not about our willpower, our own attempts to be right. It’s not being proud of our goodness and feeling superior when we beat the competition, or feeling shame and guilt when we fail! This is about learning to yield to the Holy Spirit and letting him call the shots. It doesn’t start with, “Ok, I’m strong! I got this!” It starts with, “Holy Spirit, please keep prompting me and directing me. Don’t give up, even when I complain. I say ‘Yes to the Spirit-life and No to the Self-life!” Prayer: Father, We say, “‘Yes’ to the Spirit-life and ‘No’ to the Self-life!” We belong to Jesus and we yield to him alone. Please keep us going and growing. In Jesus’ Name.