“Keep In Step With The Spirit!”

“Keep In step With The Spirit!”(Gal.5:16-25).
Joseph II, the Holy Roman Emperor requested that his epitaph should read: “Here lies a prince whose intentions were pure, but who had the misfortune to see all his plans collapse.” Communities, institutions, countries and organisations have had people who went to their graves with broken hearts because their intentions did not yield the intended dividends.
The emperor said his intentions were pure, so to say, intentions can be impure. Perhaps the motives behind the intention is what makes it pure or impure.
Paul says, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 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 you do not do what you want…”
Sinful desires are impure intentions, but the Spirit inspires pure intentions. Whatever we desire which contradicts the commandments of the LORD is sinful. The telltales are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatory and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like.But when we live by the Spirit – which is like a grafted tree – the fruit emanating from us will be “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol.”
Dear friend, our Creator has empowered us with “Freewill;” meaning the choice is always ours. The options are always clearly spelt out to all of us. We are free to choose, but we we are also informed that “choices have consequences!”
When we sing, “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back…” it should not be mere lip service.
We truly belong to Christ Jesus when we have crucified the sinful desires. If we now “live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
May we be known by the fruit from our tree!
Sunday prayer: Holy Spirit help me to keep in step with you and bear fruit worthy of the LORD. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.