Galatians 5:16,17
DATE: 9 Oct, 2005 AM
PLACE: BBC Ballincollig
I. Introduction (Gal 5:16,17)
A. Galatians 5:16 sounds so easy doesn’t it? Well, it should be easy, but often is not! Why not? Because of Galatians 5:17!
B. What is the Christian Life?
1. Being different than we are naturally
2. More than that – being like we were intended to be
3. Even more than that – being like Jesus
4. Pretty high calling don’t you think?
C. The truth is… You CAN’T live it!
1. Too many obstacles
2. Too many limits
3. Too many enemies
D. What are just some of my obstacles?
1. Condemnation – under the wrath of almighty God – he is against us!
2. Powerlessness in the spiritual realm – no matter how much I work at it, I only dig deep holes and do the wrong things!
3. My Flesh – its natural desires and leanings are against the Spirit
4. Fear – big obstacle – often bigger than what I fear
5. Bitterness and bad attitudes
6. Spiritual Attacks
E. Yet… Christ saved you TO live it! Christ provided us with everything you and I need to overcome them all.
F. So let’s discover the simplicity of living the Christian life THROUGH the enabling power of Christ!
II. Message
A. Salvation Enables me to Live the Christian Life (John 3:18, 36; 10:10)
1. Salvation overcomes the wrath of God – biggest obstacle!!!
2. Without this event in your life, any form of religion is a waste!
a. No matter how good you may be – you will still go to hell
b. No matter how many people you help out, you will be alone in hell
c. All of your sacrifices will amount to nothing without Christ
3. Salvation is eternal forgiveness – not on a bit-by-bit basis
4. Salvation is a new person in me – His strength, His joy, His love
5. Salvation is the passing of judgment that belongs on you onto Christ on the cross
6. NOW I can LIVE the Christian life – not any other time or way!
B. Study Enables me to Live the Christian Life (Eph 4:14; 17-20)
1. Learn this Book
2. Test what you learn
3. Implement, apply WHAT you learn into your minute-by-minute life
4. This Book IN you overcomes powerlessness and the drain of daily sins
a. John 15:3
b. Rom 10:17
c. Heb 11:6
d. Heb 4:12
5. Just be careful – knowledge will make you proud – puffeth up!
6. The purpose of studying the contents of this Bible is to renew your mind, refresh your heart, restore your strength, and replace your ignorance.
7. Don’t let it become a stick with which we beat people with!
C. Humility Enables me to Live the Christian Life (1Pet 5:5)
1. A constant humility, brokenness – not a passing event but a general attitude
2. This is the balance to Study because it keeps us confident about the truth, but humble about forcing it down people’s throats!
3. Learn to fight on your KNEES!
4. Any other attitude besides meekness and you are back in the flesh!
5. Christian humility simply means you think not about yourself but about Christ, and others
6. Once you are making yourself priority, the Christian life is beyond you!
7. Humility makes you dependant upon God, and especially upon the power of the Holy Spirit which has been given to us to enable us to live as Christ did – in the power of the Spirit!
D. The Love OF God Enables me to Live the Christian Life (Jude 1:21; Eph 2:1-10)
1. Perfect loves casts out (conquers) fear (1Jn 4:18)
2. Being loved like the apostle John was by Jesus will propel you through the obstacle of fear
3. Peter stopped following Jesus in the judgment hall because of FEAR
4. John kept right up with Jesus – why? Because he was the recipient of perfect love!
5. Experience the love of God by considering Jesus (Heb 12:3)
6. Remind yourself you are loved by God from conception through all eternity (Eph 2:4-7)
E. My Love FOR God Enables me to Live the Christian Life (Jn 14:15; 21:17-22)
1. It is what drives the Christian to do things they think they can’t do - because they are in love!
2. It is what fuels’ the Christian’s prayer time, and study time, and church time – because they LOVE God
3. Love the Lord Jesus supremely!
a. If anything spiritual is drudgery, it is simply because your relationship with Jesus is fraternal (only friendly), not deep and vibrant!
b. Jesus warned Peter about upcoming trials, and just asked him to follow Him out of Love no matter where Jesus led him!
4. That is the only way you will go further than your flesh and your friends, and your foes – if you
5. Otherwise, bitterness, and bad attitudes will reign over your life! They latch onto us like leeches in a swamp!
6. You conquer those attitudes with a fervent love for the Lord Jesus!
F. Stubbornness Enables Me to Live for God – Perseverance (Eph 6:11-13; 2Tim 2:3)!
1. Satan hates the Christian – intends to keep the heat on them, and attack them at every opportunity
2. The only way to defeat that attack, is stay standing – not buckling, or giving in, or running, or giving up!
3. Every Christian needs to decide tonight they are going to:
a. Keep praying – pray through the battle
b. Keep putting on the armour God gave you – don’t let it become unimportant, or out of fashion
c. Keep pleading the blood – allow the Lord to flood out your heart and life with His blood
d. Keep doing what God told you to do – NEVER give up, or give in
4. Satan knows that he cannot defeat you, so his only hope is to lie to you and make you THINK you are defeated so that you will give up!
5. God put a bit of stubbornness in everyone for them to use against sin, and against the devil!
6. USE IT! Use that stubborn streak for good!
III. Conclusion
A. Christ saved you TO live and enjoy the abundant Christian life! He provided us with everything you and I need to overcome them all.
B. Tonight I hope you have learned the simplicity of living the Christian life THROUGH the enabling power of Christ!
1. Salvation Enables me to Live the Christian Life - overcomes the wrath of God – biggest obstacle!!!
2. Study Enables me to Live the Christian Life - overcomes powerlessness and the drain of daily sins
3. Humility Enables me to Live the Christian Life – overcomes the flesh, the old nature
4. The Love OF God Enables me to Live the Christian Life - Perfect loves casts out (conquers) fear
5. My Love FOR God Enables me to Live the Christian Life – overcomes bitterness, and bad attitudes
6. Stubbornness Enables Me to Live for God – Perseverance – overcomes Spiritual Attacks
C. All of that makes for a very able Christian life – I didn’t say easy, but able to be lived!
D. Are you living it? Or just wishing it? Start with these keys, and make them active and permanent in your life, and your life will change – guaranteed!
Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church
Ireland