A Safe Place Series: "The Flesh Cycle"

Lets look at what Galatians 5:13-21 says about living in Spiritual community
Vrs 13-15 Free in Christ, Love and serve one another, if you live according to the flesh you will ruin one another.

An issue that will stand in the way of spiritual community is living by the flesh rather then the Spirit.

Define Flesh- In the New Testament, flesh is used to denote the sinful element of human nature as opposed to the "Spirit" (Rom. 6:19; Matt. 16:17).

Two usages of the Flesh in the NT.
Being "in the flesh" means being un-renewed (Rom. 7:5; 8:8, 9), GOSPEL
To live "according to the flesh" is to live and act sinfully (Rom. 8:4, 5, 7, 12). As a Christian

Vrs 16-18 The flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another and the flesh is actually what keeps us from “doing the things we wish”
As a believer in Christ through the Spirit we have new desires that would fall in line with the Spirit.

Ex. -When you have a lack of desire to commit sins that you used to.
-When you read God’s Word and you feel guilty or bad about what you are doing
-When you hear or read about a person that has godly characteristics and you wish you had those
-When you feel convicted about what your sin

1 Peter 2:11 Abstain from fleshly lusts that wage war against your soul
Rips us apart

Vrs 19-21 List the works of the flesh, Go to power point with works

When we are living by a “works of the flesh” I am going to call “The Flesh Cycle” James 1:14-15 Explain the flesh cycle with power point.

Desire-power, to be heard, to have something, to be something etc
Sin-The offense
Death-Sin always kills something in our character, in our relationships- friendships, family, marriages, in our finances, in our job, in our personal lives

(During blank text slide)
Common responses to flesh cycle
-Indifference “I don’t care”, Check if you are a Christian???
-Confidence Phil 3:4-14 “This works for me”
-Hopelessness- “I can’t stop” Paul Romans 7
But there is hope in the Spirit
The needed response REPENTANCE (Change of mind) and inserting fruits of the Spirit into our lives

Gal. 5:22-24 Go through Slides

So we get stuck in a “Flesh Cycle” and we need to get into the “Spirit Cycle”

One way is to set up relationships in our lives that help interrupt the “Flesh Cycle” and remind you of the fruit of the Spirit, the only way you are going to have that is if you let people into your life that way.

Heb 10:24 “Let us consider how we may encourage one another to love and good deeds”

We complain to people who will agree with us to validate our flesh instead of opening up to people that will challenge us to will live according to the Spirit.

Community Groups, for the next 2 weeks we are going have opportunities for you to sign up to join a community group. We have 2 that are currently meeting and 5 new ones starting.

All Community Group leaders please stand $10

Next week we are going to learn how to be Spiritual Friend that interrupts the “Flesh Cycle” in your friends life.