The man or woman who walks in the Spirit has no desire to fulfill the lust of the flesh. The desire for SELF gratification of natural appetite may be latent in the soul, and may flash through the thoughts, but we do not fulfill them. These desires cannot be prevented, but their fulfillment can certainly be withheld. As the Holy Spirit grows in strength within, He empowers, us to resist and then concur those desires of the flesh voice.
When we walk in the Spirit He produces in us the fruit of a holy character. The contrast between the works of the fleshly----i.e., the selfish life----and the fruit of the Spirit, which is the natural product of His influence, and Christ's own character, is very marked. In works there is effort, the clatter of machinery, the deafening noise of the factory. But our fruit is found in the calm, still, regular process of Nature, which is ever producing in her secret laboratory the kindly fruits of the earth. How quiet it all is! There is no voice nor language. It is almost impossible to realize what is being effected by a long summer day of sunshine. The growing of autumn arrives with noiseless footsteps. So it is with the soul that daily walks in and with the Spirit. There are probably no startling experiences, no marked transitions, nothing special to record in the diary, but every hour and indeed moment of the day and year those who live in close proximity witness a ripening wealth of fruit in the manifestation of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. All signs of the season of an eternal life restored within our soul.
Ephesians
5:20
"Giving
thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ:"
When
we have the right understanding of the Lord's Passover, and the days which followed, where we
learn of our restored union with Him, a union stronger and better
than that of the marriage union, we know that He is in us and we are
in Him, and we therefore carry His name. And the fruit of His Spirit
restored causes us to be thankful as we grow in knowledge of Him.
Paul tells us that we are clothed in Christ, and this understanding and
knowledge strengthens us as our character is changed to resemble His.
After this verse we have to turn to the book of Philippians chapter
4, and verse 4. What is the first word? Rejoice. That means
exactly what it says. We are not to be a people of chins on our
chests and moping around thinking, "what a tough old world this
is." No, but rather we are to be in an attitude of rejoicing, for His joy lives in us.
Philippians
4:4
"Rejoice
in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice."
What
were the circumstances that Paul was in when he wrote this? He is in
prison in Rome, he is under Roman guard, he is in bands probably on
both arms, and yet the man could write, "Rejoice."
Earlier in his ministry, he and Silas were down in the dungeon at
Philippi, and they had just been scourged, which meant that their
backs and torsos were like raw hamburger. Their feet were in stocks,
rats and the like were running all over them you can be sure, and yet
did Paul and Silas bemoan their condition? No, but rather they sang
hymns. They sang those hymns so loud that all the prisoners took note
of how those two men under their circumstances could still sing. So
here in verse 4, Paul did not say this flippantly. Paul is not just
all of a sudden writing from some great beautiful hotel room, and
telling his poor people out there, "Hey rejoice" No, he is
in the worst of circumstances himself, and then he can say it twice
in one verse.
Philippians
4:5
"Let
your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand."
What
does Paul mean through “the Lord is at hand”? How much closer is
He to be today. He is the brother that sticks closest to you, because
His ontological essence is in you. But here is the next verse that we
came here to see.
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