Why is it Important to Walk in the Spirit?

Welcome to Tribe's podcast. Hey, we just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you're ever in Jackson Hole, we'd love for you to visit our Tribe fam in person. To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com.

Welcome to Tribe's podcast. Hey, we just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you're ever in Jackson Hole, we'd love for you to visit our tribe fam in person. To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com.

Choose that word specifically conversation because if you are new to our tribe fam, number one, we're like the Olive Garden. So, if you're here, you're family. Even if it's your very first Sunday. If you're here, you're family. And another unique distinctive about this particular family, odd as it may be, is that I love for us to engage and interact with the word together.

And that means corporately that I don't want this to be a monologue. I want this to be a dialogue. And so if you have questions, comments, or connections that you're making in your brain about what we are talking about. I want to hear from you and we have a mic that Kat has in the room. All you need to do is raise your hand and then the mic will come to you.

The reason why we use the mic is for our all of our families that watch on the live stream. People are traveling or going hither and thither about the Earth. They get to be a part and stay engaged with what we're doing here in the saloon by hearing your voice that's picked up on the mic and then goes through the livestream. And so we are in a series of conversations that I'm calling walking in the spirit. This is gonna be week two of Walking in the Spirit, and what I'd like to do is just give you a quick recap and review, catch you up to speed on where we started in this conversation last week.

And the reason why we're having this series of conversations is I believe that that the lord wants to equip us with better understanding and broaden our skill set to walk in the spirit and to be to be people who organize their lives around the truth of the word of god. So, we've talked already many times this spring about how we can see the world around us growing more and more complex and the the more complex this world gets, the more people will be looking for answers and for the truth. As hard as sometimes the truth may be to hear, whenever the human heart encounters the truth, even if they have been told their whole life contrary to it, there's something about the truth that resonates within the human heart. Even if they're not living in conformity to it or or disagree with it or don't like it. There's something about when the truth, when they, when a human heart encounters the truth, they cannot help but to resonate with it.

But who will be the voice of truth? In this generation. Who will be a light in a dark place that's not hid under a basket but set on the table to give room, to give light to the entire room. Those people who have invited Jesus into their heart made him the leader of their life and who are endeavoring, practicing, taking steps towards, getting better at, walking in the spirit. Are those people who will be qualified and who the lord will touch and highlight.

To say, you are like a city on a Hill. You are like the salt of the earth. You are like a light that needs to be put under a stand, not hidden under your bed so that you can give light to the whole room around you. And the more we walk in the spirit, the brighter our light shines. Because it is reflecting his way, his truth, his nature, and his character instead of our flesh.

As handsome as your flesh may be and as talented as it may appear, it is nothing compared to the spirit of the living god living in and moving through his creation. And so that's what we're talking about in this conversation. And last week was an introduction. I talked about how humans are triune because we're made in the image of God. In the same way that that god is co equal for father, son, and holy spirit that that he has made us in three parts that are not equal.

That's how we're different than him. But would you put that that slide up there that that talks about our three parts? We have, we are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in an earth suit. And perhaps this is review for you. And if this is brand new, make sure you go back and listen to last week's conversation.

And the words that I used to try to help describe the role and function of the body, the soul, and the spirit, I used the words like the master, the manager, and the mover. So, think about in maybe like a job site hierarchy or a corporate hierarchy or some like like in the workplace. You have the master who receives his instructions from the owner. That would be the lord, okay? And I didn't include the lord because we're talking about our self.

These three components make up the human self. The master who receives instructions from the lord and then you have the soul who's the manager. So, the master is intended to give instructions to the manager and then the manager according to how he's uniquely designed and made with your personality, your likes, your interests, your proclivity, your personality, given your unique the way that you are uniquely created, you then instruct the mover, which is your body, to carry out the tasks of the master. Now, before a person gets saved, their spirit lies dormant, and it's unregenerate. And so who naturally steps up to take charge?

The soul, the flesh, your mind, will, thoughts, emotions. The manager acts as boss. But here's the problem with the manager. The manager is super duper selfish. It only wants to do what it wants to do.

And it kind of makes sense because it doesn't have any instructions from the master. I don't know. I'm just going to do what I want to do. The flesh loves and lives to please only itself and it will even do religious things in the name of fulfilling its ultimate selfish, fleshly desires. We we covered this ground last week.

We also said and I'll say it many many times. Even though it may be hard or challenging for you to hear and maybe even potentially confusing Your flesh in no way ever ever can please the lord. In your flesh, doing religious or churchy or stuff that you think would please the lord if it's done out of your flesh, can never please the lord. And on judgement day, if you're a Christian, you won't be, you won't be judged if you're saved or not. That's already taken care of the moment you invite Jesus into your heart.

But you will be judged for reward and those things that have been done out of the spirit will be rewarded. And the Bible says that they will be like gold and they will be refined. And you will be rewarded according to that. Those things that which were done out of your flesh even if they're good sounding and and the world says that you're amazing and incredible and you've got like letters attached to your name and there your name is on buildings and you've given away millions if done out of the motivation of your flesh, it will burn. And Paul talks about that being those being works constructed out of wood, hay, and stubble.

It will burn and you will lose not your salvation but you will lose reward. So, if you're thinking, oh, what have I built in my life in the name of the lord out of wood, hay, and struggle? I almost said, struggle. Write that down. If you are thinking, have I built anything out of wood, hay, or straw?

What a beautiful question to ask yourself. Ask yourself that question now, hard, and often on this side of reward. Then, we focused on two main verses. I'll put both of those verses up at once. Romans eight five, thank you.

Man, I was having trouble last week and look, it's trying to trip me up again. Romans five eight, those who are dominated by the sinful nature, think about sinful things but those who are controlled or you could substitute walking in the spirit, think about things that please the spirit. Your flesh wants to only please one person and that is itself. Exactly. Galatians five sixteen sixteen says this, so I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.

Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. Listen, the sinful nature wants to do evil. That's all it ever wants to do all the time. Now, in your mind, you might be thinking evil as like rob a bank or like something like really sinister. Evil is just anything that is contrary or in juxtaposition to the will of the lord.

Oh

my gosh. I'm having a moment because last week, boy, I really tripped us all up. Thank you. Romans eight five. Well, I copied this slide from last week and I put it in there.

So, that's what I get. Thank you, Jay.

It's hidden away in your heart correctly.

Yeah. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Verse 17 of Galatians.

Look at that. The sinful nature wants to do evil which is the opposite of what the spirit wants And the spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature desires. And then we answered this question, what does it mean to walk in the spirit? We'll put that up here on the screen. The master or god's when god touches the human spirit and it comes alive again, think about lighting a wick on a candle.

The wick was always there or the wick in a a lantern. The wick was already there. But the spirit of God hovers over the human part. And in a moment of contrition and repentance. A person invites Jesus into their heart.

The flame is ignited. The spirit is in charge of the self. And it only carries out the wishes of the Lord. That was our definition for last week. This week, we're going to tackle this second question that I'm posing for us.

Why is it even important for us to walk in the spirit? That's what we're going to look at this this week, and it's the title of this morning's conversation. Why is it important to walk in the spirit? And as we get into today's conversation, some of you may be thinking, I don't know that I really need this or it's that important to me. I've been a Christian for a while and nobody's ever talked to me about walking in the spirit.

I try to like read god's word and do what it says. I I I try to be a good person. Alarm should be going off in your head right now. Well, why do I even like, I've been, I wrote this in my notes. I've been doing just fine like I've been doing.

Why do I need to like even try or attempt to walk in the spirit And the picture that came into my mind's eye was a person riding like mountain bike, bike where you can change gears. And on the flats, you can be in that middle chain ring and in that middle gear and just cruise along for a long time. But what happens in the same gear that's comfortable for you to pedal in on the flats, what happens when you get to an incline? The pedaling gets harder. You stand up on those pedals, veins are bulging in your neck and your and it gets hard to pedal, right?

Well, really smart people invented ways that you can change the gears so that you can keep up the same RPMs but by shifting into a lower gear, it becomes easier to pedal up a steep hill. You're with me, right? How many of you have ever failed to downshift before a hill and you start trying to climb that hill in a hard gear? That's all of us. We're like, and then what do you gotta do?

You end up having to like hop off your bike and do the walk of shame up the hill while other people are pedaling, or worse, you're trying to downshift on that hill, and if anybody is like a cyclist in the room, you can just hear the sound of grinding those gears, of under load, trying to drop gears, and it's like, and your drivetrain is like, I hate you. Best time to downshift before a climb is when? Before. You get to the hard part. Hello.

In a similar way. In a similar way. When you say, I've been doing just fine the way I've been doing. That's great. Fantastic.

You found an easier gear to ride in in the flats. But I'm telling you, hills are coming. Hills are coming. Will you have the ability to downshift so that you can tackle that hill with the same cadence in RPMs. That's what it means to walk in the spirit.

Was that good? And every cyclist in the room said, alright. Alright. I'm going to read a passage to you. You don't need to turn there yet but I'm going to read a passage to you as we get started in this morning's conversation of why is it even important?

To downshift? I mean, why is it even important to walk in the spirit? See? My own analogy is working on me. Alright, let me read something to you.

Deuteronomy chapter 13, you don't necessarily need to turn there just yet. Deuteronomy chapter 13 verse one and I'm going to read it for you. Suppose there are, there's a hypothetical situation because it starts with the word suppose. Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future and they promise you signs or miracles. And then the first part of verse two says this, and the predicted signs or miracles occur.

Stop right there. Let's consider this for a moment. Let's say that somebody in a position of of influence or with the following, or happens to have a mic, or is on stage at a church, says, when you see purple clouds in the sky during the daytime over The United States Of America, within three months, you can expect and then they make some sort of prophecy. You'd be like, woah. Alright.

See what happens. Maybe write it down. Check it out. And then you're waiting. And then lo and behold, next week, across all of the major network channels, strange atmospheric phenomenon developing.

Everybody goes outside, gets a creak in their neck, and the clouds in the sky are purple. What would you think about the person that made that prediction about that sign? They what? What? They were prophetic.

You think that. Okay. Okay. Promises you signs or miracles. When the clouds turn purple, the banks will collapse, but everybody who's in this room is going to have a financial abundance that will equivalent be to their full year's salary.

We have your attention now. And the clouds turn purple, and three days after that, you get a tax refund, in the blank, and all of a sudden, you've got a year's worth of salary in your bank account. What would you think about the person that said those two things? A profit. What else?

You can shout it out and I'll just repeat it. What would go through your mind about the person that said that? I would be listening to every single word they have to say. Yes. Yeah.

Right. Right. Right. Yeah. Right.

What else might you think or say or about that bird? We're using our imaginations because remember the Bible started with the word suppose. That's an invitation for us to use our imagination. What else might be going through your mind about those signs and those miracles coming true? How do they know that?

They really must have a a close relationship with the lord, right? Like, wow, they heard that? Wow. Amazing. Nobody else is saying that.

Alright. You kind of you you see, can you picture accurately this the first part of this verse, right? Okay. Now, let's turn in our Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 13. I didn't want you to turn there yet because we're going to see, how many of you remember that old radio program, Paul Harvey's the rest of the story?

Oh, man. So good. I'm surprised so many hands went up. Makes me didn't feel not quite so old. Chapter 13 and now, what I'd like us to do is to continue reading.

I'll start in verse one. Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future. And they promise you signs or miracles. And the predicted signs or miracles occur. We've already done this as a thought exercise.

But now let's keep reading. If they then say, come, let us worship other gods. Gods you have not known before. Do not listen to them. Oh and this is what is so key.

The lord your god is testing you to see if you truly love him with all of your heart and soul. That's a bit of a head scratcher of a text, isn't it? Okay, you can answer honestly. I forgot my question.

Can I answer? Yes. There will be false gods claiming to be the god. Absolutely.

And that's how come we've gotta be very careful and research those things that are predicted for the future. Yes. So good. I'm going to put a bookmark in your words because we're about to turn to to what you just said. And we're going to see it here in the Bible.

But you're already racing ahead of me, which is great. How many of you I I thought of my question. How many of you think that when you read that that that there will be prophets and people who dream dreams, who make proclamations, who predict signs, can perform miracles. But they are not authorized by the lord and god allows those things to test us. For how many of you, that sounds a little bit out of character of who you know the lord to be.

Raise your hand yes and it's okay if you raise your hand. Yeah. Oh, I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. Wait. The lord would do that?

Now, let's be super clear. The Bible is very clear. The lord does not tempt anyone nor can he be tempted. But each one when they are tempted, should where they, where'd the verse go? Yeah, what?

What, Liz, help me. Yes. Yes. And turn to the lord, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. There we go.

But when they're tempted, no one should say, the lord is tempting me. For the lord doesn't tempt people nor can he be tempted but each one when they are tempted should resist the devil, turn to the lord, the devil will flee from them. So, the lord does not tempt us but he does test us and he does allow things that he can use as a test for us. Oh, okay. Okay.

The test for me is is that you, Jesus?

And if it's you feel it's right, it's right. But if you don't feel it's right, you run from it. So, when a person speaks in the name of god and says these signs and then performs these miracles, you don't just mindlessly, blindly accept that that person is of the lord but you ask the lord, is that of you, lord? What a mature thing to do. Because we don't walk by sight.

What the person on the stage or the person with the podcast or the person with all the followers says and does. We we say, okay, I see that. Alright. Alright. Could be something.

But then we asked Jesus. Okay. Okay.

The first thing that I thought of was probably that the Pharisees were experiencing this exact same phenomena where they were like, oh, like you're doing signs and wonders and you're saying that you're god. Like, we're being tested and we're going to hold up fast to the commandments. Yeah, with Jesus. Which oh. Like, they were probably holding on to this exact verse and being like, we're not going to follow after you.

Oh, I love the twist that you're thinking.

And then the other thing kind of side is I'm having a hard time distinguishing between being tested and tempted. I If I saw a prophet that said things that came to pass I would be very tempted to listen and to follow them so I'm having a hard time being like if the Lord's testing me for me that feels like I'm being tempted to fall away from him.

Off the I'm gonna analyze my own words as they tumble out my mouth, but testing has to do with reward and temptation has to do with with chastisement or punishment. So, if we fall to temptation, the lord will chastise us and be like, hey, you messed up, you blew it, let's try it again because there's no test that we can fail with the lord. We might need to take it again and again and and again but the lord doesn't tempt us to do wrong or evil. He would, that is not in his character but he tests us in order to do two things. Number one, to reveal what is in our heart already but to show us and then number two, so that he may reward us when we pass the test.

And we're about to read, you'll get you'll get the sense of the the reward in behind and flavoring this test as we continue reading. Would you send that mic to Janet? And then we're gonna read the rest part of this verse. That was a quick attempt at answering that question. Does that help?

Love that question.

I think it's the object of our affection. God says to love us with all of our hearts and minds and souls. And we are not supposed to be seeking the signs and the wonders and the blessings, but to seek him first. So, I think if we are really seeking, just like Colleen said, we pass Jesus. We seek him first before we seek the signs and the wonders and the miracles.

I love it. That's good. If we keep reading, obey his commands, listen to his voice. So, I think this is where the Pharisees would begin to to drop off and and remember I talked earlier about every human heart will always resonate with the truth that they were encountering the truth when they heard Jesus speak and it chapped their hide. Cling to him.

Verse five, the false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death for they encourage rebellion against the lord, your god, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they tried to lead you astray from the way of the lord, your god, commanded you to live. Imagine a Pharisee wrestling with this passage in light of seeing Jesus and his disciples walk through the fields of grain breaking off the heads of wheat, rolling it, and tossing back some grain as a snack as they're walking through. The Pharisees are like, blasphemy, you're working on the Sabbath. They're trying, but they just miss it because they're not walking in the spirit.

You must put them to death. In this way, you will purge the evil from among you. Now, everyone who has in this room or listening the sound of my voice, who has a prophetic gifting, who has a prophetic ministry, who operates in the prophetic. I understand that right now, you might be sitting on pins and needles like, ah, like like don't scare people away from the prophetic. That's not what I'm doing.

Okay. Matthew chapter 24. Let's go to your bookmark, and you can turn there. Matthew chapter 24 and here it is up on your screen. In the generation of the return of the lord Whenever you hear Matthew chapter 24, I want a hyperlink to automatically go off in your brain.

Uh-oh. We're talking about the return of Jesus. Matthew chapter 24. Jesus says this, verse 11 through 13, many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere.

The love of many will grow cold but those who endure to the end will be saved. The only way that false prophets can proliferate in the generation of the lord's return is only if if it's like tears or weeds sown among a good crop. We can expect to see an increase of the good, the healthy, balanced prophetic ministry. We can expect to see an increase of the expression of the prophetic in the generation of the Lord's return. Why?

Because Jesus says, but there's also gonna be a lot of weeds that grow up. How many of you have ever seen a fake unicorn? Now why does that strike you funny? Please somebody give the mic, raise your hand, and take a stab at at why that that sentence is absurd. Yeah, yeah, Sarah, Sarah.

Here comes the mic.

Because unicorns don't exist.

Exactly. Whoops, cover your ears, Autumn. Sorry. Because there's no such thing as a real unicorn. There's no such thing as a real unicorn.

Therefore, they're they're like like fake unicorns are are superfluous, irrelevant, unnecessary. So, the only reason that there would be false prophets is because that in the generation of the Lord's return, we can expect and be eagerly looking for the voice of the real, genuine, authentic prophetic to rise up in the generation of the Lord's return. Does what I just say make sense? We should not be afraid of the prophetic voice in the church today. The bible says that god never does anything without first revealing it to his prophets.

Chris Bates and Caleb and we'll we'll we'll keep we'll keep moving.

Brian, I had some thoughts on the testing thing because I at first, I confounded testing and tempting. So thanks for delineating between those. But then I was wondering what what would he test in us? And so I I just did a quick Google's and Mhmm. The Bible verses that kept coming up, it was talking about only things that would be present in the kingdom.

Which I thought was really interesting. It talked about, you know, trials, tribulations, but love, faith, hope, and joy which I thought was really interesting that the lord wouldn't test anything that he doesn't want to keep in us.

Wow. Let me see if I can say this a different way. The Holy Spirit will convict us of things in our flesh that need to be crucified and go ahead and die. The lord will test those things that are worth his time which are eternal. That he may need to show us either a deficit if we fail the test or reward us for that goal that has already been refined.

100%.

That'll preach. He doesn't even bother testing our flesh. He's like, let it die, let it die, let it shrivel up and die.

Caleb. This was a scripture that came to mind that kinda correlates with the OT and the new T. Mhmm. You may be going there. Are you going to one John four?

I won't spoil it if you are. No, go. Okay. So, one John four says, dear friends, do not believe every spirit. Oh, yeah.

But test the spirits to see whether they are from god because many false prophets have gone out to the world and he makes it really easy. This is how you can recognize the spirit of god. Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from god but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from god. This is the spirit of the antichrist which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

I wonder if any of the Pharisees ever stopped to say, Lord, God, Abba, what am I to do with this teacher, prophet from Nazareth? How many of those Pharisees said, Lord, I submit myself to you. This guy is doing some crazy stuff and his words are his words are like lightning and his actions are like thunder. How many of them? Said, I don't know.

I I'm confused. Is he the Messiah? Only one, Nicodemus. Maybe Nicodemus. At the raising of Lazarus, it says that there were a lot more of the Pharisees got saved.

But how many? Comparatively, relatively very few. Because they were so entrenched in their religious position that that placated their flesh. Do I have second Timothy? Okay, let me just read this.

This is a good verse to write down. Second Timothy chapter four verse three and four and it says this, for a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires. What does that sound like? Begins with an F.

Flesh. Flesh. They will follow their own desires. And will look for teachers, pastors, podcasts, who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear, but they will reject the truth and chase after myths. A religious flesh a religious spirit that comes from our flesh loves to thrive in an atmosphere of the real, the genuine, and authentic.

It loves to like be like super churchy. So that it can get what it wants, how it wants it. Jesus says this in Luke chapter six verse 47 through 49. I'll show you what it's like. When someone who comes to me, so this is in also in answer to the Pharisees.

When somebody comes to me, listens to my teaching and then follows it. It's like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the flood waters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn't obey. Maybe these are like the Pharisees.

It's like a person who builds a house. They're still building a house but just on level ground without a foundation. What is that next word? When. What is is another word that could be used there that is not used?

Let's see how well your brain tracks with my brain.

If.

There it is. Yes. It does not say if Because if implies or leaves room that it might not happen. And if the storm doesn't come and the floodwaters don't rise, then you don't need a house that has dug down deep and is built on the foundation. You don't need it.

It's called the clubhouse. And that's where children play games. But the word that's used is when. Underline that in your Bible. When the floods sweep down against that house, if it's just built on flat ground like a clubhouse, it will collapse into a heap of ruins just like trying to ride your bike up a steep hill without downshifting.

This is what it means to walk in the spirit. You've gone deeper than the flesh. You have submitted and surrendered your flesh and your spirit man is in charge. Yes, be and then, we're going to end with three reasons why it's important to walk in the spirit and I'm going to go rapid fire.

I think of a test versus attempt is when

A test versus a tempt. Yes. Got it.

Yes. When Abraham went to sacrifice his son. Like god was testing like, can I take you to new heights? Can I take to new you to new levels? Like, do you love the world more than you love me?

And I think of first Corinthians 13, the way of love. And what Jay was saying is in, like, oh, I definitely, you know, follow that guy if, you know, that that stuff came to pass. I think, like, somebody said, when we focus on the blessings rather than who god is Mhmm. And how in first Corinthians, it's like it's not self seeking. And so I just think, like, it's laying down yourself Yeah.

For what god's desire is. And just like what you were saying as far as you can do anything, but if it's not what god wants, it's out of like, and it's out of his will. It's not what he desires, then it is evil. And so, like, how all of that is in vain. So I just think it's just comes down to laying down yourself.

And it's like, God, I think, or I wanna do this is what my

will

want. But whatever you say goes. Yeah. So I think it's about putting, you know, the Holy Spirit You

you just touched on this just briefly. You and you partially quoted a verse of Jesus wrestling with his flesh. Jesus had flesh too. Lord, if it be possible, may this cup pass before me, the cup of suffering and the cup of the wrath of god being poured out on on to Jesus, his god's thoughts, attitudes towards sin, and all of its manifestations was about to be poured out on Jesus. And he knew he had some idea of what was coming.

His flesh said, is there any way we could do this? Maybe like a different way? But then you see him boss himself around. And his spirit man rises up and he says, nevertheless, lord, not my will, the will of my flesh, but your will be done. Crucifixion of your flesh always precedes resurrection of your spirit man.

Why is it important to walk in the spirit? Because you will never experience resurrection life in the spirit without first experiencing the crucifixion of your flesh. Thank you for helping me preach that be just now. I said three things. Three reasons why it's important to walk in the spirit.

You can't trust your flesh. Now, that would be a great mug, a slogan on a mug. Instead of like, follow your heart. The heart wants what the heart wants. Yes, the heart wants what the heart wants and then it's going to lead you into a ditch every single time.

It sounds like great but it's just so full of ugh. You can't trust your flesh. Just write the address down. Proverbs fourteen twelve, there is a way that seems right to man but it leads to what? Death.

Jeremiah seventeen nine says, the heart is wicked and deceitful above all else. Now, I understand if you're like, wait, heart, I thought I gave my heart to Jesus and I thought I got a new heart. We don't have time to parse out the the specific terminology that's used in the Old Testament to differentiate like like the heart, the essence of a person, and you getting a brand new heart. I I just listen. When the Old Testament says, the heart is wicked and deceitful above all else.

All you need to know is that's my flesh. You, yes, I will. Proverbs fourteen twelve. In Jeremiah seventeen nine. Write this one down as well.

John 15 verse five. In the New Testament, Jesus says, apart from me, you can do nothing. Nothing that will endure, Nothing that will last. Nothing that's made out of gold. Nothing that you will receive reward for.

Kai, I need you to go outside and rake the leaves. You come back in and I said, Kai, did you rake the leaves? You said, no. I stacked the firewood. It was all in a pile and I thought that would be better to do.

What do I do as a dad? It's a tough one. Son, I ask you to rake the leaves. Your reward will be based upon, did you rake the leaves or not? That's tough.

But Jesus says, apart from me and my instructions, in the leading of my Holy Spirit, you can do nothing. It won't count for anything. Number two, you cannot please god with your flesh. You cannot please god with your flesh. Don't matter how much perfume you spray on it.

Doesn't matter how many logs you stack if that's not what god has asked you to do. Two verses, John six sixty three, you can write the address down. The spirit gives life. These are Jesus's words. Take it up with him if you don't like this.

John six sixty three, the spirit gives life. The flesh counts for nothing. For those of you phariseical religious Christians in the sound of my voice, this is so hard for you to hear but I want you to hear this now so that you can repent and change. Walk in the spirit and don't lose or forfeit your reward. Be challenged.

The spirit gives life. The flesh counts for nothing. Hebrews 11 verse 16. Write that one down. Without faith, it is impossible to please god.

But dad, I stacked the wood so that you would be pleased with me It's not what I ask you to do. I love you son but that's not what I ask you to do. Like the Pharisees I mean, how many examples are there? Where the Pharisees were like, like, we've we've you, Jesus says, you tithe on your mint and your dill like like herbs But you neglect taking care of what does he say? Like your parents?

Right? Like, like, like, but lord, we've tithed on our mint and our dill And Jesus like, oh my gosh. Where, I didn't, I didn't even ask you to tithe on your mint and do. I want you to take care of your parents. You've missed it.

I just did that this morning too. Tithe on my mint and do. You did? Well, bless your heart. Last one, last one.

Walking in the spirit is what I would call the sweet spot of following Jesus. Did you know, especially for those of you who are in ministry, did you know that there is no such thing as burnout? If you're walking in the spirit and for those of you who are in ministry, that can be like, well, I'm real tired. You can be tired. Your life can feel like Paul being poured out as a drink offering but there's no such thing as burnout because the lord will call you to seasons of rest and he'll he'll he'll feed you with with with nourishment from ravens.

Within this brook will dry up and we want to get complacent and lackadaisical and he'll be like, get up and go run 40. There's no burnout when you walk in the spirit and if you're feeling burnout, it could just be your earth suit that's tired and need some recuperation, understandable. But you also could be doing ministry out of your own strength. If you and let's take out the word ministry and let's put in whatever vocation or occupation that the lord has called you to. Oh yeah, there's also no retirement.

There's no need. Just up, up, off you go when you're done. No retirement, no burnout in the spirit. Please show me that in the scriptures. You can be weary.

You can your your batteries can run low but the lord knows that. Bible says in the book of Proverbs that he sits on his throne in heaven and he looks down and he knows man. He knows. Walking in the sweet spot of following Jesus, John 15. Let me just read this as we finish.

Verses one through eight, Jesus is speaking and he says, I am the true grapevine and my father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit and he prunes those branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. Thank you. You have already been pruned and purified by the message. So, again, maybe the Pharisees, I I love your question.

Like, it keep coming back. To me, this question keeps getting answered over and over and over. You've already been purified by message. The the Pharisees never surrendered or positioned themselves to be pruned and purified by his message or very few did. That I have given you.

Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit. No burnout, no return.

But apart from me, you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Speaking of a loss of reward. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want and it will be granted.

When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples and this brings great glory and I would insert joy to my father. Why is it important to walk in the spirit? Because it brings your father great joy. Jesus, help us. Help us.

Help us to walk in the spirit. Help us to grow in walking in the spirit Is there an area of our heart or life today that we would have that condition of the Pharisees where we're stubborn, recalcitrant, resistant, We're we're defending and protecting our flesh Lord, in the tenderness of this moment, as you hover over our hearts, releasing a grace for us to come to you and say, Lord, is there an area of my heart that I'm not walking in the spirit that I've been holding onto and defending selfishly? Will you point that out to me? Listen, listen, listen for his voice right now. Oh, just confess it.

Bring it to the cross for crucifixion. Let it die. And ask Jesus for his life in that area. Help me to walk according to your spirit in that area. Jesus.

Now, look at me I'm I'm done praying for you in in this moment but as you leave here today, the Holy Spirit may say, tap, tap, tap. Hey, I want to revisit the tenderness of the moment of your heart when you were at, when we were gathered together earlier this morning. I want to revisit that. Okay, lord. And then he'll just speak to you and he'll help you.

Hold your hands like this so that the spirit of the lord can just hover over you. And you've got maximum receptors out. Holy Spirit, we love you. Jesus, we love you. Thank you.

Thank you for being good to us. Thank you that you didn't just allow our flesh in the best way that it can try to figure out, walk according to a way that would please you but you've put your holy spirit inside of us and we can walk according to your spirit. That you are well pleased with and is in perfect harmony with your will according to your good pleasure. Help us to walk according to your spirit, impart on us why it is so vitally important that we walk according to the spirit. Give us favor.

As we fly the search and rescue helicopter around the valley, give us favor as we lead and nurture students here in this valley. Give us favor as we conduct and operate our business here in this valley. Give us favor among our peers. Wherever we're traveling from back home. We pray these things in Jesus name, the strong side of god and everybody said, amen.

I love you so very much. I want you to have a great week. If there's anything that you need prayer for, Lee and Colleen are going to move their way to the back of the room. They would love to pray for you. I hope you have a great week and remember, Diane, you got this.