Battling the Flesh

Galations 5:16-21 - The Battle

1.We Must Recognize Victory is Certain v 16-18
i. The Conflict v. 17a
ii. The Constraint v. 17b-18

2.Secondly We Must Recognize the Enemy v. 19
a. v. 19-21 breaks up the enemy into 3 categories
i. Self Satisfaction
1.The first is Immorality
2.Secondly in v. 19 we have the enemy of Impurity
3.Thirdly we see Sensuality v. 19
ii.Religiously
1.This starts in v. 20 with Idolatry
2.Next we see Sorcery also in v. 20
iii.Relationships
1.Starting in the middle of v. 20 we have Hatred
2.Then we see Strife
3.Then we have Jealousy
4.Next in v.20 our Jealousy opens into Wrath or Outbursts of Anger
5.Then we have Disputes
6.Dissensions
7.Next we see Factions
8.Starting in v. 21 we have Envying
9.Rounding our list off is Drunkenness and Carousing

Conclusion - Where does the Holy Spirit lead us? There are 8 places the Holy Spirit leads us:
1.To freedom (Gal. 5:1)
2.To holiness (2 Thess. 2:13)
3.To the Word of Truth (John 16:14)
4.To fruitfulness (Gal. 5:22-23)
5.To prayer (Eph. 2:18)
6.To assurance (Rom. 8:16)
7.To evangelism (Acts 1:8)
8.To submission (Eph. 5:18-21)