When Israel prepared to conquer the city of Jericho, God gave them a plan to follow. The soldiers were to march quietly around the city once each day for six days. On the seventh day, seven priests and the ark were to lead the soldiers and blow on their ram’s horns. They were to march around the city seven times that day and then the priests were to blow long on their trumpets and the soldiers were to shout, then God would cause the walls of the city to fall down. When the people followed God’s victory plan, the walls fell and the city was taken.

God has given us a victory plan for overcoming lusts of the flesh. Lust of the flesh is the desire for what God says is wrong. This may include bad thoughts, anger, selfishness, arguing, unkindness, rebellion, looking like the world, dressing immodesty, disobedience, swearing, or watching bad movies. If we follow God’s plan, we can have victory. If we don’t we will fail. How many would like victory over the flesh? __

Transition

God’s victory plan has three parts to it: 1) The power, 2) the path, and 3) the promise. If we follow this threefold plan, we will have victory.

The Power

1. We must admit our lack of power
   1. Before salvation, we were ruled by the flesh. (Eph 2:3) “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” We do not walk after [i.e., under the power of] the flesh. (Rom 8:1) “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
   2. At the same time, our sinful flesh still wants to control us. Our flesh desires things against the Spirit. The Holy Spirit desires things against our sinful flesh. (Rom 7:18) “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
   3. Our fleshly desires are contrary or set against the will of the Spirit. Our flesh and the Holy Spirit oppose each other. Every choice we make is either pleasing our flesh or pleasing the Spirit. No choice can be both.
2. We must depend on the Holy Spirit’s power
   1. The Holy Spirit is Almighty God (Ac 5:3-4).
   2. The Spirit lives in every believer. (Rom 8:9) “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”
   3. The Spirit wants to produce fruit in believers (v.22-23). His fruits are opposite to the works of the flesh (v.19-21). Though a Christian is capable of committing any work of the flesh, but if he does, the Lord will chasten him. Any person who continually practices a work of the flesh without God’s severe chastening, is not a true Christian (Heb 12:5-8), and will not inherit the kingdom of God (v.21).
   4. True Christians have crucified the flesh (v.24). If you are a Christian, you chose to die to the flesh when you asked Christ to save you. Paul wrote, (Rom 6:2) “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

The Path

How are we to fulfil God’s victory plan? In other words, what are we to do so that we can live in victory over our sinful desires?

1. We must walk in the Spirit (v.16)
   1. This word “walk” means to make one’s way, progress; to make due use of opportunities. Thayer It describes how we conduct our life.
   2. We must conduct our life in (or by) the Spirit. “Paul admonishes them to continue to govern their lives by the inward impulses of the Holy Spirit.” Wuest To walk in the Spirit, we must yield to His conviction and His will.
      1. Say no to temptations so we don’t grieve the Spirit.
      2. Immediately confess all sin.
      3. Daily draw near to God through Bible study and prayer. (How many of you read the Bible every day this week?)
      4. Seek to please the Lord, not ourselves.
      5. Allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in our lives without resisting Him.
2. We must be led by the Spirit (v.18)
   1. To be “led by the Spirit” is to be guided or conducted by Him. ILLUS: Following a guide through a cave.
   2. True Christians are led by the Spirit because He lives in them. However, not every Christian follows His leading.
   3. To be led by the Spirit we must cooperate with Him. We must go His way and follow his guidance. We must deny ourselves. Remember, our selfish fleshly desires are the opposite of His holy will.
3. We must walk in the Spirit (v.25)
   1. Every true Christian lives in the Spirit, but not every Christian walks in the Spirit.
   2. This word “walk” in this verse is a totally different word than the one found in v.16.
   3. This word “walk” means to proceed in a row as the march of a soldier, go in order. The TDNT adds that the word means to be in rank, to be in agreement and to be in step with.
   4. When I was in high school, I was in a marching band. There were over 100 students in our marching band. One of the things our band director was very strict about was that we must march in straight lines and march in step. To do this we had to concentrate and practice. Every year at the homecoming football game, we did a special march on the football field in the dark with torches taped to our ankles. Every turn had to be memorised and every student must stay in line and in step while we played the music by memory.
   5. If we are going to walk in step with the Holy Spirit, we must take every step He takes. We must stay right beside Him all the time.
   6. This walk in the Spirit is to be a continual walk (all day long every day). However, it is a subjunctive verb, which means it will happen only if the conditions are met. The Holy Spirit will not force you to walk in step with Him. You must make that choice and put out the effort.

The Promise

1. First, let’s note the verb of the promise
   1. “Shall fulfil” is the verb. The word “fulfil” means to execute, perform, complete, fulfil. Abbot-Smith In other words, it is yielding to the lust of the flesh and completing its evil action.
   2. Though this looks like a future promise, it is actually a subjunctive promise that emphasizes a sure possibility if the conditions are met. When we walk in the Spirit, we may not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Victory is sure but it depends on us walking in the Spirit.
2. Second, the promise contains a double negative
   1. Another important fact in this statement is the unseen double negative. The Greek reads you may not not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
   2. In English double negatives are bad grammar and two negatives make a positive. This is not true in Greek. In Greek, doubling the negative doubles its strength.
   3. God’s promise to us is that if we will walk in the Spirit there is absolutely no way that we will fulfil the lust of the flesh. When the Spirit is in control, He won’t let us sin.

Conclusion

If you have been yielding to the flesh by being selfish, angry, unkind, rebellious, hateful, lustful, grumpy, disobedient, by listening to ungodly music, watching filthy videos or some other sin, you have been living a defeated Christian life. If that is the case, it is not God’s fault. His victory plan always works. When we get defeated by our lust, it is our fault for not following God’s victory plan.

If you have been defeated, depend on God’s power. In your own strength, you will fail. Follow God’s path – walk in the Spirit by drawing near and obeying Him. Be led or guided by the Spirit. And walk in step with the Spirit.

The key to God’s victory plan is to say NO to fleshly desires and YES to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Song: Victory in Jesus – 496
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God’s Victory Plan
24 April 2016 PM – Galatians 5:16-25 – Scott Childs