Freedom in Christ, Help in the Holy Spirit

Galatians 5:13-24

Have you ever bought “make at home” furniture? You know, the kind where you buy it online or in store, it comes in a box, and then you assemble it in your home. It is inevitable that the instructions will be sub par, there will be drops, bangs on the floor, and a couple “do these pieces go together?” comments.  What saves the day though? What makes it possible to construct the piece of furniture? The instructions and tools, usually one of those hex wrenches they provide. We have everything we need to build the furniture, but if we do not rely on the instruction and the tools we will likely fail to construct it. 

See, in Christ we are free to walk in new life, to follow him to the day we get called to Heaven. He has taken the cross, died, and resurrected, even giving his followers a commission before he left the earth. But in our brokenness we still walk in the passions of our flesh at times. We are free to walk in righteousness but oftentimes find ourselves walking in our flesh or desiring to at least. But Jesus imparted to us the perfect instruction, the perfect help, the perfect tool to engage this world as followers of Christ. He gave us the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit and the passions of our flesh are at odds, the Holy Spirit provided to help us counter our sinful desires and seek righteousness. We might be having a terrible day and a classmate or co worker is really getting under our skin, without the proper tools we wouldn't be able to build Christ’s Kingdom properly. But with the Holy Spirit giving us the fruit of love and joy we have what it takes to exemplify Christ and build his name on this earth. 

When we see the Holy Spirit this way, as the helper that God provided us to engage life, it is super helpful for our daily lives, the big things, the little things, and everything in between. Church, let us engage the Spirit, walking in its fruits and denying the passions of the flesh.