Galatians: The Life I Now LiveSample

Let’s think some more about what it means to live by the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, to sow to please the Spirit. 

If we are to sow to please the Spirit, what pleases the Spirit? If we were to read through the whole New Testament and look for teaching about the Holy Spirit, we would get a clear sense of what pleases the Spirit: 

• The Spirit cares about the oneness of the Father and the Son – the relationship of the God who is Trinity.
• He cares about our relationship with God. It’s the Spirit that sealed us. It’s the Spirit that pours out the love of God into our hearts. It’s the Spirit that takes our prayers and brings them to the Father. It’s the Spirit that cares about us understanding the Word that He inspired. The Spirit is passionate about communication – God to us and us to God. 
• He cares about our relationships with each other. He cares about how we use His gifts to build one another up in the body of Christ. He wants our words to give grace to each other, and when they don’t He is grieved. 

So what does it mean to sow to the Spirit? At the very least, it must mean the following: 

• It means having a heart that is open to God’s word. We will spend time in the Bible, getting to know God more, allowing His Spirit to shape and change what we love, how we think, and how we live. 
• It means praying to God with a transparent vulnerability. Instead of perfunctory prayers spoken without an engaged heart, or selfish prayers offered in a demanding tone, we will pray and lay our hearts bare before God, seeking His desire in each situation that concerns us or Him.
• It means caring about our relationships with each other in the church. We will pursue honesty, graciousness, and building others up. The Spirit is pleased when we care for each other, express appreciation, and stop gossip in its tracks. 

If we will sow to the Spirit then we will reap the harvest of a church community that is truly delightful. 

Reflection

Consider your local church community. Praise God for every aspect that is delightfully Christ-like. Pray for God to lead your church toward a harvest of delightful Christ-likeness. Ask that He begin in you.