Open up your Bibles to Galatians 5 and we’re going to add a few more to the list of yuck – Yes, the left side of the list under the label “Without the Holy Spirit”. We’re looking at what we do and who we naturally become the Holy Spirit isn’t given room in our lives and we’re directed by the world and our flesh. This list is like a blarring alarm, “WARNING, THIS ISN’T WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU”. If you find yourself doing these things continually, you can now know why. If someone you love is doing these things, you can know why. Wrong director. Wrong influence. Wrong side of the list.

Looking at Galatians 5: 19-21, in part 1 we studied “sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures and idolatry”. In Part 2 we studied “sorcery, hostility, quarreling and jealousy”. Well, that’s been fun, hasn’t it? Let’s address the next 5 today with what happens when our lives aren’t following the direction of the Holy Spirit, “Outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division”. These are 5 attitudes and behaviors that damage our relationship with God and with other people.

1. Outbursts of Anger
This is a desire to control situations or people when things don’t go our way. We lash out, we say things to hurt others, we lose control of our emotions and our mouth. This is not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God never leads us to just blow up. It’s never his desire for us to lose our temper.

Scripture says, “In your anger do not sin.” It’s okay to be angry sometimes. There are things that should make us angry. But there’s righteous anger and outbursts of anger. There’s anger that leads to healthy change, and there’s anger that just hurts people. Check your anger sis.

God didn’t design you to be continually angry and disgruntled about something. Some of us walk around continually angry about life and we wonder why we struggle to have good relationships and feelings of happiness. Girl, you’ve got a grouchy bug in you.

2. Selfish Ambition
This is a self-seeking attitude that says, “What’s in it for me?” Do you have a unique way of making everything all about you? Yeah, that’s selfish-ambition, and guess what, that’s not from the Holy Spirit.

When we pursue our own success, happiness or advantage at the expense of everyone else, this not only makes us look like a real crap person, but it grieves God. Selfish was NOT the example of Jesus. Never once do we see Jesus in all of his righteousness, in all of his glory, in all of his power making everything about him at the expense of others. When really, it really was all about him. He was and is the answer to everything, but he sits down with the sinner, he draws near to the pain, he stretches out a hand to the hurt.

If we’re going to be like Jesus, all our selfish ambition has to be stripped away. If we’re going to be like Jesus, we will willingly bend down and wash feet even if we are the greatest in the room.

So really, what is the Holy Spirit calling you to do in the group you’re in … he’s calling you to make it about them and not about you.

3. Dissension
This might be a new word for you. What does this mean? Dissension is a critical spirit that constantly looks for flaws and faults in others. Rather than building up, it tears down, creating conflict, tension, and division.

Have you ever heard someone use the expression, “Well, I’ll be the devil’s advocate”, then they stream a bunch of negative punches and critiques. Hey let me tell you something, the devil doesn’t need an advocate! Why would we advocate for the one who is against us? Why would you ever speak up for him sharing his opinions?

The child growing up under dissension feels never good enough. The wife living in dissension feels continually defeated. You know that if you’ve lived in it. Now the question is, are you creating it in your home? Are you constantly correcting, belittling, nagging and critiquing? Is it just never good enough for you, always needing improvement.

The dish washer just can’t be loaded right by anyone else. Their driving is never okay. The way they fold laundry drives you insane. And oh my gosh, why do they do what the do the way they do it? Girl, stop that! That is dissension. That’s looking for the flaw. That’s creating fault. And it’s coming from a heart that is more focused on finding faults than extending grace. If you’re searching for weaknesses and tearing down rather than building up, that’s simply NOT from the Holy Spirit. That’s the other side of the list.

– Game around the table – imitate someone else – if they were to imitate you at the table, in the car, at the office, would you like what you heard and saw?

– Friends – Monica’s mother – that’s dissension

Being the fault finder is not our calling!

4. Division
Instead of bringing people together, sometimes we thrive in dividing people and putting them against one another. We create an “us against them” script. We retell the story so more gather on your side. But opps, take a look where that is on the lists, that’s the wrong side. This isn’t what the Holy Spirit guides us to. This is what the world does. This is what our flesh desires.

Some families do this against eachother. There’s mom’s side versus dad’s side, and you have to choose one. Hey let me tell you what that creates – a whole bunch of losers. No one wins in that game. You’re just divided.

5. Envy
This is like jealousy, but even more so than you wanting what someone else has, you don’t want them to have it either. Envy comes from a deep insecurity and unhappiness with self. The Holy Spirit wants you to have a holy confidence in precisely who you are and where you stand with God because when you don’t you project that doubt onto others.

If you can’t celebrate someone else, there’s a problem. If you are in a constant mental comparison with someone else, there’s a problem. If you’re secretly wanting someone else to fail, there’s a problem. And let me tell you, that’s such a foothold to the enemy of your soul. He’ll eat you up with envy and he’ll turn you into someone you never wanted to be.

You can’t be grateful when you’re envious. You can’t be happy when you’re envious. So you’re left weak, disappointed, and sad. That’s NOT the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy.

With each of these is an invitation to examine ourselves. Is this showing up anywhere in our lives? Where does it come from – NOT from the Holy Spirit. Where does it lead – NOT to God’s good plans for you. What can you do about it? Recognize it – take responsibility for it – ask forgiveness for it – and seek God for special strength to change it.

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