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Well, we've got but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness Temperance against such there is no law and they that a Christ have crucified the flesh of the affections and lusts if we live In the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit and you almost feel like this chapter should have ended there But then there's this additional verse in verse 26, which is let us not be desirous of vainglory Provoking one another envying one another The title of my sermon this morning is from that verse it is let us not be desirous of vainglory Let us not be desirous of vain glory. I'd like to pray before we get going with the message for the thanks for your word Thank you Lord for well the the truths of this chapter and many others Lord that we're going to look at today Lord help me to preach them accurately clearly boldly and help everyone to just receive this as it's meant to be Lord is a To help them to help all of us Lord to help this church as well to just keep growing to keep thriving And to keep being in the spirit Lord them. I just pray that you just just bless me as I preach now Fill with your spirit, please Lord the Jesus don't pray. Amen Okay. So like I said, let us not be desirous of vainglory as the title this morning before we really get into this verse I'd like to back up a bit and explain what can be confusing verses maybe for many in this chapter and You could maybe say abusing verses for others So many have probably use these verses to teach falsehoods Galatians 5 says this in verse 16 Galatians 5 16 says this I say then walk in the Spirit and you shall not Fulfill the lust of the flesh so when you got saved Okay The second you got saved if you're in here and you're saved you were in dwelt with the Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity Ephesians 1 13 says of Christ in whom you also trusted after that you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation In whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise Sealed with the Holy Spirit when you put your faith your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ so we can be filled With that Holy Spirit though as well that was promised us we can walk in that spirit or we can quench the spirit Okay, how do we quench the spirit? Well when we're fulfilling the lust of the flesh That's how we quench the spirit for the flesh verse 17 where you are in Galatians 5 for the flesh lusteth against the spirit Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so you cannot do the things that you would so they're contrary They're in opposition if you're in the flesh you won't be in the spirit and vice versa Verse 18, but if you be led of the spirit you are not under the law now led of the spirit is a saved Okay, this verse is it isn't about walking in or being filled to the spirit It's all saved people led of the spirit is being saved For example Romans 8 14 says for as many as are led by the Spirit of God. They are the sons of God You're no longer under the law, but being saved doesn't mean that you're going to follow that lead You're not just going to automatically follow that lead which is why Paul in first Thessalonians 5 19 Commands us to quench not the spirit We're told to quench not that spirit which means don't repress or maybe stifle or prevent the Holy Spirit Yes, he leads us but we have the choice whether to follow Okay, whether to walk in the spirit or walk in the flesh We have that choice and the majority of saved people seem to choose to walk in the flesh Sadly probably the majority of the time which prevents them for walking in the spirit sometimes at all Okay, what sort of things then are the lusts of the flesh? Well, we get to see some of these here which show that we're not walking in the spirit Okay, so with these things show that someone's not walking in the spirit He said in verse 19 now the works of the flesh are manifest Which are these? adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness, so Lasciviousness is lustful indulgences. Okay. These are the various sexual sins obviously, okay verse 20 idolatry witchcraft hatred variants emulations wrath strife seditions heresy So variance is discord disagreement a dispute for controversy Okay for that for that goal emulations a sort of carnal rivalries we might say seditions or oppositions to authority and Heresies being false teachings verse 21 said envying murders drunkenness revelings and such like of the witch I tell you before as I've told you in time pass it they which do such Things shall not inherit the kingdom of God now envying is what the world might call jealousy But it's envying others for what they have whether material or not. Okay drunkenness would include I would say clearly various drugs as well Revelings allowed feasting's loud excessive partying type stuff and just to dispel any confusion here Okay, Paul hasn't suddenly added a new condition to salvation He has it. He hasn't just gone right Okay, after all that preaching all that stuff in Romans and and earlier on in Galatians, you know It's faith alone for you all the children God by faith in Christ Jesus Galatians 3 26 He has it now decide. I'll just need a slip in a new condition that I just forgot to mention earlier Okay, which just to remind you, okay? You he included common things like hatred Variance and of course, you know, there is a time to hate as we see there's a time to love There's a time to hate and and variants but he's talking about carnal reasons for this variance emulations wrath strife Seditions heresies and he's not to about damnable heresies here Okay, envying s' revelings and any sudden such like and such like that's a bit ambiguous, isn't it? Such like just you know similar things and similar things to that They which do such things Sounds a bit open as well, doesn't it? Just people that do stuff like this. That sounds a bit open as well. So basically He's saying they that sin They that sin it's sin, which is basically if you're sinning you're just living in sin You're just openly sinning you're going to be in the flesh But first John 1 8 says if we say that we have no sin We deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us So keep a finger here in turn of Romans 7 Romans chapter 7 where the man that wrote this the Apostle Paul who by the way said towards the end of his life in 2 Timothy 4 7 I have fought a good fight. I have finished my cause I have kept the faith And then he went on to say that there was a crown of righteousness awaiting him Anyone think Paul isn't in heaven The Apostle Paul is not in heaven. It's pretty clear the Apostle Paul's in heaven Okay, under inspiration of the Holy Ghost he said there's a crown of righteousness awaiting him. Okay, clearly I don't think anyone would question that but that same Paul said this in Romans 7 15 where you are Romans 7 and verse 15 For that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that That do I he said in verse 19 of Romans 7 for the good that I would I do not But the evil which I would not that I do so the evil sounds Pretty much like sin to me, doesn't it? And I think he's talking about anything else. It's sin, right? Why does he commit sin verse 22 tells us for I delight in the law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members Warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin Which is in my members It's that horrible flesh that old man that sinful body that we just saw in Galatians 5 is contrary to the spirit verse 24 Paul the Apostle Paul who said he kept the faith he said there's a crown of righteousness awaiting him said Oh wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I Thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin So that's an ongoing battle. But thank God that we're saved by his righteousness and not ours Philippians 3 9 you have to turn there says and be found in him not having my own righteousness Which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ of righteousness, which is of God by faith And that's imputed unto us the second. We trust Christ for salvation We saw in Ephesians 1 13 that that second we're sealed Sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise turn over to Romans 8 while we're there Romans 8 which says in verse 33 Romans 8 33 says who shall he didn't says who has who shall Future ongoing lay anything to the charge of God's elect it is God that justifieth. It's not happening Not us through our goodness through our avoiding the works of the flesh look it's got nothing to do with us Okay, who is he that condemneth it? Is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us it's believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved shout Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or saw that's rhetorical nothing And no one can nothing and no one can which is why Romans 4 8 says blessed is a man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Talking about the saved man. God will not impute sin unto you so with that in mind there are many other clear salvation verses when Paul said to the Galatian Church back in Galatians and Chapter chapter 5 21 At the end of the verse he said of the which I tell you before as I've also told you in time past that they Which do such things so just basically these sinful things shall not inherit the kingdom of God Just to remind you our doctrine is built upon the foundation The cornerstone of faith in Jesus Christ the gospel or glad tidings of good news So we build upon that without that you could easily look at verses like this and not know what's going on But with your your your doctrine built on the foundation of cornerstone your faith in Christ alone for salvation We then build upon that don't we and then we can understand verses like this Paul is reminding the Galatians that this stuff is of the world. It's not for God's people That's what he's saying He didn't say you or you by the way that do these things so he's it which is how he's been referring to the Galatian Church all the way up until this point He said for example in verse 16 this I say they're walking the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh For the flesh lusteth against spirit the spirit against flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye Cannot do things that you would but if ye be led of the spirit ye are not under the law He then gives that ambiguous list and then says of the which I tell you before as I've told you in time past that They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God He's saying that the world does all of that kind of stuff But they're not inheriting the kingdom of God. They're not saved Like in 1st Corinthians 6 and you don't have to turn there when he when he reminds them that the unrighteous Won't inherit the kingdom of God He gives a long list of types of sinners and says in 1st Corinthians 6 11 and such for some of you But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified But ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the spirit of our God So Paul has given us a list of works of the flesh Okay a list of the works of the flesh it's not about your salvation But he then says that's the stuff that all the world does basically you shouldn't be doing this stuff You don't want to be doing this stuff surely and he then says this but the fruit of the spirit verse 22 is Love joy. Peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law meekness is humility Maybe we'd say submission to God temperance series moderation self-control self-discipline He said in verse 24 and they that a Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections of lust now This is referring to the old man our sinful body which will eventually be destroyed Romans 6 6 says knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth We should not serve sin, but it's not automatic like Paul We will battle the flesh until we're delivered from this body of this death, right? Which is why he then exhorts the Galatian Church along with himself to not just saying it to the Galatian Church He's exhorting the Galatian Church along with himself He said if we live in the spirit let us also walk in the flesh We live in the spirit because we're saved but let us also walk in or be filled with the spirit by denying the flesh and We saw that list of the works of the flesh Remember verse 19 said now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envying murders drunkenness revelings and such like So after this encouragement to deny these things to walk in the spirit There's then this added extra he then says back if you jump forward now to verse 25 He says if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit Let us not be desirous of vainglory provoking one another Envying one another and let me tell you why okay why because you could work through those more obvious sins You could you could work through or know that I'm good on the sexual sin front, you know, maybe you're Faithfully married, maybe you're not but you know I'm not gonna I'm gonna flee fornication because I know what how God sees it compared with how the world sees it Maybe the idolatry you just know look now God's up here in my life Nothing and no one is coming anywhere close to God God's at the top in my life And and and the God God who reveals himself through his word, right? So word of God as revealing God, right? Maybe you you know, look I'm gonna keep away from witchcraft Okay, all of that superstitious stuff all of that horoscope stuff all of that witchy woo stuff I just keep away from that. It starts to become obvious, doesn't it? Okay, you're trying not to maybe get in rows Yeah, you're not just out for strife you you're reducing all of that unrighteous anger and all of that hatred and again unrighteous hatred Unrighteous rat. Yeah, there is a time isn't there? Okay, you know the Bob says be angry and sin not okay But let not the Sun go down upon you at you're not just sitting there angry all the time You're you're you know, it's for the right reasons and it's not just this permanent stuff going on You're learning to submit to the authorities in your life. Okay, you're like, yeah. No, I understand. Yeah, I'm not I'm not the top here. Obviously God's at the top and their authorities God-given authorities in our life, right? But maybe the murder becomes a bit less tempting. Yeah, you know, you're okay. I'm working through this now I'm not plotting and planning it anymore, right? No, but but maybe you could say with that maybe maybe you now start to see abortion for what it is How about that? You know, that's murder. Yeah No that I'm not gonna be involved in that sort of stuff anymore turning a blind eye acting like it's just my body my choice Nonsense. Yeah unscientific nonsense Maybe you've been sober for a while now. Maybe you've been sober for a long time, right? They've stopped inviting you to the parties as well, you know in the end they get they get sick of invite you to the parties Because you're not going and you're not getting involved with all that right, but you're still in the flesh You're still in the flesh something is still a problem You're like, yeah, but I've picked up all that and that's why Paul said this He said if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit He's gone through all this stuff and then he reminds him in verse 26. Let us not be desirous of vainglory provoking one another Envying one another the problem is that you're still trying to seek some vain empty glory You're still trying to lift yourself up to other people or be lifted up to other people You're still focusing on some vainglory. You still desire some worthless glory. Maybe it's to be famous Maybe it's to be popular on social media. Maybe it's to be the most popular in the church Maybe it's to look like the best mum the best dad the most holy the most intelligent the best car the best house the best kids The list goes on but it's all vainglory It's vainglory and it will prevent you walking in the spirit If that's what you're focusing on the glory of men the vain the empty the worthless glory You're still in this you're still in the flesh. You're not in the spirit. You won't be walking in the spirit And then it has knock-on effects to other sins. It says in verse 26 there of Galatians 5. Let us not be desirous of vainglory provoking one another Envying one another So it starts with the desire of vainglory and then it results in provoking one another and everything one another Okay, that's pretty clear how that's written there Let us not be desirous of vainglory Provoking one another envying one another and let me give you some like just an idea of how this might happen Okay, so say for example, and this is a pretty kind of Silly, but you you might you might have seen this sort of stuff before regardless Someone here wants the vainglory of appearing to be really holy to other people and you might get this in church circles It's like I'm gonna I'm gonna show my holiness. I want that vainglory of men to think yeah That's a really holy buzz you get holier than now sadly a lot in church settings and things like that Okay, now God of course said be holy but this person's motivation. Is it to be holy? It's to be seen to be holy two separate things, right? So they want to see to be seen to be holy by other people So they keep slipping a bit of you know, the old the old holy self advertisement into conversation You know just slipping a little little holy thing there a little just a memory a little like the conversation angle changes to reveal Their holiness, you know, you know the stuff that people do right, you know They kind of guide the conversation one way so they can talk about their holiness in one way or another, right? Okay there and it provokes so but what happens it provokes someone who's like-minded now to do the same So you're caught see here in this person just telling you about their holiness and then it's Show them that I'm holy too. I better show them. I'm holier than them, right? So they get provoked, right? What follows then is what the envying starts to kick in right? They're envying maybe each other's standing in other people's eyes or maybe it's someone separate now, right? So when I want to look holy They're provoking other people and people are trying to compete with this holiness and now they're envying other people's so-called perceived holiness or the other Person maybe it may be someone who's just legitimately fairly holy living and now they're envying that right and again This is just one thing you can apply to a hundred probably a thousand different subjects. Okay, why why does it get to that? Because they so want that vainglory So they want it they're provoking other people it starts to have a knock-on effect and you can see how this can affect a church Right, you can see how this can affect a group whatever group but especially we're talking about in a church setting here And the problem with envy is that it's so powerful as I've said many times if you deal with envy that is a powerful emotion Proverbs 27 4 says wrath is cruel and anger is outrageous, but who is able to stand before envy? He say look, there's a cruelty that comes with wrath. Sometimes that when you feel a wrath you can do some cruel things There's some outrageous things that happen with anger sometimes But who's able to stand before envy? Because that envy is more powerful than the rest of it So it creates the hatred the wrath the emulations of strife all those things that we were just reading about being works of the flesh Are you walking the spirit when you're doing all that stuff no chance You're not walking the spirit You might have you might have ticked all those other books But you're not walking the spirit because you're still desires of the vainglory and now it's had a knock-on effect all these other fleshly things as well That's why Paul said let us Not be desirous of vainglory In verse 26 of Galatians 5 and he included himself there Why because this is a temptation for everyone for all of us even the Apostle Paul The Apostle Paul included himself and it includes pastors includes preachers it includes mature Christians It includes three to five soul winning machines Everyone everyone this is a temptation for Desiring vainglory and this is one of the drawbacks for me of social media Christianity One of the drawbacks, okay now it's not that it's all bad You might have heard me say this stuff sometimes, you know, because I see a lot of negativity with it So it's all bad. Okay, many people haven't continued to get saved by hearing the gospel online, don't they? Okay, many people here got saved by hearing the gospel online Perhaps it's a big part. I don't know if you ever thought this of how Matthew 24 14 will be fulfilled You have to turn there Just just the one verse Matthew 24 14 says in this gospel of the kingdom shall be preaching all the world For a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come and maybe the persecution might drive people those remote areas Where they maybe aren't on the internet and everywhere else pretty much the gospel is pretty much going out to most the world right now Isn't it? It's everywhere there if if people want to see it, right? And many people have also learned and grown from online preach over the years Okay So I'm not saying it's all bad in fact people have been have been saved not just by gospel presentation be saved by listening to a Sermon which included the gospel in it and stuff Okay But they're also a lot of people out there that instead of just wanting to serve God in what whatever capacity he shows them They desire the vainglory that can come from social media or at least that they perceive comes from social media For example the guy in his mum's spare room teaching the Bible with clickbait titles I Mean is it because he just really needs to show people is that really his motivation or is it just views likes? I just think I just want a following and they're not all bad. It's not that all false prophets But it's the desiring vainglory, isn't it? Why the clickbait stuff? Why oh well then more people will look at what I'm teaching is that really why or is it the vainglory, right? The woman with her online teaching ministry, but she's justified in whatever way the Christian with a random channel About anything that they think could get some views likes followers temporary fame doesn't have to be Christian themed There are lots of people out there. They're just I just need some attention. Just need some I just need some vainglory, right? Several years ago. Okay, there was apparently a plethora Okay of guys in the online world wanting to be a pastor when when you know kind of YouTube was really growing and all these people Were seeing this stuff. It's in these sermons and documentaries and all this stuff And there was suddenly there's this big like growing load of people and aside from the devil's obviously You'll always attract the devil's with that sort of thing where God's works being done the devil the gospel's going you'll attract the devil's Do you think that they all just felt a calling? Do you think they all felt suited saw a need? Maybe felt close to meeting the qualifications. Do you think so? Do you think that's what it was about with all those people? No Okay, not not all not all but but many were desires of vainglory They saw some supposed glory out there connected to some pastors and wanted to make a name for themselves They wanted attention they wanted respect maybe but that's a surefire way not to be spirit filled Because all that vainglory if that's what you're craving what you're seeking what you're going for. Whatever Reasoning it is. It's vainglory. Ultimately if you're not just saying what you want for me good They're really You're not gonna be full of the spirit verse 25 said if we live in the spirit Let us also walk in the spirit. Let us not be desires of vainglory provoking one another envying one another. What is the result? People being provoked to vie for the position of a pastor You know, I could try and get there and provoking other people then they're envying each other Envying other like kind of up and rising preachers pastors out there and what a mess, right? What a mess But 2,000 years ago there wasn't an online world was there? This was a warning for those in and around churches Okay, so of course there's the online world and I would say that the online world is really desensitized people and that includes and gods People too, of course. Okay, but just across the world They they've been Desensitized to attention seeking and other narcissistic type behavior Because honestly like half the stuff you see out on the online world it all over. I'm not just talking Christianity Just all over is stuff that 30 40 years ago the sort of behavior you just be like what on earth Me me me self self self attention seeker So all these people out there people who just you know, these like commenters on things that think they're like, you know They're just what they have to say is so important. Just it's just bizarre behavior and baby get desensitized You're just seeing it all the time. So tell me all this me me me stuff videos of myself pictures of myself I mean in the old days if you know you went around someone's house They've been on holiday and it would be a little you go away going to show me all their holiday pictures. I'm not interested. I Mean that's how it used to be. Didn't it? I met many years ago a few decades ago Nowadays that's all people are doing Making people sit through at least, you know, hoping and thinking people are going to want to sit through their photos I mean, it's pathetic really right their videos their photos their life their stuff. It's it's look at me It's vainglory So much of what you see is vainglory Which Especially okay, especially when it comes to the self-promotion stuff for the glory the seeking stuff Which for me makes this warning here in Galatians 5 26 as applicable now as ever Surely this warning here is as applicable now as ever before Okay And in churches this stuff causes big problems like I've mentioned earlier because it provokes others it creates envy problems and it results in what? Less spirit filled church members and we want spirit filled church members Don't we because we're trying to do the work of God. We need the spirit to do that So with that in mind here are some things that people might try to seek some vainglory for and again Just to make it clear. I'm not like picky on anyone here I'm not if this treads on some toes brilliant. Okay, if it treads on some toes, that means great You can you know put a bit of ice on them and hopefully they'll improve. Yeah, okay But you know these and again there's some of these things are just things I've seen in circles at the outside of church circles But we all have the flesh So that means if you're gonna see it outside you're gonna see it inside and it might be something that we do within the future Okay. So for example one that you'll see in all sorts of areas of life. Okay is parenting the vainglory of parenting It's not about like can I be the best parent? I cannot can I appear to be? Can I be better than everyone else whatever ways and this is some bizarre stuff? I've seen okay, for example the claims that their babies been sleeping through the night from birth or something. Yeah. Oh Well, they know I mean we're just so blessed because the baby just sleeps all the way through the night for birth That's impossible And then when you kind of boil it down, it's like well from like midnight to 4 a.m. You know something and it was after about a month, you know, come on. Yeah, right It's not something to get you're not gonna get like what's the glory what glory are you looking for that? I've heard this stuff and what does it do? And again, what does it do? What do we keep seeing this verse it provokes others? So sadly and a lot of like a lot of the time, you know, mom's off They've had a baby they could be a bit insecure. They could be a bit kind of like it funny things hard and stuff You know, so then it kind of provokes them to be like And then they'd like got to get my baby do the same. Maybe be a little bit, you know You know, just just not quite give the whole truth. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah mine does pretty much as well Yeah, and then is that and then they're everything each other and then they're going I feel I just can't believe I wish my baby was like that. Why do they get it? Why do they get the easy baby? But what they don't realize it wasn't an easy baby was just Desiring vainglory for example, okay I've seen weird competitiveness and some sort of vainglory about how soon a child walks And this is a bizarre one. Okay, it's like walking after eight months and it's like No, you know you've had your child in a walker since they're about four months. You've been training them and training It's weird people do this stuff right? It's like what's that got to do with you? What's who cares in fact be careful, right? You don't want to be forcing them on their feet too early, right? But that sort of stuff How soon they talk, you know, you ever heard that one my baby's talk to you, really? Sorry Say dada they just made some noises Yeah, and who cares like I mean in a back look. Yeah, it's cool. It's cool when your baby's talking stuff You see a lot of that right my baby's and your baby's not really talk You don't really want to break it to him right the cat What about the counting one you ever had that one when they've been like, you know, that baby's being drilled They've been trained. I've been like military training at home to get them counting just so everyone else would be like, wow What a what an intellect. I mean that baby was counting really early I mean must be so intelligent and they grow up to like just be a normal child. Yeah And you know, they've been trained up fed again We're there to take we're trained we're there to train our children Okay, and in the way that they should go and obviously counting is something you probably need to be able to do Otherwise, you're gonna have a pretty rotten life. Okay ripped off everywhere. Okay, but Training them up for the Vaingloy now if you're if you're just like I'm just teaching my child great But again, it's what what's your motivation right the talk to read one? Some people are really hot on this one Then they want to tell everyone and you know check with everyone else and see when when's their child? Mine's already reading Mine sitting there reading their King James Bible at three months old. What about yours, you know, and there's again It's a vainglory right how quiet they are in church services now again You want yeah great if you can but some people it becomes this vainglory thing where they're trying to Impress and trying to kind of you know, look like get some glory from others about it other behavioral achievements Whatever it is the list goes on It's vainglory and it just provokes others to do the same and then you got the envy to deal with after that So this is all poisonous stuff. Yeah, you can see that right poison stuff that prevents people being in the spirit We want to be in the spirit so we can deny the flesh because when we're not in the spirit We're not going to deny the flesh. Okay. He said let us not be desires of vainglory Provoking one another envying one another here's another one that I have seen a lot in our church Fortunately not recently so winning okay, the competitive vainglory of Either how often you go so winning whether you're going so winning, you know amount of kids you're going so winning with how many? Salvations, you know when you're kind of coming back and it's like the the trumpets going is 20 Salvations Or similar type stuff right it used to be ridiculous here. Okay, we did have some trouble with this before but fortunately we don't anymore As was the talking down to your wife to somehow prove manliness or something This is another one that we had to deal with. Okay, where the we had people that were like Rebuking their wives in front of people loudly to try and like look like the man, you know when they got home They were gonna get okay, but for it when they wanted to look in front of everyone else like yeah You know, this is the sort of man I am. Yeah, I tell a straight Yeah, but it's like yeah, but really are you really loving your wife like that? Cuz it looks like you're embarrassing your wife Yes, you know, you're really you're causing much worse problems with that. Okay, we used to see that the Sunday bake-off So this is another one that can be one of those vainglory things. They brought in like the three-course meal It's got it's even got some like extra little like volume wants to start with At the edge, you know, there's like some a special tea set and coffee and everything else and it's just like come on Yeah, are you really eating like that every lunch? Bring a sandwich for your kid. Yeah, and if you don't like so I'm not saying you have to do that I'm just saying that sometimes there there can be the reason could be the vainglory Okay, but other things okay that that maybe we haven't maybe had but could have maybe have had I don't know Maybe the men asked men here with preaching You know like now are you getting up to preach a sermon? Preach a 10-minute men's preaching night to edify the church because that's the goal, isn't it? Edify the church That's what you got to do. Just quick tip to you. Okay, and again, there's many ways where to fire church, right? You can edify a church by maybe preaching hard and some sin Well, maybe preach on some wickedness out there by maybe preach on what it maybe you preach on something is an encouragement There's many ways where to fire church But is that the goal or is the goal vainglory and I've got to be careful this right if I'm coming up here I'm like write some notes This will get some glory This will get some likes online This will get some clicks. This will get some people, you know, really enjoying like it's that shouldn't be my goal, right? If you get that cool, right, but that's not the goal That's desirous of vainglory But we could all you know and then with that then people you can imagine amongst men and they're provoking one another with it Then they're envying one another. Oh, why did they get everyone saying? Oh man a nice sermon and I didn't write Yeah, it's cuz they're too worldly tickling ears, you know something else, right? But maybe maybe maybe is another one. How about singing? Singing could be one as well You know some people are you singing to the Lord be singing to just be part of a congregation singing? Are you singing for the vainglory? Is it like I'm gonna make my voice stand out above everyone else and hopefully they'll hear me on the live stream They'll be like, who is that that amazing voice? Wow strong to our Baptist Church, they got the voice there, you know, hopefully that's not what you're doing when you sing Okay, but but maybe people can get like it with many things. So what about possessions people get like that with possessions? They want the vainglory for their possessions cars And I don't think we really have that sort of covetous type stuff in our church But again that stuff creeps in right suddenly people are like Shiny a car, you know, I need to wax it a bit more And Hobs, yeah as well. I'm gonna have the best home. I'll have the best home you watch. Yeah one day I'll beat brother so and so and you know, whatever else the clothing the jewelry, you know Amongst women this can be a problem sometimes Connie again I don't think we we have that problem right but you could see and and look you could apply a hundred things to this Okay. Okay. I don't think I need to keep going on with the list verse 26 says let us not be desires of vainglory Okay, so let's not look for glory for men like provoking one another envying another one another so what's the answer then? How do we avoid all this? Well first we want to make sure that we're walking in the spirit first 22 Excuse me said but the fruit of the Spirit is love joy. Peace long-suffering Gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law. So these are the fruits He should be the results of us walking in the spirit You do these things and basically saying I think it's all in God's will all this stuff is just in God's will there's no law Against this stuff, right? But how do we get there if we're stuck in those works of the flesh? It's easy to say. Yeah, love joy. Peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance But how'd you get there? If you're stuck walking in the flesh, right? Maybe we're stuck in the desiring vainglory with the associated envy and you got to be honest about this stuff Okay with yourself days, okay You've got to just accept their life if that's something you're doing is something you don't have to tell me You know to tell talk about it after the service But you got to be honest with yourself and say yeah I can see that's something that maybe I have an issue with I have a problem with you need to get out of that Okay, because it is just going to prevent it's going to limit your Christian life It's going to limit your growth because you're going to be in the flesh. So turn to Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians 5 Which gives us some handy tips as to how to be spirit filled So Ephesians 5 gives us some great great tips for how to be spirit filled we look at from verse 18 So Ephesians chapter 5 and just have to go forward, you know several pages Ephesians 5 and verse 18 says this and Be not drunk with wine where in his excess but be filled with the Spirit Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord giving Thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God so that passage goes together the semi-colons. It's just a continued list of continued thought there So let's break these down quickly. Okay verse 18 said this and be not drunk with wine where in his excess But be filled with the Spirit. So obviously, you know, don't drink alcohol if you want to be filled with the right spirit Okay, that's pretty obvious But instead he's saying that avoid all that instead and again Like I said add all you can add all sorts of mind-altering drugs to that Swerve all that get rid of all that get make sure that's not in your life. Okay, but you want to be filled with the Spirit Let's see how verse 19 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and Spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord now that can be both I believe to each other Okay speaking singing it he said speaking to yourselves and then in Psalms hymns spiritual songs, which is what happens in church Okay, and just to make it clear. Okay without church Being filled with the Spirit is hard Okay without being a part of a church being filled with the Spirit and I know look and I say that because I know we have You know, we have a couple of groups Abroad that don't you know, they they don't have churches where they are But at least they're kind of part of our church right but without coming to the church is hard for them, right? It's hard to be a part that that you know, at least in Switzerland They have a kind of service where they don't you know It's a French-speaking group there and there is some preacher and they come together and without that it's very hard to be in the spirit Okay But even to yourself though, he said speak to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and you can say that being yourself, right? Singing even in your heart and singing in your heart. Okay, and just singing hymns, you know, if you ever And I would really recommend this okay to get in the spirit to be in the spirit sings Sing a spiritual song And you might be like well, it's a bit hard in my job Well, well, he did say in your heart so you can't do it in your own that might be good Especially we've got a bad voice. So yeah, you know, you're in a public place you at work or something It might not go down that well, right? But but it does help. Okay does help So spit so we got speak to yourselves in Psalms and hymns spiritual song singing making melody in your heart to the Lord Let the the title this morning it and I'm just going to finish with a few points He's let us not be desirous of vainglory by number one singing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs He then said this in verse 20 giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ So there's another way to be spirit filled. Okay, give thanks giving God. Thanks for all things That's a that's a really great way to be constantly thinking about God to be considering God to just be giving him Thanks, and it's and it's not just for now a great habit to get into is for your food, right? But it's not just for your food. Is it it's just for all things Anything that you feel you got that you're having that that you need that you're getting that give God. Thanks for it All you've got thanks for it all Which should then help combat the vainglory shouldn't it? Because if you're giving God thanks if you're acknowledging that it's all coming from God and it's thanks to God that you're getting whatever you Have in life it's going to stop you then trying to get this vainglory for anything else in life because you're Acknowledging and accepting even if just verbally that it's all coming from God, right? so we've got We've got a well The title is let us not be desires of vainglory We've got number one singing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs number two by giving God. Thanks for all things and then number three here Verse 21. It says submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God now that's submitting to each other It's a steaming others better than yourself, which is exactly the remedy for strife and vainglory and Philippians 2 So I'd like you to turn to Philippians 2 because it all just just matches up together. You turn to Philippians 2 We just saw submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God The title is let us not be desires of vainglory by singing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs giving God Thanks for all things and number three submitting to each other. Okay, Philippians 2 says this in verse 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory But in lowliness of mine, let each esteem other better than themselves Look, not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others So he said avoid that strife of vainglory by being humble and look on others as better than yourself And this for me is like the real key one. Okay, this is the key look at other people as better than yourself Yeah, but they're not better than me Still look at them like they are look at them look at other people as better than you and that's gonna stop you and and of course not in a way that Well, I better I better show them, you know that I'm better No, look at them in a way that you just esteem them better than yourself Other people just say well, yeah, I might do this. I might be good at this I might be okay at that. I might be in this position I might be you know, I might have you know, this wife these kids. I might not I might have this job I might have this got whatever but I'm looking at everyone else is better than me and you're doing that by Acknowledging your faults accepting your faults not focusing on other people's faults and all of that and accepting Yeah, they're better than myself. Right and when you can do that if you can do that and look on other people like that. I Think that's when you're really gonna get a hold of this vainglory of desiring vainglory Because it's not like how people look at you. It's just vain. It's vain. It's empty. It's worthless. It's pointless It's not important and then you gods look at you in a different way how God looks at us is that is what's important And when we're seeking the vainglory God is not looking at you favorably and that's in any area, right? So you might say but they're not all better than me, right? I need a I need to show my dominance I need to show my superiority. Yeah, I need to show these people right some people are like that Well verse 5 says that this might be in you which was which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God Thought it not robbery to be equal with God But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant who was made in the likeness of men and being Found in fashion as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross so Galatians 5 if you go back there, we've seen that the Look, we should be looking at putting other people above us The Lord Jesus Christ came as that really is that servant King didn't he he came and he he did all of that for us He he he was obedient even unto death even the death of the cross And Galatians 5 tells us this last part says in verse 25 if we live in the spirit Let us also walk in the spirit now You know it's one of those things that some people focus on a lot some people don't I Go to now and again because it all goes hand in hand and ultimately look we're living in the spirit isn't like this spooky thing So some people go like a bit far then obviously you got the Pentecostal Church and stuff where you know They're kind of they think that speaking some sort of unknown language that no one else understands is somehow Walking in the spirit or something, right? And again, they don't understand salvation So they don't understand most of the Bible. Okay, at least a lot of it, but you know, we're teaching the Bible here, right and and Walking in the spirit is ultimately it's denying the flesh It's basically trying to get sin out of your life and live for God, right and as many ways you could word it but you know This is a way that we see regularly in the Word of God about being filled with spirit about not quenching the spirit about walking In the spirit and it is something that for some, you know, it's it is something that's good to just have on your mind You just keep thinking. Yeah, I need to I need to be in the spirit more. I understand. I'm in the flesh I'm and reading those things can help seeing those works of the flesh now. Yeah, that's some fleshly stuff So what is it that's making me behave like that to do that? And of course, it's a daily battle The apostle Paul's told you about that daily struggle, right? Okay So this isn't something that right I've solved but each day you need to work on this You need to recognize this you need to recognize the fleshly stuff and try and get right and and for me Those are three really good ways of doing that So he said let us not be desirous of vainglory Because this is is something like I said you you get rid of all that other stuff But this is something that is so prevalent. It was prevalent 2,000 years ago It sure as hell is prevalent now with with a world around us and so much influence of people just Desperate for vainglory in in in whatever angle whatever way so how do we then do that? How do we be not desirous of that vainglory which then results in us provoking one another envying one another? It's basically poisonous to our church How well by singing psalms hymns and spiritual songs are being a church for starters But that's something you could add to your to your day Can't you you can add a hymn add a song try and get in the spirit that way by giving God. Thanks to all things okay, and Again, that's you know, that's something that once you're starting to put it all in God's hands It's going to really help you to not then constantly put it in you know Give yourself the praise give yourself the credit for things or try and give that to other people and number three By submitting to each other and we do that by by steaming others better than ourselves So that was let us not be desirous of vainglory. I hope that's been a help to you I hope that's been a blessing to you and on that we're going to finish in a word of prayer Thank you for your word Lord, thank you for Well, thank you for the Holy Spirit Thank you that we can be we can walk in the spirit that we can be filled with the spirit we can We do have that ability Lord, but help us to all try and you know daily try and get that right Lord Help us to deny the flesh to know the works of flesh help us to to you know To not forget that that part of that is that vainglory that desire vainglory in various areas amongst various people and especially when we're around Our brothers and sisters in Christ because it will result in provoking one another and it to do the same a little 11 leavens that whole lump and and it Results in people envying one another as well and you know, whoever that is, you know, we can all envy each other We can all envy different people in the church for different reasons and and envy who can stand before it's such a dangerous thing It's such a powerful emotion Lord help us to all be as far away from it as possible And you know that that can start with desire vainglory help us to to resist that temptation Lord help us to all To all just get right in this area Lord to to try and apply this to our lives applies to our church life Especially help someone to go great this afternoon. Lord helps get many people saved and then to return for this evening's Service and just don't pray with this. Amen