The Eternal Spirit Resisting/grieving/quenching — Willie Mullan

Love Fulfills the Law

And commencing to read at 14, verse 14, Galatians 5, 14, For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Now that's worth pondering over just for a second or two.

The whole Ten Commandments is fulfilled in one word, love thy neighbour. And I think when you ponder this you can see that if you really love your neighbour, then the whole Ten Commandments fall into place.

You see if you go up the commandments backwards, the Tenth Commandment is thou shalt not covet anything that is thine own. And you see if you truly love your neighbour, well you won't be coveting, you'll be glad when he gets a new car.

And you'll be glad and you'll be pleased and you'll be delighted about everything that goes on in his family and in his home. Because love fulfills that. If you go to the Ninth Commandment it is thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not steal, is the Eighth.

And you know you won't covet and you won't tell him lies and you won't steal anything that belongs to him, if you really love him. You see how the whole commandments, the law, is fulfilled in one word, in love.

Thou shalt not kill, there will be no notion of killing if you love. And you know we have learned as we've gone through this book that we cannot do this to our neighbour unless the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.

We must get that bit settled first of all. Because if you just try out of an old kind of nature to do this thing, well you won't do it. Oh no, this is a fulfilment when God filled your heart with love and we were learning the other evening that the fruit of the Spirit is love.

The Danger of Biting and Devouring One Another

Now I want you to follow this through. Verse 14 says, for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

You know sometimes when you're in conversation with someone, you can almost see them taking a bite out of another believer. Oh yes it's done you know. This is what the Bible calls back biting. And sometimes you can almost hear the growl when they dare to devour somebody.

Not in touch with the Lord at all you know, there's no love about this thing. And you know if we start doing this to one another, you know what will happen, we will devour one another. Old Willie Gilmore who was one of the great preachers among the brethren, and an old man that I had great respect and love for.

And when he would come to this town at any time during the convention and all the rest he'd always come in and have an hour or so with me. And I was delighted to see him and he was a great blessing to me in many ways.

And he told me that one morning he was going down to the morning meeting and he met a brother and he walked alongside him. And this brother started on another brother in the meeting and he said you know for about ten minutes of the walk I tell you he really devoured him.

And he said I kept my mouth shut I was going to worship the Lord and I never rebuked him or entered into anything with him. I just walked on and kept my eyes and ears water closed. Then he says when the meeting was over I was coming back with the brother that the old fellow had been talking about.

And we didn't start the trip right until he was talking about the other fellow who was talking about him in the morning. And as he got really going and nearly devoured him and said terrible things about him, he says do you know he's like that?

He says well he was telling me that you were like that this morning. You were just saying the same things as you were saying now. And then he says I opened the book and let him see that they were really devouring one another.

Now you can see this can't you? You know when you bite your brother or your sister in this sort of talk you know what you're doing. You're just like a wolf that enters in among the flock. And you remember that Paul talked about after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you.

And remember when you begin to devour a brother or sister, remember you're just doing the devil's work. Because your adversary the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Now this is what Paul is saying here.

He's saying this. In verse 14 he's saying you see what can be done. If the spirit hath his way in us and love is filling and flooding our souls, then the whole of the ten commandments can be fulfilled in this one word love.

And so you see what can be done. And then he's going on to say you see what could be done. You could devour one another you know. And that brings him to where we're getting to tonight. What should be done.

Walking by the Spirit

So after he has pointed out what love can do and pointed out what flesh can do, then in verse 16 he says this I say then. Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. That's what we're taking up this evening and we want to do it as carefully as we possibly can.

I believe that we're dealing with something that can become a mighty blessing in your own life. Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Now there are one or two translations covering this very verse and I would like you to hear one or two of them.

One of the translations says this is what I have to say. Let your steps be guided by the spirit and then you will never gratify the cravings of your earthly nature. He says I mean, I mean this. Lead the life of the spirit then you will never satisfy the passions of the flesh.

Then there's another one. Here is my advice. Live your whole life by the spirit's power and you will not satisfy the desires of your lower nature. But there's an old translation that comes from Dr. Rarely who was at Dallas for many years.

Yes, he was with Schaefer there for many years. And he just translated like this, this I say. Walk by the spirit and your old flesh won't have a chance. And I think that's a great translation. So we're going to look at this walking by the spirit this evening.

And I want you to notice there are four things that we want to sort of bring before the meeting just now. First of all this is the phrase that has to be pondered. Walk by the spirit. What do we mean? What are we getting about?

Let's get down to it. It's a phrase to be pondered. And then when we talk about walk, you know that's the principle. And it's the principle to be employed. And we're not talking about physical walk. It's just taking a metaphorical thing.

And then there is not only a phrase to be pondered and the principle to be employed. There's a promise to be enjoyed. There is a promise here. Walk by the spirit and ye shall not fulfill. That is God's word and that's an inspired word from Paul.

And then there's a power here to be broken. The lust of the flesh. And so you can see the four things. Now when we look at this first one this evening, let's look at this phrase. Walk by the spirit. Now when we begin to think about walking by the spirit's power, and I mean taking step by step and every step is ordered and controlled and energized by the spirit's power, you know it becomes walking by faith.

Faith in God and His Word

You remember Paul said to the Corinthians, we walk by faith, not by sight. Now I want to bring that in because of this. You know as I go around the meetings and I listen to young believers and old believers and all kinds of believers, I hear a lot of people talking about by faith so much.

You know what the great Hebrew chapter 11, it's by faith, by faith, by faith the whole way down. You remember when we were expounding this that I said that this chapter began with an exposition of faith.

Faith is the evidence of faith, not sin. And then all the great exponents of faith are there. And then all the great exploits of faith are there. And then all the great experiences of faith are there.

And then the excellency of faith is there because Moses seems to get on to the top run and by faith he endured us seeing him who is invisible and that must be excellent to walk all the time like that.

But you see I hear young people talking about by faith. Just yesterday a young person said to me, you know if I could only get the guts by faith I could do the thing that God wants me to do. And I pulled him up and said now what do you mean by that?

He says you know if I could only get faith working some way that I could get the guts or the grace or the strength. And you know the way he talked to me I could see it's a thing that I discovered a long time ago in a lot of believers.

You see they talk about by faith, by faith, by faith, by faith until they almost have faith as an invisible idol. And it's faith they've taken up with. Please if we're going to talk about by faith let's talk about by faith anything you need to talk about by faith.

If you look up this mighty chapter this is what Paul's getting out of it's faith in God you know all the time. And I want to get you the hold of this. I was talking to a girl today. I don't think anybody will ever know so I can go on with this.

She came from afar and her uncle brought her in the car and she was nearly out of her mind. And they'd been having a lot of trouble with her and going to take her to a mental home and all. And he says before we take her will you have a talk with her?

And so she came to talk with me and I got to talk to her in a way that maybe nobody ever had. And when I got her confidence and knew that she was at ease and we were talking things over reasonably well I said you know dear there's something away in the back of her mind that's bothering you.

She said yes there is. I said it's some sort of sin isn't it? She said yes it is. I said well we don't need to name it or anything like that you know that's your bother isn't it? She says yes it's something I committed about 30 years ago.

You see it's a little story isn't it? I've seen this a thousand times. And she's committed this sin and it haunts her. Yea the devil haunts her with it. And she's tormented of the devil. Yea when our Lord was here he went about healing all who were oppressed of the devil.

And here it is and there it is. And at last she trots it out. And I sort of knew what it was anyway but it doesn't matter. And you know God will never forgive me. I said you're a believer. Yes. And you believe that Jesus died for you.

Yes. And you believe that he was wounded for your transgressions. Yes I do. Actually you don't you know. And he says dear your trouble is not what you're trying to tell me or what you even think it is.

Your trouble is that you don't believe God's word. That's your trouble. And all the tablets they gave you down at the doctors will no help you. You see she's trying to make herself believe that she believes that he was wounded for her transgressions.

But what she's actually believing is that he was wounded for all her transgressions but this one. Oh no that one wasn't dealt with. It's this look dear. If he dealt with all your transgressions but this one on the cross you're damned.

You can go home you're finished. He's not coming back to die again you know. And I began to loosen her out and weaken her up. Until her shackles fell off in God would you. Don't be talking about faith up on the fire board or something like that.

You need to talk about faith in God and faith in God's word. You see real faith cometh by hearing. And hearing by the word of God. And when I brought her to the place where she could see if we confess our sins.

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. She was coming to the place where she believed what God was saying to her. Now let's go a little bit further with it.

Let's talk about faith in God and faith in God's word and faith in God's son. And now we're up. Let's get that bit in. Where the Holy Ghost is going to control our every step. That's what you call walking by the Spirit.

Every Step Controlled by the Spirit

That's where we need to get to. And I want to get down to this thing you know. I want to get down to walking by the Spirit. You see how this all works out don't you? You see when we talk about walking by the Spirit it becomes walking by faith in the Spirit.

And you know when your every step is being controlled. And when I say your every step, we'll come to this walking in a moment. When I say every step I mean every step in the home. Everything that's happening in the home.

And everything that's happening in the business. And everything that's happening in the state. And everything that's happening in the church. That your every step, your every movement is being controlled by the Spirit of God.

And your faith is in the Spirit of God. This is what we're talking about. You know you begin to walk in newness of life don't you? And you begin to walk in love. And it's only then you begin to walk worthy.

And it's then that you walk circumspectly. You know I've got a little grandson. And he's just a year old the other day. And he's a great little character. And he's just beginning to walk. And I watch him and he doesn't know that I'm learning.

And I can see him you know he's not just the best at it yet. He staggers about a little bit. He has to find the balance. You can almost see his toes squeezing out till he gets the balance. And he stands and he's all pleased with himself.

And then he gets the power to lift his leg and put it out you know. That's the more of it he's got. And he can get the other one a bit. And then he doesn't go too far and he just rocks about a bit you know.

He's learning to walk. And when we're going to walk by the power of the Spirit you know. It's like a tight wire rope. Because all the time you have to be depending on the Spirit's power. And all the time you have to be loving your brethren.

And all the time you have to be walking circumspectly. You have to be taking great care. And there are so many things you do at once and you're on a tight wire rope and you'll fall off now and again. Yes.

Now I want you to get the hold of this you see. We're talking now about this metaphor of the truth you see. You see your notes. We're not speaking physically now. You know that. We're speaking metaphorically.

Paul is taking a very ordinary thing, just our ordinary walk. And metaphorically he's speaking about an extraordinary thing. That every step is being controlled and guided and governed and energized and strengthened.

By the Spirit of God. And you know you need to go very slow about this to keep it going all the time. It's walking by the Spirit but we'll see. You know I find this out and this is how you know a thing or two.

I find out that if you're walking by the Spirit, if your life is being controlled and you're being energized and moved. You start to get along to the prayer meeting. Now there's time if you're going to find out you're not walking in the Spirit at all.

Oh you're Baptist all right I know. And you're very good members and all that sort of thing. And you're nice to know. But you're never at the prayer meeting. Never. You go to the prayer meeting. Would you like to tell me the Holy Ghost is ordering your life and you never go to the prayer meeting?

I wouldn't believe you did. You couldn't get that over me you know. I wouldn't believe that for a moment. So I'll tell you this you know. He'll take you to the house of prayer. And I'll tell you this.

He'll take you to the banqueting house. There's food prepared now. Where are you some truth this? Making money is that what you're at? Oh I'm afraid you should be coming for your food. I'll tell you this.

You'll find out that we're going to learn a lot of things about what walking in the Spirit really means you know. It's not just a nice phrase to coddle on with. Oh no. There's a lot of things. You know let's do this little bit.

The Promise of Victory over the Flesh

He says we're back at verse 16. This I say then. Walk. Have your whole life ordered and controlled by the power of the Spirit. And ye shall not fulfil. You know Paul was very sure of this. This is an inspired saying.

This is God's promise. Ye shall not fulfil. This is the promise of victory. And it's the promise of victory over the works of the flesh. Now I'm going to say a few things and I'm sure I shall disturb somebody but then I can't help that you see.

The Works of the Flesh and Abortion

Now let's go down to verse 19 for a moment. Now the works. I want you to get the works because the S is there. The works of the flesh are manifest which are these. Adultery. Fornication. Uncleanness. Leciviousness.

Now I think you know these words all right don't you? You know what adultery is and I think you know what fornication is. Some little fellow in the meeting asked me some weeks ago what's fornication about.

I says it's sexual sin of an unusual nature and don't ask me all about it. Because there's a whole lot of sexual sins that are terrible things. And if I told you about them now I'd scare the life out of this meeting.

There are things that are being practised in sex that some of you dear old saints never knew about. You would hardly believe. And you can bless God for your ignorance. Just go home and thank God you're ignorant.

The commander of the police brings down a statement one morning. He said look, have a look at that. That fellow's confessed that there. They don't believe a word of it. He's making a fool of me. Where were you brought up I say?

Actually that fellow's telling you the truth. That's what they're practising in this town. My God they're not doing that are they not? Oh I would frighten you you know. I would frighten you. These are works of the flesh you know.

You see Mr Mason who is the Secretary of State of this province of ours. He's the Queen's representative. I saw him on the TV last night hammering the table. And he's going to bring in a bill for abortion.

So that they can have abortion in this country of ours without anybody saying anything about it. My dear friend, this is iniquity of the deepest dark. This is uncleanness and lasciviousness alright. Let me turn you over to the book of Jeremiah for a moment too.

Jeremiah and the Lord's Word Concerning Life

And we're at Jeremiah and we're at the first chapter. Now the other week in Lisbon I preached on this here. I want you to get the hold of this very carefully now. Jeremiah chapter 1. And just to save time down at verse 4.

Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying. Now the Lord is speaking to you. This is what he said to him. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee. Now I know I've got to be blunt about the thing.

But I'm going to be God's servant and I'm going to help the young ones. Let me turn you over to the book of Jeremiah for a moment too. And we're at Jeremiah and we're at the first chapter. Now the other week in Lisbon I preached on this here.

I want you to get the hold of this very carefully now. Jeremiah chapter 1. And just to save time down at verse 4. Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying. Now the Lord is speaking to you. This is what he said to him.

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee. Now I know I've got to be blunt about the thing. But I'm going to be God's servant and I'm going to help the young ones. You know before Jeremiah was conceived at all.

Before God formed him in the belly. Now I want to know who's forming the baby. Do you know the answer? So that this tiny little seed in this mother's womb. This tiny little seed is being formed. Before I.

This baby is being formed and everything about it. I want to say this. If you put your hand to it and destroy it. You're a murderer. Oh you know they talk about so many things. Some fellow from Queens there.

Professor says you know there's a whole lot of problems here you know. Oh yes there is. A whole lot of problems. Women with big families. It's a very good job they didn't destroy number 17 in our family.

Because I wouldn't be here tonight. I happen to be number 17. It's a very good job they didn't destroy number 16 in John Wesley's family. For John Wesley was number 16. And yet our Queen's representative.

He thinks he's the whole chief. He's got to bring this corruption into our country. Yes. I'll tell you that this is. This is the works of the flesh. Stand up again. Let's go back to this where we were.

We're at chapter 6. We're at Galatians 6. And I don't want to deal with all this. But I just want to get you just to see the thing. Verse 19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft.

Idolatry, Witchcraft, and Superstition

And you know this is in all kinds of forms. You know the young girls. Some of them in our meeting you know. They couldn't lift the paper and have it open unless they were at the horoscope. And see what their star was.

And what is under their star this day. You know some years ago. It must be 10 years ago. She's here now. But she's a far bigger woman now than she was. Don't look round for any sake. She said to me. She was just a young woman.

She said pastor. Oh pastor you want to see my horoscope today. I said what was it? She said anybody born on this day is going to marry a man with black hair and tons of money. And be happy ever after.

I said you see that feeling that's in your breath just now. There's a word for that. She said what is it? I said da. She said if you would only sit down and have a bit of sense. Look if you would sit down and have a bit of sense.

There must be a million people in this world was born on this day. Some of them are Chinese. Bless them. Some of them are coloured and eagles. Some of them are this and that. There must be. There must be a million.

Maybe two million. Are they all going to get black haired men and money. It's a funny world really. Now she told me the other day. She said since you really tackled me. I never looked at one of those silly old things since.

Well thank God for that. She's far better looking without it. My dear you'll get a man without that keeper. Oh you won't. Oh no let's get away from all that sort of thing. Let's get away from that. But you see this goes on.

Drunkenness and the Works of the Flesh

Verse 20. Idolatry. Witchcraft. Hatred. Variance. Emulations. Wrath. Strife. Sedition. Heresies. Envies. Murders. Drunkenness. Oh I think we need to stop there you know. When you think that some people out of some of the assembly meetings come now to argue about social drinking.

That's social drinking my foot. It's drink isn't it. It's setting strong drink before your neighbor isn't it. And cursed is he that setteth strong drink before his neighbor. And when Nadab and Abishu went drunk into the temple of the Lord.

The Lord blotted them out like that. Oh don't let's cod with this shit. This belongs to the flesh in case some of the elders of your assembly didn't tell you. This is flesh. You don't tell me that the spirit of God will lead you into a public bar to drink spirits that will take your senses away.

You're not trying to tell me that. My God some of us in this place we're glad to get rid of it. Don't let's cod about with that. You see this don't you. You know the spirit will direct your life but not into the house of the devil which is witchcraft.

Not into the den of bloodshed which is murder. And not into the public house which is drunkenness. You see this is what I want to get over to you. You know if we can have faith in the spirit of God who indwells us.

And by faith we walk controlled by the spirit's power continually. Then the promise is yours ye shall not fulfill. This is the way of victory. This is the way that you'll glorify God. This is walking really in newness of life.

The Battle between Flesh and Spirit

But there's a little bit more there isn't there. This I say then walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill. Let's get this lost of the flesh. You know there's a battle goes on way down deep in here.

This is what we were talking about in Romans 7. There's something in there that was. David knew about this battle. And he was wounded in the battle wasn't he? In the case of Bathsheba. Achan wounded in the battle.

Oh it wasn't the woman he was after it was silver and gold. And there's a lot of God's people get wounded about this silver and gold. The prodigal. It's the far country that gets him. Demons it's the world.

Yes it's all the old flesh wants these things. Oh friend can we get the hold of this or can this get the hold of us this night. Let's go over it again. You know love is fulfilling the whole ten commandments.

You'll not covet anything you'll not tell lies. You'll not steal from your neighbor you won't touch them. Friend you'll need the love of God in your heart. Only by the spirit of God can you have the love of God shed abroad in your heart.

And by faith. You can ask the Holy Ghost to constantly being filling you with love. Then there'll be no biting or devouring. And to control. Energize. You're to guide. Your every step. Now that's where we're putting the full stop this evening.

Because that's where I want to go on next week. Because we're going to talk about guidance. Just what it exactly means. You see we have to cut it short sometimes just to get the truth right. For the next account.