As we begin a new year consider our pathway to growth, development, strength, and closeness to God. Take a close look at how Paul juxtaposes the “fruit of the Spirit” with the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5.Paul reminds us that we are to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). He continues to point out that “the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh” because they are opposed to each other (vs 17).Now my purpose in the lesson is not to analyze this list. It is familiar to all of us. But Paul includes at least some of our weaknesses. “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).Furthermore, Satan does not need help to have someone lecture us or to plead with us to practice such things. The works of the flesh come up from our human nature, our heart. They seem to flourish like briars and weeds. They do not have to be planted, do not have to be cultivated. They do not have to even be wanted, as they are always present in our human nature.These are the things that work against us throughout our lives – the tendency to follow our fleshly desires rather than the Spirit. This is what we do naturally when left to our own resources.Paul then gives us nine qualities that define our Christian life. “ESV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-25).These qualities are what the Holy Spirit is trying to develop in each of us as we allow Him to work in us. This is not a progressive list, where one might get one accomplished and then move to the next. A there is an interdependence of the qualities, each one also ...