SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1195

“Sowing to the Spirit”

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. – Galatians 6:7-8

I am reminded of this Scripture when I recall the scene from the movie Secondhand Lions where the uncles decide to plant a garden and bought a large variety of vegetable seed packets which turned out to all be deceitfully labeled. When the garden bore fruit, everything was corn.

Isn’t that the way of the enemy of our souls? He deceives us into believing that we can sow to the carnal pleasures of our flesh without dire spiritual consequences. The Truth of God’s Word tells us that we will indeed reap corruption and death by sowing to the flesh.

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. – Galatians 5:19-21

What does it mean to sow to the spirit? What does it look like in practical daily living?

Speech: We sow when we speak. Our words sow into our own spirit and the spirit of others. How we speak to our children, spouse, coworkers, ourselves and to others in general sow spiritual seeds. The words we choose, the tone, and the intentions of our heart can either sow into their spirit the seeds of the love of God or the seeds of discord and strife. Our words can either build up or tear down.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. – Colossians 4:6

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. – Ephesians 4:29

You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. – Deuteronomy 6:7

Seeing and Hearing: We sow seeds into our spirit by what we choose to be entertained with – by what we allow ourselves to hear and see. Books, TV, movies, music, games, and the internet all plant seeds that will bear fruit later in our lives. What fruit will that be?

I will ponder the way that is blameless… I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless… – Psalm 101:2-4

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching – Proverbs 1:8

Actions: We sow by our actions, what we do and when, how we vote or abstain from voting, how we work and how we interact with others: family, friends, neighbors, and the public.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. – James 1:22

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3:17

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

Thinking: We sow by what we think. Our thought life can plant seeds that will bear the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of fleshly corruption and sin.

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ – 2 Corinthians 10:5

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. – Philippians 4:8

May your life walk be characterized as walking by the Spirit of God. May the choices you make – what you say, see, hear, do, and think all plant the good seeds of the Holy Spirit that will bear His fruit in your life and in the lives of others.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23