As we wrap up the "works" of the flesh, we need to see them in the light of our culture. These last three can really hit home in the American culture.
Galatians 5:19, 21 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear:... envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
Envy is simple, the desire to want something someone else has so much that it can lead you to do anything to tear that person down to raise you up. If a person is envious they simply hate what the person has, their reputation, power, stuff, relationships and they will get to the point of lying, stealing, backbiting doing whatever it takes to destroy that person so they think they can build themselves up. This is the way the Pharisees were described regarding Christ. They developed a spirit of murder and ended up having Jesus crucified because of their envy. The ironic thing is that God would have used them powerfully and fulfilled their dreams if they would have just submitted to His plan. The Lord wants to do the same with the envious person, but they can't see past their hatred to trust the Lord.
The word translated drunkenness means anything that causes us to lose control of our senses. Drunkenness was constant in both the Greek and Roman cultures, and it was so common, and loss of control was so common Paul challenged Christians to not be drunk with wine but filled with the Spirit. We are to choose not to lose control but the use of some substance instead to flow in the power of the Holy Spirit. The challenge for us is drugs, alcohol, food, adrenaline and so many other substances can fall into this category. I have seen many in business drunk with power, many in sports and entertainment drunk with popularity and when something goes south, they choose to end their own lives because they can not live without the "high." Be filled with the Spirit!
Last, the word translated here "wild parties" would be akin to what we would call a fanatic or fan for short. Someone who needs to be entertained "lives for the game" their lives are impacted by their entertainment, everything is wrapped around their entertainment. We see this in "fans" of the Kardashians and others, we also see it in sports "fans." If a game is good, if Chloe is on some show then, "Wow" their world is made, but if the game is lost or something bad happens to your hero then your mood fails, your day or week are impacted because you are a "fan." All of these things are fleeting. The time spent caught up in these things when people are dying without hope or Christ is sad. Our flesh wants these imaginary relationships to make us feel important or like we belong to something bigger than ourselves. When in fact we do, the Body of Christ, the most powerful force in the world if we will but choose to live like it.
All of the "works" of the flesh are distractions from what is real, powerful, and full of life. Don't allow all that God has for you be stolen from you because of your choices. Flesh or Spirit, they are your choice and your future!
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