The Blessing of Abraham: Session 3 – Sowing to the Spirit

Notes:

Sowing to the Spirit    See Session Slides Here

Gen.17:1. “Walk before Me and be blameless”. This came after a long record of disobedience or partial obedience and reaping of the consequences.

  • Terah. Gen.12:1 “Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him” (Isa.51:2). But he took Terah.
  • Egypt. Lies to protect himself. There he picks up an Egyptian female servant (Gen. 13:16)
  • Lot. There was conflict between his herdsmen and Lot’s. They fought over best wells and land.
  • Abraham is finally alone. Then the Hagar incident. Toiling replaced tending.

There are consequences for sowing to the flesh. “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Gal.6:9). This is not the judgment or chastening of God. It is a reaping according to the ground in which we have sown.

  • So, through bad decisions or sowing to the flesh, we can experience corruption in our circumstances, our relationships, our finances, our health, etc. But this is not God’s doing. The prodigal reaped what he had sown, not what his father had sown.
  • But we cannot be corrupted. (1 Pet 1:23;  1 Cor. 6:17). If we were ever able to corrupt our spirit, we would also be able to corrupt the Lord because we have been joined to Him and are one spirit. (1 Pet 1:18-19). You have an inheritance that is incorruptible, (1 Pet.1:3-4).
  • You cannot even sin or be corrupted, (1 John 3:9). When we sin it is in our bodies, not in our spirit. The life of God within us, the new nature called the seed of God remains uncorrupted regardless of our behavior. It is impossible to corrupt the nature of God (Rom.7:20, 22-23).
  • The Seed of God living on the inside of a believer can never be corrupted, and can never come into judgment. But we can receive corruption or destruction in our circumstances because of sowing to the flesh. But never make the mistake of thinking when those things happen that God is punishing you or judging you. Your judgment for sin has already taken place. You have reaped from the field where you have sown!
  • Even while we are reaping corruption from the flesh, God is blessing us! (Psalm 105:12-15).
  • Goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives…

Gen.17:1.   13 years after Chapter 16. God doesn’t just tell Abraham to trust Him, but also reveals His character – El Shaddai = the omnipotent, all-sufficient, all competent God. God Almighty. Note the “I wills” of God.  Gen. 17:2,6,7,8,16,19,20-21. He will do it!

Abraham and Sarai are given new names.

  • From Abram = exalted father; to Abraham = father of many nations. The limits are taken off!
  • From Sarai = from “My princess which confines her dominion to one family”, to Sarah = Princess, absolutely without restriction, or the princess of a multitude (1 Pet.3:6).
  • Hagar mocked Sarah when she was barren. But once Sarah gave birth her mocking turned to persecution. Ishmael persecuted a much younger Isaac on the day he was weaned (Gen.21:8-9). Similarly religious people will always oppose those of grace.
  • Hagar symbolizes the Mosaic Covenant – lawgiving
  • Sarah symbolizes the Promise Covenant – life giving. She is the mother of us all.
  • Turning to the Law is a form of panic and unbelief
  • Trusting in the Promise produces miracle life
  • Gal. 4:28-31-Gal.5:1. Legalists will always persecute those who live by grace
  • Law and grace are incompatible and cannot co-exist


# Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.