Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  2024  Day 109

April 18;        Galatians 4:29;         109/260;         ‘Flesh Against Spirit’

Galatians 4:29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.

The Lord had told Abraham he would have a son and would be the father of many nations.  Actually, his name was Abram, but the Lord changed his name to Abraham, which means the father of many nations.  When Sarah did not get pregnant soon after Abraham was told she would have a child, they got ahead of God.  Sarah suggested that Abraham have relations with her hand maid Hagar.  Abraham did, Hagar became pregnant.  Once Hagar became pregnant she despised Sarah. Sarah sent her away, but the Lord told Hagar to return to Sarah and be her handmaid.  She did.  Ishmael was born to Hagar and Ishmael was that child of the flesh.  Sarah did become pregnant and had a son named Isaac.  Ishmael began to persecute and mock Isaac and eventually Hagar and Ishmael were told to leave.  The Lord said that Ishmael would be wild and he would be against others and they would be against him.  Again, Ishmael represents the child of the flesh.  When we do things in the natural, our way, very often the results are not what we desire.  Isaac, conversely, was born a child of the Spirit, according to what the Lord said.  The blessings of the Lord were upon him and through Isaac’s son Jacob, his twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel.  This verse tells us that it is the same now.  If we know what the Lord has told us and follow His direction we will be blessed.  If we do things our way, unfortunately the outcome may be very different.  As a Christian we need to seek the Lord’s direction, obey it and be blessed