The Power of Persuasion: The Leaven Within

The Power of Persuasion: The Leaven Within
 
Scripture Focus
“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” — Galatians 5:9 (NASB 1995)
 
 
 
Sermon Reflection
 
Paul’s warning to the Galatian church reminds us that corruption often doesn’t enter with a roar; it seeps in quietly, like leaven in dough. While Paul was addressing false teachers, if we’re honest, sometimes the most dangerous persuasion doesn’t come from the outside; it comes from within.
 
We persuade ourselves that delay is obedience, that private sin is harmless, and that spiritual activity equals spiritual health. But leaven doesn’t need a crowd to grow, it just needs permission.
 
Jonah delayed obedience and endangered everyone around him.
The Corinthian church tolerated sin and lost its witness.
The Pharisee in Luke 18 served faithfully but never examined his heart.
 
The issue isn’t whether you’re active in ministry, generous in giving, or consistent in attendance. The real question is: What’s rising underneath all of that? Because the leaven within begins small, but it eventually shapes the whole life.
 
 
 
How I Should Respond
 
Ask yourself honestly:
Have I delayed obedience in an area where God has already spoken?
Is there something I’m calling “private” that’s actually spreading through my heart?
Have I mistaken spiritual performance for spiritual growth?
 
This isn’t about shame, it’s about surrender. God doesn’t reveal leaven to condemn us; He exposes it to cleanse us. Don’t cover it with good works or comparison. Confess it. Let grace do what only grace can do.
 
 
 
Weekly Prayer
 
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Keep me sensitive to Your conviction, Honest in confession, And humble enough to change.
 Remove the leaven within me Pride, delay, and self-deception So that my life rises with the power of Your Spirit, Not the influence of my own will. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
 
 
 
Application for the Week
 
Day 1 – Examine the Leaven
Read Galatians 5:7–9
Ask God to show you where persuasion, not conviction, is shaping your decisions.
 
Day 2 – Respond Without Delay
Read Jonah 1:1–3
Identify one area where you’ve delayed obedience. Take the first step today.
 
Day 3 – Confess the Hidden Things
Read 1 Corinthians 5:1–8
Bring your “private” struggles to God. Remember: confession prevents corruption.
 
Day 4 – Reject Comparison Religion
Read Luke 18:9–14
Reflect on whether you’re measuring your spirituality by others instead of by God’s Word.
 
Day 5 – Pray for a Clean Heart
Read Psalm 51:10–12
Invite the Holy Spirit to remove any leaven of pride, delay, or deception and renew your joy in obedience.
 
 
 
Final Thought
 
The most dangerous persuasion is the one that starts with, “I’m fine.”
 
Don’t settle for being active in the church but absent in the Spirit. A little leaven will always rise, but so will grace…When you yield your heart to God.