The War between the Flesh and the Spirit

Do you ever feel like your in a war zone with the fighting we see all around us? At time we can even feel as though there is a war going on inside of us. Our mind and flesh wants to act one way while the spirit of God is prompting us to follow what the Lord says is right.

The world around us says “times have changed the old ways are outdated” yet God is the same today as He was when He created the earth and His word is truth and has not changed.

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk therein.”

God hasn’t changed, people have changed they want to follow their own fleshly desires as they draw further and further away from God. But we as God’s people are not to follow after the things of this world but after the things of God, the old path. When we accept Christ as our Savior the Holy Spirit comes in to guide us. Even though our flesh is weak and wants to give in to the temptations of Satan the Holy Spirit is constantly trying to direct us away from those temptation toward the life that Christ has for us.

Galatians 5: 16-18

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

The Apostle Paul spoke about the war he fought with sin daily. We are no different than he was. Paul was an overcomer and we also can be an overcomer.

Romans 7: 18-25

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Paul was in a fleshly body the same as each of us is. Paul was tempted daily just the same as we are. Paul says my fleshly body wants to sin but the inward man, the spirit, wants to follow God. He knew the battle that was being fought for his soul.

Romans 6: 16 says Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

We have to give our life to Christ just as Paul did. We have to become obedient to Christ and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:1-6

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

We all want life and to live in peace. If we give in to the flesh and do the sinful things of the world we are not pleasing God this leads us to spiritual death. Yet on the other hand if we are willing to allow ourselves to be led by the spirit we become the children of God and find the peace we need for our soul.

Romans 8:9-14

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Even though there is a war within us we can overcome the weaknesses of our flesh and the temptations of Satan to live in the peace of God’s Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

How do we crucify the sinful desires the flesh? We crucify the flesh by staying close to God through the studying his word and by praying and talking with him on a daily basis. We cannot pray one time and expect to live a life for Christ. It is a daily battle, one that is fought on a daily basis. Then we must humble ourselves to the Lord’s will and learn to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit when it prompts us to do something or to NOT do something.

I John 2:15-17

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Heavenly Father, I pray that all your children will draw closer to you as we see the day of your return approaching. I ask you Lord to fill our hearts with love first for you and then for those around us. Teach us Father your ways and give us the strength we need to overcome the weaknesses of the flesh and the temptations of this world. Fill us with you Holy Spirit and guide us daily. We praise you Father and give you thanks for your ever abiding love and grace. In the precious name your son and our savior Jesus Christ.!

God Bless each of you! ~Jeanette