How can we walk in the Spirit when we are flesh and blood? This devotion discusses the battle that disciples have between their human nature and their spiritual nature.
Nuggets
- Flesh means more than our skin here.
- The problem is our spiritual side and our human side doesn’t play nice together.
- Our desires are still within us after conversion.
To read devotions in the Walk in the Spirit series, click the appropriate button below.
We just barely touched on the flesh yesterday. Is that important?
Well, yes because that is where the battle comes into the picture.
Let's Put It into Context
“I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Gal. 5: 16 CSB)
Walking is the term used to describe how we live our lives. It specifically means that we, as disciples, are to live following God’s laws and commands.
It is more than just not walking in the flesh anymore. It is not walking under the law, also. When we walk in the Spirit, we follow God instead of human nature. We look to satisfy Him, not ourselves.
The flesh is our human nature. It is considered naturally corrupt because it pursues what is pleasing, not necessarily what God commands. It is the root of sin and evil.
We will not be able to totally suppress our human nature. Disciples strive to not obey their nature over God’s commands, especially willfully.
Further Define Flesh, Please
“For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want” (Gal. 5: 17 CSB)
Okay, so let’s flesh out some more the definition of flesh. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)
Paul is talking about more than our skin here. Kingsley thought that “… he means by it man’s body, man’s heart and brain, and all his bodily appetites and powers — what we call a man’s constitution …” It is all of us.
It has also been described as our animal instincts. Kingsley described us as “… an animal with an immortal spirit in it ….” There are a few other differences between us and animals, though.
What is clear is that there are two sides — or human nature and our spiritual nature. “On the one hand the body, with all its physical needs, desires, impulses; on the other hand that spiritual nature which distinguishes him from the animal creation” (Carpenter).
The problem is the two sides don’t play nice together. They are controlled by two entirely different beings. Satan controls the human nature while God controls the spiritual nature. It is our choice which gets top dog in our lives.
It’s War!
“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (I Pet. 2: 11 KJV)
We talked once about being sojourners. Back when we were walking through Ephesians, we said that, instead of sojourners, we are part of the family of God when we ABCD.
The ABCDs of Salvation
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
Part of the problem is that sin is never going to raise the white flag. Satan is never going to admit defeat. He is never going to give up.
But think where that puts us — in the middle. We are right in the crosshairs.
So, we’ve got these two natures inside of us struggling to get the upper hand. Sinful nature wins — evil comes out. Spiritual nature wins — good comes out.
When we do become disciples, it is described as our old nature and new nature. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (I Cor. 5: 17 NLT).
God still leaves us with free will. We still have to choose — daily — whether we are going to follow Him that day or not.
How gave us a good description of the war. He said it has four stages:
- Pre-battle
- Battle
- Victory
- Post-battle
Let’s look at this a second. We like to think that the pre-battle phase is pre-conversion. But it isn’t always necessarily so.
Our desires are still within us after conversion. Dealing with them is working out our salvation.
Then here comes God. Okay, Elaine. We are going to work on your self-discipline this year.
Do you think Satan is just going to say, “Oh well. Another one bites the dust. Maybe I will just go pick on Tom.”
Back up a couple of paragraphs. Satan never gives up. He’s going, “All right! Dog fight!” and heading to his little plane.
And doesn’t it feel like it is a pitched battle at times? Oh, yes. Both sides have chosen to fight at this time at this place over this issue.
And here sits poor little us. In the middle.
We battle, but God is on our side when we are battling for righteousness. Remember, righteousness is the results of our relationship with God. Only through His help can our spiritual nature triumph over our sinful nature.
But we won!!! No more battles. You know what is though? No struggle, no more foes means we are in heaven.
That doesn’t mean we aren’t going to have victories here on earth. We will. God through His Holy Spirit will have to bring about any changes in us that come from the victories we experience.
Compromise Is Not an Option
“If you love me, obey my commandments” (Jn. 14: 15 NLT)
The worldview wants disciples to compromise — both for ourselves and for them. God does not give us that option.
Part of the issue with sin is that we want it to stay hidden. God works to bring that sin out into the light so we can work to eliminate it. There is no compromise there.
A lot of times we want Satan to treat us the way we read that he treated Jesus. “When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came” (Lk. 4: 13 NLT). We like the he-went-away part.
Unfortunately, the next opportunity is usually five minutes from now, tomorrow at the latest. Remember, we said decisions are made daily. The next time we make a decision is the next opportunity.
So, it is a constant battle. There are two options: God’s way or Satan’s way.
God doesn’t say we can keep part of His commandments but can slide on others. He doesn’t say we can keep some of them only some of the time.
He calls us to obey all commandments all of the time.
We have to keep close watch because Satan is sneaky. He is going to attack where we are most vulnerable and snow us. He isn’t going to show us his true self. He is going to be all appealing and charming.
Watch out!
I think we forget that sometimes God is the instigator of the battle. We think it is always Satan that is tempting us. Sometimes, it is God, Who is testing us.
If we compromise on a testing that God has instigated, we have lost.
But Neither Is Annihilation
On the really rough days when the battle is raging, it might cross our minds that God could do this a different way. Why does He make us battle?
Why doesn’t He just squash Satan?
God doesn’t do that because that wouldn’t be our free will, then. He would become a dictator. God doesn’t want that.
Making the Connections
- The battle may be a daily occurrence, but remember, God’s mercies are new every day (Lam 3: 23).
- The desires of the flesh are opposite to how God calls us to live.
- It is probably a good think that God gives us our free will because it is hard enough following His commandments when we choose to do that.
- Our human nature is looking for the exciting, easy way.
- Our walk as a disciple is anything but as we are called to take up our crosses (Mk. 16: 24).
- God calls us to give our spiritual nature top billing. It has to discipline us.
To read devotions in the What Does It Mean series, click the appropriate button below.
How Do We Apply This?
- Pray. Specifically, ask God for grace.
- Well, really all of the things we do when we seek God. Do them daily.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17 NLT).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3 ESV).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16 ESV).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11 NLT).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11 NLT).
To read Has God Provided Everything We Need?, click the button below.
- Put our faith and trust in God. He has shown us in the past that we can depend on Him.
- Work to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit more.
- Grow. Remember when we talked about going from milk babies to steak adults? That will help.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
- Build our character.
- Pay attention. Don’t let Satan sneak in on us.
- Take stock to determine our weak areas.
- Be content with our lives, no matter how chaotic they are.
- Watch for Jesus to return
I know. We have just scratched the surface. But this is where we have to exercise the most self-discipline.
In the next devotion, we are going to discuss what it means to be spirit led.
Sovereign God. You have designed a way so that our relationship with You can be restored. To do this, You forgive us of our sins. Unfortunately, we keep sinning – and You keep forgiving us. Strengthen us so that we may resist our human nature and follow our spiritual nature. Help us to grow and change to be more like You. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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Great post, we need to die to our flesh every single day. We can not let our flesh tell us what to do, we must led by The Spirit of God.
Yes, we do! Unfortunately, we get so busy in this life that we don’t feel the promptings. Thanks for the encouragement.
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Hello, I check your blogs daily. Your writing style is awesome, keep doing what you’re doing!
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