SUNDAY March 21, 2021

Walk in the Spirit

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:16-18

Paul urged the Galatians to walk in the Spirit. If they did so, they would not fulfill the lust of the flesh. They would achieve victory over the flesh, and they would produce spiritual fruit: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).

When a Christian is obediently walking in the Spirit, they need no longer walk in condemnation, as they are no longer subject to the Law: There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1). Paul has instructed us how to defeat the flesh. We just need to reckon our flesh to be dead with Christ, and walk in the Spirit––simple.

Man has been created as trichotomy. A person without Christ is spiritually dead––body, soul and spirit. Once a person comes to Jesus Christ, they are no longer a natural man (1 Corinthian 2:14). They now become a spiritual man. There is a dramatic flip over––spirit, soul and body. The spirit now rules and the flesh is dead (Romans 6-8). This person has become born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3). A Christian is no longer under the Law, but under grace. Now they desire to please God and not please their flesh.

Understand, the flesh and Spirit are not friends. In the life of a believer, the flesh is always making war against the Spirit. The Spirit is always combatting against the flesh. There is a daily battle between them. In this battle, the Holy Spirit helps to convict us when we are tempted to sin. Who needs to win? The Spirit!

“We are not saved in order to be a blessing to other people––you will be that inevitably––but primarily we are saved in order to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.”
~Alan Redpath~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!