How to Walk in Spirit (Part 2)

Paul wrote in Galatians 5:17, "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit sets its desire against the flesh. For these are in opposition to one another so that you may not do the things you please" (NASB). All Christians eventually become fully aware of the conflict going on within them. There is an opposition between walking in the Spirit and fulfilling the lust of the flesh.

There is a conflict and it a normal part of the Christian life. Sometimes people do not want to hear this truth. They would prefer to hear a Christianity that proclaims "all victory all the time." They want a formula they can follow which will guarantee that all their problems will be solved. But is that realistic? No. It is not even biblical. You see we are to fight the good fight of faith, put on the whole armor of God, and endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Your problems are not over when you come to Christ. Friend, your problems are just beginning.

It is at this point that Galatians 5:17 becomes very clear. The New Century Version puts it like this: "Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just as you please."

The word flesh is another word for sinful self. It is the part of us that is depraved by nature. We all have a depraved nature by virtue of our descent from Adam. By our new birth we have a new nature. We are new creations by virtue of the Holy Spirit who comes to reside within us. There are several conclusions we can draw from this. First, we have a conflict that is continual and inevitable. Second, the flesh and the Spirit are fundamentally opposite. Third, this conflict produces conflicting desires within the believer.

Therefore out of the same mouth comes both cursings and blessings. We love and we hate. We serve and we steal. We may sing in the choir and then watch filthy movies. We may proclaim Christ to our friends and then lie to them. We tell a Bible story and then we tell a dirty story. Of course the manifestations are different and the struggles are different for every Christian but we all experience the struggle just the same.

And may I say that if you do feel the struggle then that is a good indication that you are saved. Did you know that? Do you want to please the Lord? Do you truly desire to live a holy life? Despite your personal failings do you want to do and be all God wants you to do and be? Your struggle with sin is proof of your divine heritage. So if sin is a burden then thank God it is burden and not a joy. So while the struggle so many times prevents us from walking in the Spirit it also produces many benefits. For example: the struggle reveals our inherent weakness, kills our pride and arrogance, humbles us again and again, forces us to cry out to God for help, teaches us to rely upon the Lord alone, causes us to love the Lord who delivers us from sin, leads us to a life of continual repentance, makes us more watchful against the encroachment of sin, makes us long for the rest we will experience in heaven, encourages us to develop habits of holiness, and leads us to look for daily solutions instead of instant miracles.

Next week I want look more closely at the daily victory that is available to every Christian through the Holy Spirit. Remember that God loves you and so does First Baptist Church.