Monday 26/11/12

Galatians 5:16-17 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

There are two opposing forces within our heart and generate our desires: the Spirit and the flesh.

The Spirit of God generates in us Godly desires for our good, which creates in us the good fruit as in Galatians 5: 22-23 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

The flesh generates in us fleshy desires which cause our ruin as in Galatians 5:19-21 ESV

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Therefore, we must walk by the Spirit and tune ourselves to His leading. We must refrain from following the flesh. We cannot win alone, we must seek help from God by praying for strength to overcome and for forgiveness when we fail. At the same time, we must walk by the Spirit and do what He want us to do. So overtime, we develop habits of doing what are right in the Spirit and resisting the flesh. This will become easier and more natural, and bring us closer to God overtime.