Have you ever done something that you know you shouldn’t have done? Welcome to the human race. The Apostle Paul lamented that same frustration:

For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. (Romans 7:18-19)

We can identify with Paul’s dilemma as we’ve tried to quit a bad habit. We experience frustration as we realize the futility of our self-effort. Paul was confronting a problem called legalism. Legalism is seeking to earn God’s favor through our performance. Paul declared however, that we can experience victory over our fleshly desires. His strategy is to walk by the Spirit:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16 )

Paul often used the term flesh to refer to that aspect of our fallen nature that incessantly seeks its own desires apart from God. In this verse, Paul commanded us to walk by the Spirit which implies a manner of life concordant with God’s way and will. Victory does not come through self-effort, but rather through reliance upon the Spirit. The injunction to walk by the Spirit implies that we have a choice – His commandment is our enablement.

If we are walking by the Spirit, Paul declared that we will not be slaves to our desires. Paul used two negative words indicating we will absolutely not carry out the desires of the flesh. The person who is walking by the Spirit is fulfilled and therefore, does not seek to gratify the desires of the flesh.

The desire to gratify the flesh may not be prevented, but we can withhold its fulfilment. When we walk by the Spirit, God produces in us the fruit of the Spirit and enables us to walk in vicitory. Those who are fully surrendered to God will not deliberately surrender to the enemy. We must remember that we are in a battle:

For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. (Galatians 5:17)

Are there areas in your life in which your fleshly desires are in the ascendancy? We will not shift from seeking to gratify the desires of the flesh until the pain and frustration we’re experiencing makes us realize we can’t overcome the flesh in our own strength. That is the point in which we surrender to God and rely completely upon Him.

Our greatest struggle is often not with the people around us, but with the passions within us. D. L. Moody said, “I have more trouble with D. L. Moody than with any man I know.”

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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