My Flesh . . . His Spirit

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 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 5:16–17 NASB)

Since both the Spirit and the flesh are resident within each believer, invariably there is a struggle going on beneath the surface of our lives. Every day we live, it is there, simmering on the back burner of our minds. It is like a war in the soul—a bloodless battle that won’t go away.

This does not mean we’re carnal; it means we’re human. There is no sin in admitting to the struggle. In fact, if you don’t believe such a struggle exists, read today’s verses one more time.

Deep within the recesses of our minds there is this invisible, albeit hostile, battleground. On one side are my fleshly desires; on the other, the blessed Spirit of God. One is dark; the other light. One is evil; the other righteous. One is full of lethal drives and desires; the other is nothing but wholesome and healthy.

Because that conflict is carried out in the invisible realm we seldom think of it in such objective terms, but the contrasts could not be more antithetical. If it were not for the restraining presence of the Spirit, you and I would be the personification of wickedness. No sin would be too extreme. No act of disobedience too rebellious. Unrestrained, the flesh knows no bounds within the dark sphere of iniquity.

If that may seem exaggerated, skip down two verses and read Galatians 5:19–21.

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity,
indecent behaviour, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of
anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and
things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that
those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Quite a list, isn’t it? Looks terribly bleak to me. In fact, it’s the same list of sins that could be applied to those outside of Christ. And that’s just the point! When God’s people traffic in these things, the world cannot tell the difference between us and them.

Were it not for the presence of God’s Spirit, our wickedness would know no bounds. But He is there. He lives within. He prompts us to live above the dregs of depravity. Were that not true, we would be hopelessly awash in the activities of the flesh.

The good news is: We don’t have to serve the old master any longer! Now that we have our Lord’s divine, dynamic presence perpetually living within us, we can live above all that, and we can do so on a consistent basis.