Walk in the spirit to live like Christ
Dr. D Olawale
Many Christians are confused and disappointed when, after giving their lives to Christ, they still struggle with bad habits, wrong thinking, and sinful acts. Many are also confused when they discover that some Christian leaders are caught in hidden sins and also exhibit ungodly character. The book of Galatians calls these acts the desires of the flesh.
“13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:13, 16-21
Even though you have given your life to Christ, you still live in your earth suit (physical body or flesh). Your flesh has desires that are contrary to what the Spirit of God who lives in you wants. So there is a constant battle between the desires of your flesh, which are selfish and contrary to God’s will, and the desires of God’s Spirit in you. Also, don’t let anyone deceive you. God clearly says in Galatians 5:19-21 that those who live like this (engage in the acts of the flesh) will not inherit the kingdom of God!
One of the ways that you know that you have truly given your life to Christ and that the Holy Spirit is at work in you is that the wrong and sinful things (acts of the flesh) you used to do before without any remorse, when you do them now, you feel so bad. The sin you used to celebrate before and brag about now makes you feel so remorseful. This shows that God is at work in you. You should be encouraged and not downcast when you feel sorry for your wrong because the Lord wants to take you higher in Him.
Never forget that as long as you are on this side of Heaven, you have your flesh to contend with. When you are aware of that, it helps you to stay alert and glued to (abiding in) the Lord because you know that without His help, you will fall.
Thank God that we have the Holy Spirit's help to continually overcome our flesh. Galatians 5:16 states:
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
What does it mean to walk by the Spirit? It means to set our mind (thoughts, will, emotions) on what the Holy Spirit desires. It means to have our mind controlled or governed by what the Spirit desires. Remember, there are two desires warring in you. The desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit. The victory is won in your mind. Which one of the two are you feeding and focusing your mind on? The one you feed will be stronger and will always win. If you feed your mind with pornographic materials from magazines and movies, you have fed your flesh, and it is going to overcome the desires of the Holy Spirit in you. If you feed your mind with God’s Word, you have strengthened your spirit to be able to overcome the flesh to do God’s will.
So, you determine who wins by what you feed your mind with and focus your thoughts on. Are you feeding your mind to strengthen your spirit to be able to obey and please God, or are you feeding your mind to strengthen your flesh to disobey and displease God? You have the power to determine what you feed your mind with and what you set your mind on.
“5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” - Romans 8:5-8
Also, remember that it is a daily and lifelong commitment. Never get to a point where you stop feeding your spirit man. That is a sign of pride and self-dependency. Before long, such a person will fall into sin. Suppose Paul the Apostle, who wrote about two-thirds of the New Testament, said that he had to keep his flesh (body) under control so that after he had preached to others, he wouldn’t be a castaway (1 Corinthians 9:27).
In that case, you and I need to take caution and continually feed our minds so we can run and complete our race gloriously and blamelessly. We have the responsibility and the power to choose to put our flesh under the control of the Holy Spirit in us by feeding our minds on the things of the Spirit (God’s Word) and by consistently and consciously setting our minds on the things of the Spirit. Almost every morning, I go to stand before a wooden tablet with the Words of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 written on it to meditate on them, so I can feed my mind with the qualities of love, because God is love, and that is the most important thing to Him.
Finally, how do you know you are feeding your mind rightly to strengthen your spirit to obey and please God? You start thinking about being controlled by and exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in increasing measure. So, check your fruit!
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” - Galatians 5: 22-26
Call out
Remember, there are two desires warring in you. The desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit. The victory is won in your mind. Which one of the two are you feeding and focusing your mind on? The one you feed will be stronger and will always win.
