Galatians 5:16 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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 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. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Ephesians 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
1 Peter 4:2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.
1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
To walk in the Spirit means that the Holy Spirit lives in you, to be open and sensitive to the influence of the Holy Spirit, and to live your life desiring the influence of the Holy Spirit. There is no way anyone can fulfill the lust of the flesh as they walk in the Spirit. The two simply don’t go together. The Holy Spirit doesn’t move in us to gratify our fallen desires and passions, but to teach us about Jesus and to guide us in ways that will always honor and glorify Jesus. How can we think some of the things we think and do some of the things we do that surely do not honor and glorify Jesus Christ? It is when worldly desires, temptations, and self-gratification take a front and center place in our minds. If we would take every thought, action, and words we are about to speak captive and simply ask ourselves is this in line with God’s Word or what the world thinks is right. Does it honor and glorify Jesus Christ? Does it demonstrate the love of Him?
Walking in the Spirit is the key, but it doesn’t always come easily. Often, it is a battle. There is a battle going on inside the Christian, and the battle is between the flesh and the Spirit. As Paul writes, these are contrary to one another – they don’t get along at all. When the flesh is winning the inside battle, you do not do the things that you wish. You don’t live the way you want to; you live under the flesh instead of under the Spirit. Our inner being (sinful nature) is fully trained in rebellion and fleshly and worldly desires. We intentionally choose to be influenced and led by either our old nature or the Spirit of God. This battle between that which honors and glorifies and that which does not and which one will win comes down to what we choose to allow into our hearts, minds, and souls. Out of the abundance of the heart, all actions and words take root. Fill your heart with God’s Word. Desire it. Seek it. Cherish it. Obey it. Believe it. Trust it. Cling to it. Rely on it. Desire the Holy Spirit to lead you. If God’s Word is set aside or placed out of sight (not set in high regard) you are helpless against the fleshly and worldly.
