October 7, 2024 OPPOSED TO ONE ANOTHER
Galatians5:16-17 “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another.”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
We cannot escape and we must ignore ignore the fact that there are two opposing forces at work in us. There are a lot of scriptures that deal with the flesh and the Spirit. Before we were saved, we had one nature-the sin nature; at salvation, we received the Spirit of God-a new nature. It is abundantly clear in the word of God that the power of sin over us has been broken and that we are no longer slaves to sin. It is also clear that we can die to our old nature, the flesh. (Many read Romans 7 as Paul’s testimony-but that is incorrect; Paul was describing a life lived according to the flesh. This may sound a little contradictory, but it’s not; even though we can die to the flesh and the power of sin has been broken, the flesh has not yet been annihilated. God could have done away with the flesh at salvation, but He didn’t do so. It is God’s plan that we learn to overcome the enemy and his desires against us; God does not want us to be robots, but to be His children who share in His victory over sin. God has and is transforming us into His image, and a part of that image is one of being over comers. We die to the flesh by walking according to the Spirit; we have the choice to yield to the Spirit and we have the choice to yield to the flesh. The battle of the flesh and the Spirit is an on-going battle. However, we can purpose in our hearts in advance that we are choosing walk by the Spirit; when the flesh try’s to exert itself, we simple say no to the flesh and continue walking in the Spirit. This battle of the flesh and the Spirit has huge implications; one leads to life and one leads to death-spiritual or even physical death. Much could be said about the flesh and the Spirit; yet it’s not that complicated. Yes, we have an old nature, the flesh that wants to distract us from the Spirit of God. The good news is that Jesus has overcome sin and He has given us His Holy Spirit who enables us to be victorious in this battle of the flesh and the Spirit. We now have the power to say no to sin and yes to God. We can lay aside the works of the flesh; and we can put on the things of God. God has set us free from sin and has made it possible to live in fellowship with Him and with others. So, even though there are opposing forces at work in us, we do not have to live with battle fatigue; in Christ we are more than conquers. Let us live in ‘the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.’
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Blessings, Buddy
Galatians5:16-17 “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another.”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
We cannot escape and we must ignore ignore the fact that there are two opposing forces at work in us. There are a lot of scriptures that deal with the flesh and the Spirit. Before we were saved, we had one nature-the sin nature; at salvation, we received the Spirit of God-a new nature. It is abundantly clear in the word of God that the power of sin over us has been broken and that we are no longer slaves to sin. It is also clear that we can die to our old nature, the flesh. (Many read Romans 7 as Paul’s testimony-but that is incorrect; Paul was describing a life lived according to the flesh. This may sound a little contradictory, but it’s not; even though we can die to the flesh and the power of sin has been broken, the flesh has not yet been annihilated. God could have done away with the flesh at salvation, but He didn’t do so. It is God’s plan that we learn to overcome the enemy and his desires against us; God does not want us to be robots, but to be His children who share in His victory over sin. God has and is transforming us into His image, and a part of that image is one of being over comers. We die to the flesh by walking according to the Spirit; we have the choice to yield to the Spirit and we have the choice to yield to the flesh. The battle of the flesh and the Spirit is an on-going battle. However, we can purpose in our hearts in advance that we are choosing walk by the Spirit; when the flesh try’s to exert itself, we simple say no to the flesh and continue walking in the Spirit. This battle of the flesh and the Spirit has huge implications; one leads to life and one leads to death-spiritual or even physical death. Much could be said about the flesh and the Spirit; yet it’s not that complicated. Yes, we have an old nature, the flesh that wants to distract us from the Spirit of God. The good news is that Jesus has overcome sin and He has given us His Holy Spirit who enables us to be victorious in this battle of the flesh and the Spirit. We now have the power to say no to sin and yes to God. We can lay aside the works of the flesh; and we can put on the things of God. God has set us free from sin and has made it possible to live in fellowship with Him and with others. So, even though there are opposing forces at work in us, we do not have to live with battle fatigue; in Christ we are more than conquers. Let us live in ‘the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.’
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Blessings, Buddy
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