Galatians 5:17 Spirit and Flesh
Food for Thought
An all-creatures.org Guide to Kingdom Living

Galatians 5:17 New King James Version

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

God warns us of a constant struggle between our spirit and flesh. Sometimes it is subtle; at other times it is an obvious war between the two. Either way it is uncomfortable and challenging when a struggle ensues . Sometimes It can be painful and exhausting and sometimes just an irritant.

God gives us the option of walking in the spirit and live according to His word. His word says to walk in love and forgiveness. His word says to fellowship with Him and obey Him. It also says walk in child "likeness", meaning in complete trust of Him and innocent as sheep. This is God’s way and God’s ways are right and possible.

God makes it very clear that our spirit is going to battle with the flesh which wants things it’s own way.

To walk in the flesh is to walk in pettiness and childishness. It is to take offense at everything and everyone who does not agree with us and to stand critical and prideful.

The choice is ours.

The longer we forfeit the things of the spirit and walk in the flesh, the deeper the hole of doubt, bitterness, sickness and despair will be.

But to choose to walk uprightly and in the Spirit of God, is to choose life and prosperity; not only of our physical lives but our internal life as well; the soul and the body.

Our choices can open the door to the enemy’s attacks or lock the door tightly to keep him far from having access.

Our lives are our domain in Christ and we have been instructed to take care of our domain. This includes, continually cleansing ourselves in the blood of Jesus and washing our souls in the the word. It is to purge ourselves of any offense and to bathe in the presence of God.

This will keep us enlightened and strong.

But to feed the flesh is to feed death. It is to weigh ourselves down with the muck and mire of the times. It is to participate in gossip and filth and to pollute our souls with our own selfish demands.

Challenge: Take inventory. Ask God to reveal what you need to see and work on. Repent Open your heart, and ask God to purge you of anything that is keeping you walking in the flesh.

God bless

Marni

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The purpose of this series is to encourage people to live as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God: Jesus tells us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) God tells us through Micah (6:8), "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." And we know from Revelation 21:4 that there will be no more mourning, or crying, or pain, or death. Thus, Christian living requires us to set the standards of these conditions here on earth for our fellow human beings, and for the other animals, as a witness to the rest of the world. To do otherwise is not Christian.