Focus: Galatians 5:16 - KJV
16. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16-21
Man, created in the image of God has a triune composition - spirit, soul and body. When man fell in the garden, his composition was affected in that the spirit that communed directly with the Spirit of God fell and thereby, his composition became body, soul and spirit with the spirit being kept under such that the body (flesh) did as it pleased without giving any relevance to the spirit. But from the time of his redemption in Christ, the spirit of man bears witness with the Spirit of God to restore man to his original state. That man has a new lease of life thereby and the man who yielded to the dictates of the flesh freely willy is replaced by a new man who is governed by his spirit in conjunction with the Spirit of God. But from the time of this rebirth, there is a constant war in the composition of the man: the flesh is never willing to succumb to the spirit and therefore wars against it for control. But because the Spirit of God is available to sustain the spirit in man, if only he would yield to the commands of the Spirit, man is able to conquer and live. So then, for everyone who will walk in the Spirit, the flesh is damned and kept under, mortified and prevented from bringing the man into such ills as lying, fornication, lasciviousness, evil concupiscence, murder and the likes but yields to love, joy, longsuffering, meekness and such likes which, of course, is true living and life.
Beloved, your doing things that do not make God happy is as a result of your being yielding to the flesh rather than the spirit. The spirit in you relates with the Spirit of God to guide you into things that glorify God. But when the flesh wars against the spirit and you yield to the flesh, then you see the works of the flesh manifesting in you which ordinarily you are not happy about and which the Lord does not approve. You can overcome the flesh if you determine to. Just yield to the Spirit always and you will never again fulfil the lust of the flesh. God is counting on you in this.
SOLUTION: The power to choose between the Spirit and the flesh is absolutely yours. Whatever it is that does not end in love is of the flesh. Don’t do it. At times, evil is clandestine to look like good. Just use the litmus test of love: if this was done to you will you be glad about it?
Father, we do not want to do anything to make you withdraw from us ever again. Thank you for your Spirit that has rejuvenated ours. From now on, please make us to yield only to your commands by your Spirit in the name of Jesus. Whatever it takes, please keep us away from yielding to the flesh ever again in Jesus’ name. Do help us to be able to mortify the flesh and keep it under always by your Spirit in Jesus’ name. We appreciate you Lord.