When it comes to spiritual things, do you know why we do what we do?<\/p>\n
The reason is this:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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\u201d (Galatians 5:17).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
We do what we do because the flesh lusts or wars against the Spirit. We know it’s true. Deep down in our hearts, we know how sinful and selfish we are. When we look in the mirror we recognize our greatest enemy, sitting on our own shoulders. We are naturally destitute of the virtues of heaven.<\/p>\n
Pause.<\/p>\n
But the verse also indicates that the Spirit lusts against the flesh.<\/p>\n
Alleluia Holy Spirit!<\/p>\n
\u201cI say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh\u201d (Galatians 5:16, NKJV).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Get out!<\/p>\n
Did you just read what I read?<\/p>\n
I think we need to read that again:<\/p>\n
\u201cThis I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh\u201d (Galatians 5:16, KJV).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I can hear someone say, I have been walking in the Spirit but I\u2019m still getting beat up.<\/p>\n
Are you sure you\u2019re letting the Spirit in? Nothing is blocking the Holy Spirit power in your life? Too much media, idle gossip, that judgmental self-dependent spirit, and, and . . .<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t get discouraged by your compromising, selfish self…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Yea, that. But wait a minute. Don\u2019t get discouraged by your compromising, selfish self. Don\u2019t listen to the enemy. You\u2019re still in the fight. Still standing. The Spirit is still warring against the flesh, pulling us, convicting us, comforting us, helping us. The word \u201clust\u201d in verse 17 traces back to the word for passion. It means \u201cto immolate or slay.\u201d<\/p>\n
It literally reads, the flesh slays the Spirit and the Spirit slays the flesh. Again, the worldly man kills the spiritual man, but, and this is huge, the Spirit kills the worldly man. That’s why when you become spiritual you change. Your thoughts change, your words change, your actions change, everything changes; because the Spirit slays the worldly man. The things of this world die. They\u2019re slain by the Spirit of God. We act differently. We talk differently. We walk differently. We speak differently. That\u2019s why we do what we do.<\/p>\n
Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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