Don’t Do What You Want?

The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Galatians 5:17

In the verse before, Paul had encouraged the Christians in the Galatian territory to walk by the Spirit so they would not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Last night I was kept up by worrisome thoughts of my flesh. My heart truly desired to listen to God and refuse the fretting of my soul. Finally, this morning, after a long battle, I envisioned myself in front of the Lord’s face and stated, “I am your child. May it be to me as you see fit. I place myself in your care. Whatever my future holds, I trust you.”

It doesn’t mean that I stopped being responsible for my choices and simply let God choose for me. I continue to set my life in order. However, I have given the results to my Father.

The struggle didn’t totally go away after I faced God, but, now, I can answer it. I am God’s child! That’s what I say to my flesh when it tries to take me down in persistent troubled thoughts.

We learn in today’s passage that all of us, as followers of Christ, are intensely drawn to two conflicting sides that war within us. The flesh influences us away from God and the other invites us to be in step with Him. The flesh fully contradicts the Spirit and the Spirit, likewise, is completely contrary to the flesh.

These opposing sides work against each other in purpose and strength and in constant contention and strife. Whether we surrender to our heavenly calling or submit to our evil appetites, one has enslaved us to its power.

In other words, when we choose to submit to the Spirit, we will be led not to follow after what our flesh wants us to do. We reject it’s hold over us. When we choose, instead, to surrender to our own reasoning (influenced by the world), we will be swayed not to follow the desires of the Spirit.

Enslaved may seem like a strong word for either side, but just think about it. We are always giving ourselves over to the control of one side or the other.

Every moment of our days, which side will win? Both will attempt to direct and train us. Both will give us habits that will be hard to break once they’re set in our hearts.

Which will awaken and arouse the thoughts in our minds towards the Spirit or the flesh and gain the victory?

When our hearts seek God’s Spirit alone, our desires for Him are renewed. He changes us for the good. It doesn’t mean we gain perfection. It means that our truest aim brings us back to His presence in constant covering of grace and love and mutual fellowship.

When our hearts seek only God’s Spirit, our choices will not be made from emotional or mental desires or thoughts, but from a higher calling of what the He is calling us to do.

Yet, in all our lives, there will be a battle to steal our hearts away from the other side. The Spirit yearns for His people and will forever be drawing us to Himself. It is the same with the lustful desires of the father of evil (Satan) who wants to have us for himself.

Each will invest their all in our lives. Each will call and lure us to come.

In yielding ourselves to the inclinations of the Spirit and away from the control of the flesh, there is a freedom beyond what we can imagine until we experience it. Yes, even in our enslavement to Christ, we are more free than ever before.

In contrast, in yielding ourselves to the inclinations of the flesh and away from the influence of the Spirit, we are met with only less freedom than before. In our enslavement, we are dangerously asleep, so to speak, allowing ourselves to be lulled into bondage to Satan and his hold on us.

The sweet process of daily struggling through the blessed refusal of evil bondage and into the beautimous wonder of the Spirit’s sovereignty, holds for us a peace and joy which with none can argue.

As last week’s blog speaks to us again, we know that one day these struggles will cease. Today, however, we pray and fight to move as the Spirit moves.

Listen to the sweet song of pleading to the Father as His children:

Father, we cannot have victory over our desperate plights without you. Please guide and lead us to your perfect will. Help us defeat the flesh that calls to us. May we learn well your voice. Fight with us, these daily battles we face. Show us where worry, fear, pride and lust have taken us over. Move us daily to a place where we cannot do the things our flesh calls us to do. We offer our bodies and our lives to you to rule over. In Jesus name, Amen.