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Leslie Wittenmyer

March 23, 2024

Galatians 5:17, New Living Translation

“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”


If Jesus set you free, then you are free indeed! There are battles we all face in life, and it all begins in one place, our mind. It’s a battlefield between flesh and spirit. Paul tells us in God’s word, “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. and the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” (Galatians 5:17, NLT)

 

We are not left defenseless against this attack. What is the answer? Love… Loving God with all your heart, mind, and strength! It’s coming to the end of yourself, and realizing you need a Savior. When God is first place in your heart, you are allowing Him to do a good work in you! Romans 8:1-2 (NLT) says, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed us from the power of sin that leads to death.” What are the sins that lead to death? You would be surprised at what we find in Galatians 5:19 (NLT), “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.” 

 

It is a constant battle within our flesh, but when we come to the end of ourselves, and seek God and surrender to His will in our lives, He does a radical transformation within us. Paul says in Romans 12:1–2 (NLT) “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God, because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice— the kind he will find acceptable. Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you’ll learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Noticed that God wants to change the way we think! How can He change the way we think if we aren’t fully surrendered and finding out who He is in His word, and who He desires us to be?

 

There are so many people who shrink back when you mention reading the Bible. They think that it’s hard to understand. But is it really hard to understand? The Bible is the greatest love story ever written. It’s a factual story about a Savior who poured out His very life blood as an atonement to our sins. His death and resurrection brought us victory over sin and death and brings us into right relationship with our Father!

 

I have had moments in my own life where it seemed a bit chaotic, because I was choosing my flesh over the Spirit. I was walking and ignorance rather than the knowledge and freedom a Jesus Christ.

 

God is so gracious to help us if we allow him in to do the work. James 5:16 (NLT) says, “Confess your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayers of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

 

These results don’t just mean a physical healing, but it could be an emotional healing, or any other kind of healing that God wants to do in you to restore you. Confess your sins to God. Talk to Him about your struggles. He wants to hear from you! He wants to help you, to change the way you think, so that transformation can take place within. When we walk in the Spirit, we produce the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). When this fruit is produced in our lives, it doesn’t just impact our selves, but it touches everyone around us. This isn’t something we can do in our own strength, we have to crucify our flesh, and rely on the Lord in our weaknesses. We cannot work out the salvation of others, but we can work on our own salvation, and let God do what He wants through us. Paul says in Philippians 2:12–16 (NLT) “…work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God, with deep reverence in fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire, and the power to do it pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world, full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life….” Paul goes on to talk about his life being a liquid offering to God. It pleases God because Paul obeyed the Lord. By following the example of our Savior, walking in love and forgiveness, our lives to can be a liquid offering to God.

 

Only by the power of God and His Spirit in us can we overcome our flesh and this world! I thank God that He loves us so much to be the change within us that sets us free and freely allows us to live for Him. It’s love. And love is a calling to spiritual growth. Are you willing to let Christ into your heart to do this beautiful work?

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