Skip to main content

How to Win the War Within: Overcoming the Flesh with the Spirit

 

How to Win the War Within: Overcoming the Flesh with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17)    

Tug-of-war rope symbolizing internal conflict   

 

    There’s a part of you that doesn’t want to heal, grow, forgive, or evolve. It resists the transformation God desires for your life. That part of you, the flesh is not outside; it’s within. Just as the human body retains some fat regardless of how healthy we are, our spiritual walk also includes a part of us that resists the Spirit.

 

"So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."  Galatians 5:16

 

   You are not battling against people, situations, or even your past. The greatest war is within. It’s the part of you that craves instant gratification and rebels against the slow, faithful process of transformation. It’s the part that wants everything, now, even if you’re not ready for it spiritually. Like wanting microwave results for a crockpot purpose, the flesh despises waiting. But God’s work in you is not instant. It’s ongoing, deliberate, and deeply rooted in grace. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” That cry acknowledges the war inside and invites God into the battle. Paul explains in Galatians 5:17 that the flesh and the Spirit are in constant opposition. Spiritual practices prayer, worship, fasting, studying the Word aren’t religious routines. They are your soul’s daily exercise, keeping that “spiritual fat” in check.                                                            

   You won't eliminate the flesh completely. As long as you're human, the flesh will exist. But you can limit its control. You can choose to walk in the Spirit, feeding your soul the right things and practicing disciplines that align you with God's will. There’s a part of you that’s addicted to stimulation scrolling endlessly, craving entertainment, seeking validation. That part is real, and it must be disciplined. There’s also a part that only wants joy and sunshine but refuses to grow through rain and pain. But you need both. It’s the tension between joy and sorrow that deepens your faith and strengthens your roots. You may want nonstop pleasure, but life in Christ involves sacrifice, pruning, and pressing. The flesh says, “Run from discomfort.” The Spirit says, “Grow through it.”

 

"Be still and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10

 

   God is not done with you. He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). The war within is real but so is the victory when you walk in the Spirit.


📖 Reflection: What part of your flesh are you currently wrestling with, and how can you surrender it to the Spirit today?

💡 Action Step: Choose one spiritual discipline (prayer, fasting, study, or silence) to practice daily this week to strengthen your spirit.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

  The Kingdom is About Growth (Matthew 13:24-30)   The kingdom is about growth, not condemnation, judgment, sin, abomination, transgression, or iniquity. The kingdom of God is about growth. Jesus said it is like wheat and weeds, or "tares," as some versions say. As you grow, once you plant a seed in the ground, you don’t just get what you get; you also get weeds. As you keep growing, you will outgrow any behavior, any way of being, seeing, thinking, speaking, or acting that is not like God; you will outgrow it. Stop trying to pull up the weeds and keep growing. Stop trying to put people out of your life because some of the people you think are weeds are really wheat, and some of the people you feel are wheat might not be. Just keep growing, and it will automatically separate. Jesus said the growth in the kingdom is like a mustard seed. It starts as the smallest seed, but it’s potent. So do not despise the days of small beginnings; keep growing. Don’t compare yourself to a...
Post a Comment
Read more
  Are You a People Pleaser (Matthew 14:6) 06 February 2024   Who are you pleasing today? Some of us are people pleasers. We live our entire lives trying to please people, trying to get their approval and validation. We get pleasure out of pleasing other people, and so we do everything looking for people to be pleased with us.   Are you living your life for people, trying to please people? Some of us try to please ourselves, and we forget people. I AM    pleasing myself, and so all our lives are consumed with self-pleasure, and immediate gratification, and so we live our lives pleasing ourselves, or are you pleasing God? Are you living your life with one purpose: to please God? Are you concerned with whether or not God is pleased with you? At the end of the day, when God says well done, thou good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things. I will make you rule over me. That’s what I Am living for.   I am living to please God; I desi...
Post a Comment
Read more
  I AM a Good Tree and I Bring Forth Good Fruit (Matthew 12:3) I AM a good tree, and I bring forth good fruit. I was created that way. When God made everything, He spoke over the creation and said it was good. When He got to human beings, He said not only were we good, but we were very good. Affirm with me today: I AM a good tree because I was created that way. It doesn’t matter what anybody else says; I was created good. God said I was very good.   Good is the essence of who I AM. Because I AM a good tree, not only was I created that way, but I also continue in that way. My good is a continuation of how I was created. Because I AM a good tree and I was created that way, my way of being is good. The energy and aura that come from me that exudes from me are good because I AM a good tree. How I see people, places, and things is good because I AM a good tree. I can’t help but see the good in God and people because I was created that way, so I continue that way. My way of th...
Post a Comment
Read more