The Battle Within You

PRAY OVER THIS

“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16

 

PONDER THIS

What is the lust of the flesh? What does that mean? That is Satan’s appeal to your old nature. When the Bible says: “the flesh” here, it doesn’t mean your hide, your hair, your skin, your nerves, your sinews, your bones. When the Bible says: “the flesh,” that means your old nature that is from Adam. The flesh is what we received from our first birth. Spirit is what we receive from our second birth. Galatians 5:17 says: “For the 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.” When you get saved, a civil war begins on the inside. Have you felt it? There’s your new nature that wants to serve God, but there’s also your old nature that doesn’t want to lie down and be dead, so you’re going to have a battle on the inside. Jesus has promised to give us the power to fight this battle and the promise that His Spirit can overcome our flesh.

How have you experienced the battle between your flesh and the Spirit of God within you?

What can you do to feed the Spirit and starve the flesh daily?

PRACTICE THIS

Think back over the last week. Make a list of actions that resulted from following the Spirit and from following the flesh in your life. Consider how you might lean further into the Spirit’s work in your life.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers