60. Walking by the Spirit: Overcoming the Flesh

Send us Fan MailImagine a fierce game of tug of war. On one side, you have a team of well-trained athletes pulling with all their might. On the other side, a group of equally determined competitors tugs back. Now picture yourself holding the rope in the middle, feeling the tension as both sides battle for dominance. This is what it’s like to walk as a Christian—caught between the desires of the flesh and the power of the Spirit. The question is: Which side will you lean into? But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16-17)John Piper states, “Walking by the Spirit means not only that we do not yield to the desires of the flesh but also that we do walk in paths of righteousness. The Spirit writes the law on our hearts and enables us to fulfill its just requirement by causing love to be our primary motivation.” (Source: Future Grace: The Purifying Power of the Promises of God, John Piper)