Day 116: How Are We Led By The Spirit?
Jesus is working through His Holy Spirit in order to transform us completely: our thoughts, our desires, our emotions. The Spirit has been given to us to lead us and empower us in this new, transformed way of life.
WORDwork:
Galatians 5:17
For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.
5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
5:19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, 5:21 envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!
What does the flesh have that is opposed to the Spirit?
What is the result of being led by the Spirit?
What will be the outcome for those who practice “the works of the flesh”?
Yesterday, we heard that if you “live by the Spirit you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” In the passage above, we push a little deeper into the significance of that truth. The Spirit has desires that are opposed to the Flesh and Flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit. We have touched on desires several times in this study. If you look back our circles on pages 22-23, you know that Desires are a key part of our internal, spiritual framework. A couple of times, we said that we are 1) Guided by our Thoughts, 2) Moved by our Emotions, and 3) Driven by our Desires.
The day after Jesus is baptized by John, he tells two of His disciples that Jesus is “the Lamb of God” (John 1:36). These two disciples then go to follow Jesus. When Jesus realizes they are following Him, He asks them a critical question, “What do you want?” (John 1:38). As you get to know Jesus, you realize His questions are not haphazard or flippant. In fact, this question—What do you want?—is one that Jesus posses to all those who would follow Him.
What we come to realize is that if we are going to follow Jesus, He will transform our “wants”—our desires. The spiritual transformation that is taking place in and to everyone who is In Christ touches every part of us: our thoughts, our emotions, our desires, and one day, at the resurrection, even our physical bodies. Now, in the present, the formation of our desires is central to all that Christ is doing to us and in us.
What Paul tells us is that The Spirit is opposed to the Flesh in the “battle” for our desires. As Paul says: “these two are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.” This is a foundational, but unpopular truth: we are not free in and of ourselves; we all must serve someone or something.
The choices that are before us are simple:
- Submit, allow yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit, or
- Submit, allow yourself to be dominated by the Flesh.
The Flesh is constantly calling us to “do it on own,” to make ourselves the center of everything. The result is the works of the Flesh that Paul summarizes above. Take a look at that list carefully; it is not pretty. These are all things that result when “I don’t get MY way!” They are the result when self-serving, self-focused individuals try to live together, each demanding their own “rights.”
And take note: those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom! This is a strong warning. We all will fail and falter in our walk with Christ. But our lives should not be continually characterized by things like the “works” of the Flesh. If we truly belong to Christ and His Spirit is with us and in us, He will not allow us to continue in these ways which are opposed to the goodness of His Kingdom.
The Holy Spirit is leading us in a different direction. If we follow Him, He will produce His “fruit” in and through us. The work that Father God is doing in us through His spirit, is something that cannot be accomplished through external compulsion. Love can only be formed within, it can be forced from the outside.
Also, notice once more that Paul says, “If we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the Law.” The power of the Spirit within us is greater than the weakness of the Law outside us. Tomorrow, we will take a look at the “Fruit of the Spirit” to get a clear picture of where He is leading us.
You probably know the conflict of the Spirit and the Flesh in a very experiential way. Take a minute to think about ways you have experienced this struggle.
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
