TITLE: AS FOR ME - THE SPIRIT WINS

The battle between the flesh vs Spirit.

Ps Madi Barlow | Citipointe Church Brisbane

What a powerful declaration for us to walk in today. Could you even say out loud wherever you are right now, “As for me… THE SPIRIT WINS!” There is so much power in our outward declarations. So much power when we actually open our mouths and speak out the higher standard God has called us to live by.

Will we feed or starve our spirit? Will we feed or starve our flesh? I pray that we would be a generation of young people who wake up in the morning and intentionally choose to feed our spirits and starve our flesh! Did you know that there is a daily war between our flesh and our spirit? Galatians 5:16-17 shows us the reality of this! The two hate one another and can not both sit on the throne of your heart. You have a choice. As Romans 8:5-8 says, there are two ways to live, either according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. There is one choice that deeply pleases God. The Spirit!

Galatians 5:19-23 gives us a really clear idea of what it looks like to walk in our flesh vs to walk in the Spirit. Paul highlights here the behaviours that result from living in each one. The works of the flesh produce all sorts of things that dishonour the Lord. It produces chaos, confusion, and then causes us to live a life of compromise. However, the evidence or fruits of the Spirit in our life produces love, joy, peace… When we walk in the realm of the Spirit, only His fruits can be manifested in our lives, and we begin to look more like Jesus. Isn't that the goal?

Maybe you're struggling to walk in the Spirit and live the way God desires for your life. I have good news - the Great Helper, the Holy Spirit, empowers us to overcome our flesh! It is only by the Spirit that we can put to death our sinful flesh and tell it to submit. When we live the way He always intended us to live, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). Note, the scripture doesn't say “less condemnation,” it says none!

When we choose to feed our spirits and operate in this reality – rather than pleasing our flesh and choosing our own selfish desires, we begin to look different.

What does “different” look like? Here are a few thoughts.

• You live by faith, not by sight
• You fix your mind on things above, things eternal, rather than on the things of this earth that are self-gratifying (money, fame, pleasure, validation, etc.)
• You release your control and wait on God's timing, rather than your own desired timeline
• You speak life when you feel like speaking negativity and doubt.
• You pray through the struggle and pain when you only want to give up.

Application:

Be intentional when it comes to feeding your Spirit. Find yourself deep in the Word of God every day. Yes, EVERY DAY. Let it consume you. He must be your daily bread, not just a cheat meal. Give thanks always, worship, pray, and be obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Starve your flesh. Start to say NO to the things that gratify your flesh. Practice self-control, put boundaries around your screen, and what you watch. Choose a time to fast. It's time to deny our flesh! Start to ask God what direction to go, rather than what makes the most “sense” to you.

Prayer:

Lord, we renounce the power of our sin, the power of our flesh, and we choose to align ourselves with YOUR will and YOUR way of living. This way brings life, this way brings freedom to not just me, but to those around me. Help me to not be so consumed with the things of this earth, but help me to set my mind on the things above. Help me to be intentional with feeding my spirit and starving my flesh, because this pleases You. I thank You that when I live the way You intended, there is no condemnation. Would my life deeply please You today and every day. Amen.