Tug of War Between The Flesh and The Spirit

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 5:17

Reading this text, the first picture that came to mind is a Tug of War.  In every Christian, there is an intense ongoing battle between the desires of the indwelling Spirit of God and their sinful nature for dominance. It is a tug of war. The phrase “lusteth against” simply means the flesh, our sinful nature, desires things against the Spirit’s desire. You will notice the text speaks of the Spirit having desires that are against the desires of the flesh: “and the Spirit against the flesh.” The next phrase also tells us “these are contrary one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

The flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another. The flesh opposes the desires of the Spirit, and the Spirit opposes the desires of the flesh.

The Desires of The Flesh

Though Christians are “washed…justified… sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV), we still live in a sinful world in a sinful body with residues of the sinful nature hanging around waiting to strike at the least opportunity. Often, unfortunately we do actually sin. So, there is a battle for dominance over the believer: “So that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

The desire of the flesh is to sin; indulge the old nature and please ourselves. The desires of the Spirit of God in you is also at work in conforming you to the image of Christ
working to prevent you from  succumbing to the desires of the flesh. Now, in so long as we live in this fallen body, in a fallen world, we would have sinful desires –indwelling sin–to deal with. Consider the words of Charles Spurgeon:

When we believe in Jesus Christ all our sins are pardoned; yet the power of sin, albeit that it is weakened and kept under by the dominion of the new-born nature which God doth infuse into our souls, doth not cease, but still tarrieth in us, and will do so to our dying day. It is a doctrine held by all the orthodox, that there dwelleth still in the regenerate, the lusts of the flesh, and that there doth still remain in the hearts of those who are converted by God’s mercy, the evil of carnal nature…”

Now the desires of the flesh are what lead to actual sins. The desires come, we don’t do anything about them, we follow them through, then boom, we sin.

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death
James 1:14-15

Winning The Tug of War

We need to deal with the desires of the flesh by bringing our sinful desires under the control of the Holy Spirit;  not  giving in to your sinful desires.

This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5: 16

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Galatians 5: 24

There are some calls to action here: “do not fulfil the desires of the flesh.”, “crucify the flesh”. In other words, deal with it. Don’t let your sinful desires master you. This is theologically called mortification of sin, that is, killing sin. The prominent English theologian, John Owen, expressed this saying

…put to death; a metaphorical expression, taken from the putting of any living thing to death. To kill a man, or any other living thing, is to take away the principle of all his strength, vigour, and power, so that he cannot act or exert, or put forth any proper actings of his own; so it is in this case. Indwelling sin is compared to a person, a living person, called “the old man,” with his faculties, and properties, his wisdom, craft, subtlety, strength; this, says the apostle, must be killed, put to death, mortified,—that is, have its power, life, vigour, and strength, to produce its effects, taken away by the Spirit“

How To Deal With The Desires of The Flesh

It’s A Work of The Holy Spirit!

Dealing with the desires of the flesh is not mere character modification or simply stopping the things you used to do. It is an inner work of the Holy Spirit.  When we become Christians, a monumental change occurs. Our heart is transformed, and new desires are implanted in us. Desires to obey God; to live holy lives;to be conformed to the image of Christ; to forsake sin and embrace holiness.

Salvation does something to our soul. It reaches down into our hearts and changes our dispositions. We who once didn’t love God, begin to love him. Our sins become repugnant and revolting. We yearn to live to please God. These new yearnings are all a work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. The Holy Spirit works in us to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

The Holy Spirit is constantly at work in us. If you read further, you will observe wining this battle is all a work of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16;18;25). The desire to win over sin is not produced by ourselves. These are desires according to the workings of the Spirit of God. “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13). God the Holy Spirit is at work in you dear believer: “not by might nor by power but by my Spirt.” (Zachariah 4:6)

The Cooperation of The Believer

If dealing with the desires of the flesh is the work of the Holy Spirit in us, does it mean the believer is passive?  No! The believer actively engages with the Holy Spirit. The believer yields to the Holy Spirit. From the outset of Galatians 5, Paul outlines certain responses the believer must have toward the work of Christ: “Stand fast, be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage… don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (v.1) and, “use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another,’ (v 13.)

J.I Packer, in his book concise theology, says “God calls his children to sanctity and graciously gives what he commands.” In the same verses where we see the work of the Holy Spirit at work in the believer’s life, we see the necessary cooperation of the believer with the Holy Spirit: “Walk in the Spirit” (v.16); “Led of the Spirit” (v.18); “Led” of shows that “we follow”; “Live in”, “walk in” (v.25).

All these are verbs calling us to do something. We are not passive in the work of sanctification. “Walk in…live in…” These verbs are a picture of an ongoing process. It means that you and I must not become stagnant in our Christian walk. We must grow. We must mature. And how are we going to do this? Brethren, there is nothing new here that I will propose. Avail yourself to the ordinary means of graces God has given us to grow. Pray often, repent daily, fellowship with the saints, study and read your Bible regularly.

If you are walking in the Spirit, then you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh (v16). That is, you will not give in to the desires of the flesh. This is an active process of choosing obedience over disobedience. Again, Look at verse 24. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires. This basically means we have tamed the flesh. We have put it under control. We have killed it. Victory comes through death.

Implications of Not Dealing with The Desires of The Flesh

If there is no evidence of you dealing with the desires of the flesh and nothing about your Christian life shows the fruit of the Spirit, there are two possible options.

Firstly, you might not be saved. If you are not dealing with the desires of the flesh, then you may not belong to Christ since“those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires.” (Galatians 5:24).

Secondly, you are not growing. You truly may be a believer, but not putting in the necessarily spiritual disciplines to deal with the desires of the flesh. The common means of grace are at your disposal.

Do you find yourself dear believer in a tug of war over your sanctification? Be encouraged. The Holy Spirit is on our side. Victory is ours in Christ alone. The flesh shall not have the final say. The flesh shall not win. Amen