Within the word, we have the heard the phrase – ‘The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak’.
Matthew 26:41 - Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
This came at the time when Jesus was praying at Gethsemane. He asked the disci-ples to pray along with them but each and every time Jesus returned, the disciples were found to be asleep.
Their spirit was willing to obey and pray but the flesh took over. If we are to walk in obedience with God and achieve all that he wants pertaining to our life then we must kill our flesh.
1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
Galatians 5: 16-25
16 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
17 For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.
18 But if you are guided (led) by the [Holy] Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.
19 Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,
20 Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),
21 Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [[f]that can bring a charge].
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.
25 If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit [g]we have our life in God, let us go forward [h]walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]
If one wants to be obedient, then walking is the spirit is a must. Your spirit and your flesh will always be warring with each other. In order to walk in full obedience, you need to be walking in the spirit.
Amos 3:3 Do two walk together except they make an appointment and have agreed?
Can your spirit and flesh every walk in agreement? Can your spirit and flesh work to-gether. The answer no. It’s either full obedience or total disobedience, you can’t be in between. God requires all of you, he requires your whole heart
When we look back on Abraham, Moses and other great men of God we can see that they were walking with God. Abraham, when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac, his son was in a place where was walking with God and that is one of the reasons why he was able to be obedient. When you walk with God, obedience is easy.
Many years back, I was going through school and there came a point in my life where I was going to and fro, not knowing where I was going. After giving my life to Christ, I still wasn’t fully submitted so one some occasions I would still slip back into my natu-ral self.
One day during school, there was this boy who had always troubled me. Now if I wasn’t walking in the spirit, it could have ended very bad for him but the Spirit took over and sent me in a total different direction. I decided to go away and go home. From that day forwards, I never intentionally get into arguments with people. It’s not my nature anymore. When you truly put on the new nature of Christ, you will no long-er want or desire the things of flesh.
Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
God loves people who are fully obedient. People who will love him, people who will walk with him and acknowledge him in all their ways.
Can you walk with him? Can you be obedient even when others around you are being ignorant? Can you be obedient even though you can’t see what God is telling you?
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