Good fight of faith, not by flesh, but by spirit

Lives of those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior and want to do what is right in the eyes of God is a fight between the things of the flesh and the Spirit. To walk in the flesh is depending in one’s personal strength and ability or heavily relying on religious efforts to overcome situations or sin, while the spirit works exclusively within the legal confines of the finished work of Jesus Christ. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

Abraham and Sarah thought they would bring an heir using their own efforts, and we see that the flesh brought impatience and unbelief which made them get so tired of waiting that there hopes were no longer on God but what they could do in their own ability. Galatians 4:23 says that “But he who was of the bondwoman (Hagar) was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman (Sarah) was by promise (Holy Spirit).   The birth of Ishmael did not bring any happiness in their lives apart from misery and it would have been better for the entire world had he never been born! The flesh pushes children of God to completely lose faith and start doing things on their own which really looks good at the beginning, but there is destruction at the end.

As believers, we now have the privilege of being led and empowered by the Holy Spirit; however this is only possible to those who have put their faith in the finished work of Christ according to John 14:6 which says that; “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the father , but by me”. This means that there is no way apart from through what He is and what He has done.

It is impossible to do anything that pleases God with the flesh. It is the Spirit that rose up Jesus from the dead that dwells in us, and He will also quicken us because this same power is in us.

The flesh and the Spirit are contrary the one to the other, therefore the flesh has to be completely cast out. It is generally hard to let go the flesh because these are in most cases the things that we have been made to believe in.

If you think how people can believe in belonging to a specific church, going to church every Sunday, paying money to church or preachers, fasting every now and then, helping the poor and many more self righteous things that one can think of then you will know how serious this is. Get me right here, these are good things in the eyes of God, but work your salvation first, meaning accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and allow the spirit of God lead you in all these things. For if we live in the Spirit, we will also walk in the Spirit as all these things will now become easy for us to do.

All this fight between the flesh and the Spirit is to weaken our faith because when we are in the flesh, our faith is drawn away from things of God to our self righteousness. Therefore, let us fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on Eternal Life whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12).

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!