6/18/2025 Daily Devotion: The Battle Within

Galatians 5:16-25 - “16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

As Christians, every day is a BATTLE WITHIN between the Spirit of God and our own selfish desires.

• Our flesh is against His Spirit, His Spirit is against our flesh … they are opposed to each other … and they BOTH dwell INSIDE US.

Which one wins most often in your life?

• Evidence of your flesh being gratified: impure thoughts & words, allowing your own pleasure to drive your decision making, prioritizing other elements of life over God, sexual leniency with yourself & others, comparison to & dissatisfaction with others, substance dependency & abuse.

• Evidence of His Spirit at work in you: sacrificial Love for others, Joy beyond/in spite of your circumstance, Peace that passes all human understanding, Patience with & Kindness to & Goodness for your friends & enemies alike, enduring obedience & honesty, an empathetic spirit & a Spirit controlled check on your fleshly desires.

Which list shows up more often day to day in your life?

Paul & Jesus both tell us that we must INTENTIONALLY deal with our flesh before we can faithfully follow His Spirit.

• We must SACRIFICE our self … intentionally give up/crucify & give to God the desires of our flesh … SO THAT He can deliver to us the true desires of our heart!

• We must CHOOSE to put our self to death and FOLLOW Him.

His Spirit will LEAD US through this life!

• Living by His Spirit is not limited to an internal state of being … He is calling us to FOLLOW HIM by actually doing the works that He has prepared for us to do!

• We are called to KEEP IN STEP with Him … this indicates motion! We actively take steps, make decisions, LIVE OUR LIFE in obedience to, in step with & through the Power of His Spirit!

Every decision we make is either in obedience to His Spirit or gratifying the flesh … who is winning today?