SPIRIT VS. FLESH
#1
SPIRIT OF GOD
(1) Galatians 5:17
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.
(a) Contrary – Strong's Greek Number 0480
1) to be set over against, opposite to
2) to oppose, be adverse to, withstand
(b) Contrary – Vines – "to lie opposite to, to be set over against." In addition to its legal sense it signifies "to withstand;"
(2) Here we see The Holy Spirit and the flesh of men in a battle
(3) Some say that Paul is referring to the flesh of an unbeliever, some say he is referring to the flesh of a believer
(4) Most of us have been in this battle of The Holy Spirit against our flesh, when we were unbelievers, and have at times found ourselves in this battle as a believer
(5) Now let’s look at the word lusteth in this same verse
(a) Lusteth – Strong’s – to set the heart upon
(b) So here we see the flesh sets the heart upon things that are against The Spirit of God
(6) My goal in this series of study is to teach us how to stop the battle of our flesh with The Holy Spirit
(7) I want us to look at the verse before 17
(8) Galatians 5:16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
(9) As we learn to walk in the Spirit, we will find that our flesh will not oppose the Spirit
SPIRIT OF MAN
AND WOMAN
(1) Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
(2) The spirit of man and woman is willing
(3) But the flesh is weak
(4) Now we find a battle going on with the human spirit and their flesh
(5) So let’s look at this fight
(6) In this corner we have the spirit of mankind; willing to do anything, go anywhere, for its God
(7) And in this corner the biggest and greatest enemy of mankind’s spirit – is the one and only mankind’s flesh; unwilling to do anything, unwilling to go anywhere, for its God
(8) Inside of man and woman is the spirit of willingness, so what holds man and woman back, since they are so willing?
(9) It is weak flesh; every brother or sister sometimes will have to overpower this flesh or will have to let this weakness; stop that willing spirit inside them
(10) One is going to win; it is up to you, the one that wins is up to you; repeat after me, it is up to me to make my flesh willing
(11) Now I want you to understand that the Spirit of God – The Holy Spirit – communicates to your human spirit – your human spirit will have to go beyond being willing
(12) Your human spirit will have to become strong
(13) Strong enough to bring power to your flesh; get your spirit strong in the Holy Spirit; and you will be able to get the flesh willing also
(14) Sometimes you might have to drag your flesh, carry your flesh; that is why we need to get the spirit strong, so it can carry our weak flesh to where it needs to go
SPIRIT VS. FLESH
ROUND ONE
(1) Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(2) When the flesh is winning; sin has dominion over us; when The Holy Spirit and our spirit are winning we reap all that grace has to offer
(3) To many Christians are living way below the benefits of grace
(4) Dominion – rule – so sin is not to rule you –flesh is not to rule you
(5) I want to back up to verse 12 in Romans 6
(6) Romans 6:12
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(a) Here sin is pictured as a king or a tyrant, who has the soul
passions, spirit faculties, and physical members of man under control, dominating his life.
(b) Let him not work or reign in the mortal body; give him no place or grounds for working in your being.
(c) Sin rules and ruins. Wherever sin is, it will have more or less dominion.
(d) So we see; we have a command… let not sin – don’t let sin be king, don’t let sin have a kingdom
(7) Romans 6:12
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
(a) We see if we let sin have a kingdom in our lives; we will obey the lusts thereof
(8) Romans 6:13
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
(a) It is not sin to be tempted; the sin is in yielding
James 1:13-15
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
[14] But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
[15] Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
(b) While sin exists as satanic solicitation, it is Satan's lust and sin, not ours.
(c) When we yield, we make the Devil's sin our own.
(d) The one tempted should obey
James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(e) The one tempted should obey
1 Peter 5:8-9
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: [9] Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
(f) The one tempted should obey
Ephes. 4:27
Neither give place to the devil.
(e) When man refuses, regardless of how strong the temptation is, no sin is possible
1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
(9) Romans 6:13
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
(a) Yield your will to God. Satan cannot force your will, and God will not, so the safe and normal thing is to will to do God's will.
(b) So we see in verse 13; we have a choice – choose God
(10) Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
(15) Romans 6:15
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
(16) Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
(a) Millions today have not learned these simple facts—that you cannot be a servant of sin and Satan and a servant of righteousness and Christ at the same time;
(b) That if you commit sin you are a servant of sin and Satan
John 8:34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
(c) If you commit sin you are a servant of sin and Satan
1 John 3:8
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
(d) That if you commit sin you are a servant of sin and Satan
and not a Christian;
(e) That if you sin, Satan is your master and not Christ and that sin is the service of Satan and righteousness is the service of God.
(f) As the spirit vs. the flesh we see flesh will yield to sin
(e) The spirit will yield to obedience
(17) I believe round one goes to our spirit; because I believe The Holy Spirit taught our spirit some things today
