The New Testament reveals there is a battle waging within every Christian – a battle between the Spirit and the flesh. “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Gal. 5:16-17).
The flesh in this passage is not our physical body. Flesh is translated from the Greek term sarx which Thayer describes as “mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God.”
Consider the following facts about the flesh learned from Romans 8:5-8.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the
flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and
peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law
of God, nor indeed can be.
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
1. The flesh has appetites or desires (v. 5). Because of this, we can expect the flesh to be highly motivated to satisfy these desires.
2. The flesh is opposed to the Spirit (v. 5). There is no middle ground, no compromise between the two.
3. The consequences of the flesh are death (v. 6). Sin promises pleasure, but it is passing, leaving behind the penalty of death.
4. The flesh is an enemy of God (v. 7). It will always be hostile to the things of God.
5. The flesh is incapable of submitting to the will of God (v. 7). There is no hope of “converting” the flesh. Instead, we are instructed to crucify the flesh with its passion and desires (Gal. 5:24).
6. The flesh renders one incapable of pleasing God (v. 8). We please God by winning this inward battle and producing the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
To win this battle, we must set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5), bringing our thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). We must also walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16) - actively following the teaching of the Spirit in His word. Doing so will give us an advantage over the flesh and its desires.