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What the Spirit and the Flesh Have in Common
-Ryan Fullerton
In the Bible the Spirit and the Flesh are opposites. They rule two very different kinds of people, and they produce two very different kinds of lives. You can see the difference in this passage. Paul says, "Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace...if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:5-13).
The fleshly person and the spiritual person have different mindsets, they have different lifestyles, and different eternities awaiting them. These two could not be more opposite. The Spirit moves a man's mind to think on things above, not on things below. The Spirit moves a man to think about Christ, God, and all that pleases God here on earth. The flesh moves a man's mind to think on things below, his appetites, his desires, his unredeemed feelings. The Spirit satisfies a man with the things of Christ and moves him to joyful sacrifice and love. The Flesh reminds a man of the million ways he is not satisfied, and then from there moves him to gluttony, petty jealousy, anxiety, and murder. What could these two powers have in common?
They both reside in the Christian. Both are FELT realities for the Christian. Now the Christian is not strictly speaking in the flesh. After all, "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24) A critical break has been made between the Christian and the power of the flesh. The book of Romans says, "You (believer), however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit" (Romans 8:9). We are not dominated by the flesh. There is more to us than just the flesh now, we have been given God's Holy Spirit. And now, where there was only the flesh, both the desires of the Spirit and the desires of the flesh are now felt realities for the Christian. In the Christian, "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" (Galatians 5:17). This is what the flesh and the Spirit have in common, both of them are DESIRING in us.
Now much could be said about this, but let me just ask one question. Do you experience the desires of the Spirit? Do you? We often focus on the desires of the flesh that we feel (and that is good, because they are indeed real and dangerous). But do we focus enough on the desires of the Spirit in us (we should for they are indeed real and dangerous, indeed the Spirit is more dangerous to the flesh than the flesh is to the Spirit). Do you experience the desires of the Spirit? When a desire for control, lust, or anger rages in your soul is there no corresponding fire for faith, purity, or mercy? Is there not even a still, small, voice. And where do these come from? They are the desires of the Spirit (they certainly are not your natural desires). And what does this mean? What does it mean that you have these good desires? It means you are not alone. It means the powerful third person of the Trinity is burning with desire in your soul. You are not alone against temptation. You are with the Spirit. He is in you, desiring in your soul, longing to exert His power for good, and pure, and beautiful Christlikeness. You feel "oh no the flesh is in me, in my very being." Ah beloved, the Spirit has this in common with the flesh. He is in you too, in your very soul, desiring with omnipotent power all that is good and right. When the flesh tells you that it has got you alone, remember, the Spirit and the flesh have something in common. The Spirit is in you, and He says, "follow me". Beloved, follow Him (and His internal desires)today!
"Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
"if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law" (Galatians 5:18).
"If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).
The fleshly person and the spiritual person have different mindsets, they have different lifestyles, and different eternities awaiting them. These two could not be more opposite. The Spirit moves a man's mind to think on things above, not on things below. The Spirit moves a man to think about Christ, God, and all that pleases God here on earth. The flesh moves a man's mind to think on things below, his appetites, his desires, his unredeemed feelings. The Spirit satisfies a man with the things of Christ and moves him to joyful sacrifice and love. The Flesh reminds a man of the million ways he is not satisfied, and then from there moves him to gluttony, petty jealousy, anxiety, and murder. What could these two powers have in common?
They both reside in the Christian. Both are FELT realities for the Christian. Now the Christian is not strictly speaking in the flesh. After all, "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24) A critical break has been made between the Christian and the power of the flesh. The book of Romans says, "You (believer), however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit" (Romans 8:9). We are not dominated by the flesh. There is more to us than just the flesh now, we have been given God's Holy Spirit. And now, where there was only the flesh, both the desires of the Spirit and the desires of the flesh are now felt realities for the Christian. In the Christian, "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" (Galatians 5:17). This is what the flesh and the Spirit have in common, both of them are DESIRING in us.
Now much could be said about this, but let me just ask one question. Do you experience the desires of the Spirit? Do you? We often focus on the desires of the flesh that we feel (and that is good, because they are indeed real and dangerous). But do we focus enough on the desires of the Spirit in us (we should for they are indeed real and dangerous, indeed the Spirit is more dangerous to the flesh than the flesh is to the Spirit). Do you experience the desires of the Spirit? When a desire for control, lust, or anger rages in your soul is there no corresponding fire for faith, purity, or mercy? Is there not even a still, small, voice. And where do these come from? They are the desires of the Spirit (they certainly are not your natural desires). And what does this mean? What does it mean that you have these good desires? It means you are not alone. It means the powerful third person of the Trinity is burning with desire in your soul. You are not alone against temptation. You are with the Spirit. He is in you, desiring in your soul, longing to exert His power for good, and pure, and beautiful Christlikeness. You feel "oh no the flesh is in me, in my very being." Ah beloved, the Spirit has this in common with the flesh. He is in you too, in your very soul, desiring with omnipotent power all that is good and right. When the flesh tells you that it has got you alone, remember, the Spirit and the flesh have something in common. The Spirit is in you, and He says, "follow me". Beloved, follow Him (and His internal desires)today!
"Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
"if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law" (Galatians 5:18).
"If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).
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