For 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 8:13
If you are a child of God, there is a war going on within you—a battle between your natural flesh and the indwelling Spirit of God.
Our natural flesh is twisted, corrupt, and opposed to God. The Spirit of Christ living in us is in the process of transforming our desires into holy ones. But our flesh is powerful; it would rather thrive than die. So, we feel the pull toward obedience and righteousness while also feeling the counterpull to appease our flesh with its cravings.
Many Christians spend much of their lives struggling to repress their fleshly tendencies. The problem is flesh can’t reform flesh. Our fleshly desires need to be put to death. Only by living by the power of the Holy Spirit can we overcome our flesh.
The pull of our flesh is strong. But the Spirit is even more powerful. We must exercise faith in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to grant us victory over the flesh.
Make it Personal
Ask God to help you walk in the Spirit today and to put your flesh to death by His power.