Walking With the Spirit: How to Overcome the Desires of the Flesh
How can walking with the Holy Spirit help Christians overcome the desires of the flesh? In this article, we define the heart and destructive attitudes listed in Galatians 5 and how through the Means of Grace, we can experience the abounding living waters of God.
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Keep in Step with the Spirit
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,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do[b] 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. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
What Are the Desires of the Flesh?
Did you know the character of Jesus is available to you today? You can take on the characteristics of Jesus through the fruit of the Holy Spirit right now.
Christians need freedom from ourselves and the tyranny of our fallen nature and sin. That’s why when Paul wrote about the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life, he said, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
That statement raises several questions. One is this: “What are the desires of the flesh?”
The “desires of the flesh” are expressions of your old nature. The Apostle Paul answers that question with greater specificity in verses 19-20:
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 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.” Galatians 5:19-20
Before we go any further, let’s define these terms. Some of these may make us uncomfortable, but let’s be clear, Scripture doesn’t sugarcoat God’s truth. Notice that they are not all actions, but many are attitudes of the heart.
Defining the Desires of the Flesh
Heart Attitudes of the Flesh
Sexual immorality: sexual intercourse between unmarried people
Impurity: unnatural sexual practices and relationships
Sensuality: uncontrolled sexuality
Idolatry & sorcery: Paul is referring to occult and pagan religious practices. One provides a substitute for God (idolatry), and the other fakes the work of the Spirit (sorcery).
Paul continues by writing about destructive attitudes that can also permeate our lives.
Destructive Attitudes of the Flesh
Enmity: competitiveness with self-seeking motives
Envy: coveting, desiring what others have
Jealousy: the zeal and energy that comes from a hungry ego
Fits of anger: hostility, an adversarial attitude
We see the following results when we give these attitudes room to proliferate in our flesh.
Results of Destructive Attitudes of the Flesh
Rivalries: being argumentative or seeking to pick fights; fits of rage
Dissensions: Divisions between people
Divisions: permanent parties and warring groups
Paul ends with two words that refer to substance abuse.
Substance Abuse
Drunkenness: drinking to the point of inebriation
Orgies: This does not reference “sex orgies” but “drinking orgies.” Gatherings intended for the abuse of alcohol to lower one’s guard and allow compromising decisions that lead to debauchery.
Walking With the Spirit
In verse 21, Paul clearly warns that “Those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (5:21). However, Paul is not talking about a specific act of sin, but a habit of sin. Tim Keller explains Paul’s warning in his book, Galatians for You.
“Paul is referring to habitual practice rather than infrequent and repented-of lapses. For someone to continually indulge the sinful nature without battling against it is to show that the Son has not redeemed them and that the Spirit has not renewed them. Paul is not looking to undermine Christian assurance here, but he is aiming to banish complacency.”
Paul continues in verse 17 to say that the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit and vice versa. These two entities are in opposition to one another; They are in conflict. The Spirit and the flesh are opposed forces operating within your life. Between the Holy Spirit and your flesh: They have different goals and pursue different things.
Your life is constantly two opposing horses pulling you in two directions. These two teams will be the driving force between every desire and decision you pursue. So how do you determine which team wins? The one you feed will always win.
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 (ESV)
I’m mindful that this is commonsensical, but walking implies direction. Setting your heart and mind in a direction is an invitation to join God in His direction, empowerment, and guidance from His Word. Walking also implies a cadence or a rhythm. The theologian Dr. Ricky Moore said, “The Holy Spirit dances on the keys of Scripture.” Walking with the Holy Spirit feeds a new person, renewed in Christ.
The idea of denying our flesh and living the Spirit may sound daunting. But, as a reminder, salvation is not by works but only by faith in Jesus alone. Jesus paid the price for our sins and is the one who saves.
However, I want to review John Wesley’s Means of Grace, which includes works of piety and mercy. These were patterns that John Wesley advocated for Christians to drink the living waters of the Spirit to experience the abounding grace of God.
The Practice of the Means of Grace
Works of Piety
Individual Practices
Regularly worship attendance
Healthy living
Sharing our faith with the unreached, both locally and globally
Communal Practices
Regularly share in the sacraments.
Christian conferencing (accountability to one another)
Discipleship-based Bible study (Your relationship with Jesus is meant to be personal, but it was never meant to be private)
Works of Mercy
Individual Practices
Doing good works
Visiting the sick
Visiting those in prison
Feeding the hungry
Giving generously to the needs of others
Communal Practices
Ending oppression and discrimination (ex: Wesley challenged Methodists to end slavery)
Addressing the needs of the poor
When we share these things, we’re sharing in the communal practices of the means of God’s grace. So we’re not only participating in the life of God, but we’re drinking the living water and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Your sin nature will work “to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Because of the work of Christ, we want to live into the new person that we are in God because, as we see in verse 18, if the Spirit leads us, you are not under the law.
Paul said this because the Galatians had drifted from being rooted in the Gospel of Christ. They had drifted from the gift that God offered them in Christ. They had returned to living a works righteousness lifestyle. Paul warned them not to go back into a performance-based life but to live out the root system from the gift of the Gospel. As a result, we’ve been liberated from our sins through death, burial, and resurrection.
The Holy Spirit is a gift. We don’t earn it. We can only accept it.
Producing Healthy Fruit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
Jesus lived a life of love, joy, and peace. He extends those gifts to us. However, there is no fruit without roots. We see in the text that these virtues emanate from the vine of Jesus that bears fruit from the work of God’s grace.
Galatians teaches us that bearing fruit doesn’t come from trying harder or doing more. We bear fruit when we are connected to the source. Setting yourself up as your own source will not set you free. We can only find freedom when we connect the heart and life of the Gospel.
Wed to the Spirit of Christ-Crucified
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:24
If we are wed to the crucified Christ, we choose for God’s purposes over my preferences. When we live by the Spirit, let us avoid becoming conceited, provocative, or envious.
Isn’t it true that we have everything we need in Western culture, don’t we? However, despite having so much at our disposal, many of us are still unfulfilled. Doesn’t that further prove that only God can fulfill that void?
You may have heard the cliche that the best time to plant an apple tree was 20 years ago, but the second best time is today. Unfortunately, that may be where you are today. You’ve believed the lie that it’s too late or you can still do it all alone. It’s never too late to turn to Christ.
TL;DR
The “desires of the flesh” are expressions of the old nature.
The heart and destructive attitudes listed in Galatians 5 are defined, as sexual immorality, enmity, dissension, and drunkenness, among others.
Walking with the Holy Spirit feeds a new person and helps Christians overcome the desires of the flesh.
Walking with the Holy Spirit implies direction, rhythm, empowerment, and guidance from the Word of God.
John Wesley’s Means of Grace, which includes Works of Pity and Mercy, and will help Christians experience the abounding living waters of God.
Related Reading
How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit by Rev. Paul Lawler
Who is the Holy Spirit by Rev. Paul Lawler
