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And those who are Christ’s have put to death on the cross the flesh with its passions and its evil desires. If we are living by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us be guided. Let us not be full of self-glory, making one another angry, having envy of one another -Galatians 5:24-26, BBE
The Greek word sarx was used in Greek literature to mean the flesh (or body/ meat) as opposed to, or different from the soul and the spirit. Therefore, it refers to what is external and can be perceived by the five physical senses, by which one relates to the physical world.
In the Greek New Testament, it is also used to refer to the entire human nature with its physical and moral frailties and passions as affected by sin, and therefore the human being as carnal: carnally minded or flesh ruled.
The flesh and the spirit are two diametrically opposing forces. They are two different states of being and two opposite ways of life.
While an unbeliever can only walk in the flesh, since he is in the fallen state of sin by nature, the Christian can walk in both the Spirit and in the flesh.
A believer who is walking in the flesh is not living by the power of the Holy Spirit but is been ruled by his or her physical senses.
As believers, we are encouraged by the Word of God to overcome the works of the flesh by living in the spirit. There is bondage from walking in the flesh, and there is liberty through living in the Spirit, and it is only by living or walking in the Spirit that the believer can overcome the deeds or works of the flesh.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law -Galatians 5:22-23.
The works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit are in contrast. Apostle Paul lists “the works of the flesh” and “the fruit of the spirit”. The Bible Exposition Commentary has the following illustration of the contrast between works and fruit:
“A machine in a factory works and turns out a product, but it could never manufacture fruit. Fruit must grow out of life, and in the case of the believer, it is the life of the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
When you think of “works” you think of effort, labour, strain, and toil; when you think of “fruit” you think of beauty, quietness, and the unfolding of life.
The flesh produces dead works (Heb 9:14), but the Spirit produces living fruit, and this fruit has in it the seed for still more fruit (Gen 1:11).
Love begets more love! Joy helps to produce more joy! Jesus is concerned that we produce “fruit… more fruit… much fruit” (Jn. 15:2,5) because this is the way we glorify Him. The old nature cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit; only the New Nature can do that.”
Love (Gr. Agape, Agapao): The recreated human spirit of the believer in Christ is by nature endued with the love and life of the Holy Spirit. Ronald F. Bridges says,
“The basic principle and ultimate motive of both the Christian gospel and the Christian ethic is love. God is love, and we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
In the translation of the Greek word agape, we are dealing not with a mere exhortation to feeling and action, or even with a statement of human duty, but with the ultimate grounding of human duty and destiny in the very nature and eternal purpose of God”
As believers, love is the very foundation of our lives. Love is our nature because we carry the very nature of God our Father since we are born of Him (Jn 1:13).
The fruit of the Spirit is love. Love is both the hinge and soil upon which joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance revolve and take their root.
These virtues are manifestations of the presence of love, they characterize the true Christian life, which is a life lived in the Spirit. They are the fruit obtainable from the orchard of a life planted in the Spirit, a life committed to walking in divine love.
Consequently, love ought to be what governs our thoughts, words and actions, yea, our very lives and existence.
When a believer does not walk in love, he opens himself to “come under the rule of the evil desires of the flesh.” At the base of walking in the flesh is selfishness. Selfishness is the antithesis of love, and it exposes a person’s life to the influence of the devil. Truly, selfishness has the potential to expose your life to demonic influence and deception.
Walking in God’s kind of love opens our hearts and minds to the leading and inspirations of the Holy Spirit. The believer who is walking in love is also walking in the Spirit. When you walk in love, you also walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Joy: The Greek word for joy is chara. It means calm delight, gladness, and its verb form chairo, means ‘to rejoice’. Joy is the believer’s natural disposition that elicits rejoicing irrespective of the circumstance around him or her.
Beloved, the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Do not let anyone or circumstances rob you of it by inundating your heart and mind with fear, suspicion and despondency.
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation – Isaiah 12:2.
Joy is elemental to partaking of the benefits of salvation. Paul admonishes, “Rejoice in the Lord always”, and he gives it more emphasis to press the importance of it, “…and again I say rejoice” (Phil 4:4). Joy is the theme of the book of Philippians, they rejoiced even in adverse circumstances.
Joy is a heartfelt disposition of one’s heart towards the Lord. For rejoicing to be effective, it must be “in the Lord.”
Much of the entertainment we call “praise and worship” in the church today is not in the Lord but in the flesh. Isaiah chapter 12 is much about praising and ministering to the Lord and declaring His doings among the people.
Rejoicing, which is the expression of the joy of the Lord, is a spiritual exercise. Do not also forget that the meaning of joy is ‘calm-delight’. A person can be full of joy and rejoicing while it is his heart that is welling up deep communications of worship unto God, singing and making melody in his heart unto the Lord (Eph 5:19). Sometimes it might just be a delightful meditation on the greatness and goodness of the Lord and what He has done.
Peace: Strong’s Concordance defines the Greek word eirene as peace (literally or figuratively): by implication, prosperity: – one, quietness, rest, set at one again.
To have peace is to be at one with oneself and with God. A vital sense of completeness in Christ (see Colossians 2:10) is what the believer’s peace is about. If you constantly feel that you are incomplete or incompetent as a believer, peace will elude you and you will be perpetually running from pillar to post, from one deliverance ministry or minister to another.
The enemy will constantly terrorize you if you lack peace. It is interesting to note that it is the “God of peace” that will “bruise Satan under your feet”.
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen – Romans 16:20.
There is tremendous power in peace. It is the peace of God which passes all understanding that garrisons and mounts a guard over your heart and mind.
An untroubled heart and a settled mind is a victorious life, even in the midst of war.
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus -Philippians 4: 6-7, AMP.
Peace is a place of rest: The rest of a heart and mind whose confidence is in the Lord. When prayer is inspired by fear and anxiety and not from a position of rest (peace), it is of no effect upon the enemy.
If you are listening to ministers whose constant talk is about the power of demons, witches, wizards, enemies trying to destroy or harm you and such like, you will constantly lack peace, because they are building fear and not faith in your heart.
‘Eirene’ corresponds to the Hebrew word shalom, which means wholeness, full, finished, made perfect. This is true prosperity. You are complete in Him (Col. 2:10). Think about it.
Thank you. Do not forget to keep Living, Loving and Learning.
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This blog has been culled from the book Criminals behind the Pulpit: Exposing False Ministry and Unveiling True Ministry in the Church, which may be purchased on Amazon.com.
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