In step with the Spirit

I am going to start off by saying this: The battle between flesh and Spirit keeps us from doing the things that we want to do.

Throughout this post, I want you to have that thought in your mind. It's an interesting thing to think about. There is a battle going on everyday between our flesh and the Spirit. That battle keeps us from doing the things we want to do. How many battles have that outcome. Usually in a battle, there is an outcome that you really want to happen. But with this battle, the outcome usually isn't what we want.
Whether by flesh or by Spirit.

I will list out the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit so these two things make more sense.

Works of the flesh:
- sexual immorality
- impurity
- sensuality
- idolatry
- sorcery
- enmity
- strife
- jealously 
- fits of anger
- rivalries
- dissensions
- divisons
- envy
- drunkenness
- orgies

Fruit of the Spirit
- love
- joy
- peace
- patience
- kindness
- goodness
- faithfulness
- gentleness
- self-control

Now that you have a better understanding of what the works of the flesh are verses the fruit of the Spirit, I hope things begin to make more sense during this post.

I titled this post in step with the Spirit because the fruits of the Spirit are the way in which we should live. Not the ways of the flesh. By looking at the two lists, you can clearly see a difference in the words that are listed. If I didn't have them labeled I bet you could look at the two lists and point out which list you would rather live by/which list we should live by.

One of the interesting things about this battle is that the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh. The flesh and the Spirit are opposed to each other, to keep us from doing the things we want to do. Just like what I talked about above.

It seems like no matter what, our flesh wants to do one thing, and the Spirit another. That's just how it is. The desires of the flesh trick us into thinking that we need those worldly things that are involved with the flesh. Whereas the Spirit knows what we want as well. We have desires from both, that is why it's hard to keep in step with the Spirit. Sometimes the desires of the flesh get the best of us.

In Galatians chapter 5 verse 21, Paul says: "I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." 

Paul is saying that those who commit to the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. Now you and be both know that we are all guilty of some of those things, and thankfully we serve a God who loves us and forgives us, as long as we ask for forgiveness.

Later on, in verse 24, Paul says, "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" 

I love what Paul says here. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. When we belong to Christ Jesus, we crucify those fleshly desires that we have. I find it very encouraging that Paul said that.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirt. It's not about just living by the Spirit. On a daily basis we have to make steps in the right path that keeps us in step with the Spirit. We can't just live by the Spirit. That is simply not enough. We have to live every possible second of our lives in step with the Spirit.

I encourage you to be conscious about this from here on out. Really ask yourself if you are living by the desires of the flesh or in step with the Spirit. My prayer is that we can all live in step with the Spirit.