Our flesh shouts: “I CAN HELP YOU OVERCOME MY SHORTCOMINGS.”

“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh (body): and these are contrary the one to the other” (Galatians 5:17a)

Our flesh shouts: “I CAN HELP YOU OVERCOME MY SHORTCOMINGS.” “WITHOUT ME, YOU CAN’T FUNCTION.” “GOD GAVE YOU A RATIONAL MIND.” “I CAN FIGURE THINGS OUT.” The flesh wants us to keep the fleshly nature as a necessary part of our lives, but it must go. God hates a mixture of the fleshly with the spiritual. Christ defeats independence, comparisons to others, self-importance, egotism, cowardice, the desire for acceptance, attention, or control, and much more. The fleshly nature wants to preserve itself, so our fallen natures try to short-circuit the work of grace because we destroy the flesh when we yield to the Spirit. Our flesh will attempt to convert God’s grace and righteousness into a set of rules, principles, or concepts. The flesh tries to divert the work of the Spirit into self-glorification and pride. You can’t reform the flesh or improve it. You can’t sweep the darkness out of a room, but you can turn on the Light by turning to Jesus and yielding to His Spirit.