“…Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust (desire) of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16
In Galatians 5:15-16, we see a battle between two opposing forces. One is known as the flesh. The flesh is referring to our physical body and our soul, the parts of us that have not been saved or redeemed. When we make Jesus our Lord, our spirit is changed and made new, but our body and our soul are not. Sinful desires are still in these members that are a part of who we are. “…Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust (desire) of the flesh. For the flesh lusts (desires) against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Galatians 5:16-17
The Spirit is the Holy Spirit. He has desires for us too, desires that oppose the sinful desires within us. They are contrary to one another, meaning they are in a continual battle with one another. The word “against” means to suppress or hold down. Sinful desires try to suppress what the Holy Spirit wants to do in us. The Holy Spirit is out to dominate the sinful desires that try to work against Him and us. It is a battle for dominion.
We are to live in dependency upon the Holy Spirit and His power to overcome sinful desires. If we act independently of the Holy Spirit, if we try to overcome sin by our own efforts, we will fall short of what is necessary to overcome. The Holy Spirit is given to us to help us to dominate the flesh, giving us the power to go up and over the obstacles that try to keep us from victorious living. When we walk, or live, in the sphere of surrender of the Holy Spirit, we will absolutely not give in to the desires of the flesh. We cannot take the credit for the victory over sin because we need the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome. If we try on our own, sin will try to dominate us, pulling us away from the fellowship and power of the Holy Spirit. It is true that the penalty of sin that separated us from God has been removed and we stand righteous before God; however, it is also true that a Christian who is dominated by sin will be captive to sin and deny the power that comes with salvation. Sin is never life-giving. Sin will always cause a Christian to suffer, and it will take away our effectiveness. One function of the Holy Spirit is to battle, overcome, and suppress the evil cravings that are working against us and working against Him. The way to victory is through surrenders. His power will overtake us and push down the plan of our enemy. There is victory when we live in the sphere of surrender to the Holy Spirit.
Application: Are you familiar with a craving that tries to overtake you? Give it to Him. Get in His presence and let His desires overtake you.