"What Are You Feeding?"

What Are You Feeding?

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Galatians 5:16-18

 

In 1974 B.T. Express had a song titled, ‘Do It (‘Till You’re Satisfied).  A portion of the lyrics said, “People know just what they’d like to do, whatever it is, you got it, long as it pleases you.”  We all, at some point in our lives, lived by this creed.  Doing, saying, and living how we want, and not considering the consequences. “Gratifying the desires of the flesh” (verse 16).  Editor and director, Crandall Miller, is quoted as saying, ‘What you feed grows.  What you starve dies.  You never satisfy anything by feeding it, you simply increase it’s capacity for growth.’  What are you feeding?

Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you no longer live by the flesh.  And so the battle begins. Spirit man vs. Flesh.  The hardest fought battle of all time.  If we’re honest, it is a battle we fight, minute by minute.  What is ‘gratifying the desires of the flesh’ and what is ‘walking by the Spirit’?  The answer is right here in the Word.

‘Gratify the desires of the flesh’

Galatians 5:19-21 NLV says, “The things your sinful old self wants to do are: sex sins (adultery, fornication KJV), sinful desires (uncleanness KVJ), wild living (lasciviousness KJV), worshiping false gods (idolatry KJV), witchcraft, hating, fighting, being jealous, being angry, arguing, dividing into little groups and thinking the other groups are wrong, false teaching, wanting something someone else has, killing other people, using strong drink, wild parties, and all things like these.  I told you before and I am telling you again that those who do these things will have no place in the holy nation of God.”

‘Walk by the Spirit’

Galatians 5:22-26 NLV says, “But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up (long suffering KJV), being kind (gentleness KJV), being good, having faith (goodness KJV), being gentle (meekness KJV), and being the boss over our own desires (temperance KJV).  The Law is not against these things.  Those of us who belong to Christ have nailed our sinful old selves on His cross.  Our sinful desires are now dead.  If the Holy Spirit is living in us, let us be led by Him in all things.  Let us not become proud in ways in which we should not.  We must not make hard feelings among ourselves as Christians or make anyone jealous.”

(I encourage you to read Galatians 5:19-26 MSG version)

So, which will you feed?

Margaret Slaughter