I think one of the great promises in the Bible is found in Galatians 5:16. If you walk in the Spirit, you will have the power to not fulfill the lust of your flesh. What an invitation of the Lord.

16 I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law…25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:16-25)

In verse 16, Paul tells us to “walk in the Spirit” and gives us a great promise: if we walk in the Spirit we will have the ability to not fulfill the lust of our flesh. In verse 17 Paul describes the violent war that takes place inside of every believer.

The lust of the flesh include physical as well as emotional lusts. Paul describes 17 expressions of the flesh in verses 19-21. They are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, and revelries.

Paul then describes 9 fruit (or results) of the Spirit working in us in verses 22-23. They are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

We are created in 3 parts: body, soul, and spirit. Our inner man has 2 parts: spirit and soul (mind, will, emotions) and our outer man is our physical body.

23 Now may…your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless as the coming of…Jesus Christ. (1 Thes. 5:23)

At the new birth, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside our spirit as a real person. He literally takes up residence inside of us. We become one with the Spirit of God. The new birth is more than just being forgiven, we have a new connectedness with the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 6:17; Jn. 14:17).

17 …he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. (1 Cor. 6:17)

At the new birth, God placed His seed (His very life) into us. This seed destroys the works of darkness in us. If we have His seed in us, we no longer live in habitual (uncontested) sin.

8…For this purpose was the Son of God manifest, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin (habitually, uncontested) for His seed remains in him…(1 Jn. 3:8-9)

Jesus was raised according to the Spirit, pictured as the “power of an indestructible life.” The Holy Spirit has the power to oppose all darkness inside of us (Heb. 7:15-16).

Jesus manifests His power in us as we fellowship with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 3:20; Col. 1:27-29). It is His power manifest on our hearts that gives us the strength to wage war against and not fulfill the lust of our flesh.

In Scripture the Holy Spirit is pictured as light, fire, and living water.

5…God is light…7 …if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…(1 Jn. 1:5-7)

6 Set Me (Jesus) as a seal on your heart…love is as strong as death…Its flames are flames of fire…(Song 8:6-7)

29…our God is a consuming fire. (Heb. 12:29)

38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart (belly, innermost being) will flow rivers of living water…39…He spoke this concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive…(Jn. 7:38-39)

Part 2 to come…

Josh