So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Galatians 5:16-17
Led by the Holy Spirit
When you allow the Lord to lead you through the Holy Spirit, you will find making decisions and following the Lord easier. If you keep your eyes on Him, you will be able to put to death the things of the flesh, your sinful desires. This verse says that the sinful desires want to do evil. There is a war that rages inside of us, a war of good versus evil. The Holy Spirit is the good; it’s the spiritual nature that we received when Jesus saved us and placed His Spirit inside of us. The war is a war between ourselves and the new spiritual nature. So the saying, “you are your own worst enemy” can be true! We can stand in the way of what God wants to do in our lives. These two natures are always fighting each other. The sinful nature tries to strip away your freedom, while the Spirit tries to help you live in your freedom.
This is also important to remember in others. Every saved person has the Spirit living inside of them, but they also are battling their sinful nature. If we really understood this about each other, maybe we would extend a little more grace and forgiveness.
A Prayer to Remember
Dear Lord,
Thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit to help guide me through life. May I choose you over my own sinful desires every day. Amen