CRUCIFYING THE FLESH

By Danny Saavedra

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”—Galatians 5:24–26 (NIV)

Yesterday, we established that a heart surrendered to the Spirit will not engage in a sinful lifestyle, nor will it produce the fruit of the flesh because the seeds being sown are of the Spirit. While this doesn't mean we will never sin or fall short or make mistakes, it does mean that a life surrendered to the Spirit will not bear the fruit (which is the result of an entire process) of the flesh—the sinful life. It will not be defined by sinfulness; it will not be consumed by sinfulness. It will, by and large, be defined the fruit produced by the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control). We may get angry, but we will no longer be uncontrollably angry people because the Spirit is producing the fruit of peace, patience, gentleness, and self-control in us as we grow in our daily relationship with Jesus and study His Word; we may tell a lie in a weak moment, but we're no longer habitual liars because the Spirit is working love and kindness into it. 

Today, we see the reason why and the daily call to action for the believer in Christ. Paul tells us, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” 

This is a declaration of the state in which we as believers find ourselves. Earlier, in Galatians 2:20 (NIV), Paul tells us, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Not only that, but in Romans 6:4 (NIV), he tells us, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” When we surrender our lives to Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit, we are given new life. We who were once slaves to sin have been set free (Galatians 5:1). 

With the Spirit of God in us, guiding, leading, convicting, compelling, equipping, and empowering us, we can now say “No to ungodliness and worldly passions,” and “live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:12 NIV). The old way, the old life, has been buried through the washing and renewing of our souls by the Holy Spirit. Now, please understand that this isn't an overnight process. When we put our faith in Jesus, we are instantly and forever forgiven and justified (made innocent and clean and pure in the sight of God) because of Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit of God indwells us. But our sanctification process, the process of us becoming more and more like Jesus and less and less sinful, of us being changed from the inside out, that is a lifelong process that never changes. And the hope is that every day, we will be a little more like Jesus than we were the day before!

That’s the why. Now, here’s the call to action that goes along with it: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Because of the Spirit, we’ve been renewed and set free from the chains of sin. But if we want to continue to walk in this newfound freedom and not give power to that which no longer has power over us, then we need to walk in step with the Spirit. We must daily die to self, align ourselves to the will and work of God in us, and grow deeper in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

The Spirit is moving and working; He has amazing things in store for us. Not only that, but also He gives us the power, strength, wisdom, and boldness to carry it out. All we need to do is walk hand-in-hand with Him! 

PAUSE: What does it mean to walk “in step” with the Spirit?

PONDER: What are things you can do daily to ensure you’re consistently walking in step with the Spirit?  

PRAY: In your prayer time, ask for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit in your heart and life as you seek to abide and align yourself to His will and work for your daily life.