The Good Portion : ScriptureSample

Spiritual Food 

  If we live by the Spirit, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit. But how do we live by the Spirit? Romans 8 describes a war between the flesh and the Spirit. Living by the Spirit is a struggle against the idols of this world that tempt us every day. It is a pitched battle against the evil and out-of-control desires of our hearts. What will my affections be centered on today? What will my heart go after? What do I want more than anything else? Comfort? Reputation? Something to satisfy my senses? 

To wage battle, we need to set our minds on the Spirit and put the deeds of the body to death. We set our minds on the Spirit by thinking about the truths of God, and we put to death our flesh with the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. With the Word of God we nourish the roots of our hearts and grow the sweet fruit of the Spirit. Without God’s Word those roots shrivel and die.

Our lives are not static. We are moving in one direction or the other. Our physical bodies are all moving closer to the end. No matter what or how much we eat, our bodies will eventually break down and waste away. But spiritual food can build up our souls day by day. As we open our Bibles and read and meditate on the Scriptures, we ingest healthy doses of the Word of God that sustain us and give us strength. A banquet of Christ awaits us in the Bible! Don’t you want to feast on knowing God?