For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:5-6 NKJV

God’s word is filled with instructions on how we should live. It lists things we should do and should not do. I find it ironic, however, that my God who is in complete control of the universe gives me free will. Think about it, He controls all things except me and you. He gives us free will. He allows us to do as we choose whether it’s a horrible mistake or a great thing to do.

We get to choose how we live our lives. Sometimes I find that a scary thought. We get to choose if we want to live according to the flesh or the Spirit. Maybe we should look at those two things before making our choice. Living by the Spirit would mean that we are laser focused on Jesus Christ. It means that we take Matthew 6:33 seriously which tells us not to worry but to focus on God and He will take care of all we need. It means that we let go of the things of the flesh like adultery, fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, and revelries (Galatians 5:19-21). Check yourself against each and every one of these. Get rid of any that are weighing you down.

Now if we let go of the flesh then we can walk in the Spirit.  We can’t hang on to the things of the flesh and be in the Spirit because the two things oppose each other. Have you ever had two friends who despised each other? If so, you probably didn’t try to get together with both of them at the same time, right? Well, that would be just like us trying to walk in the Spirit while holding on to the things of the flesh. We can’t do it. The two can’t coexist.

Now if we choose to focus on Jesus and ask Him to fill our hearts with His Holy Spirit, we have no time or room or desire to fulfill the sins of the flesh. We want to walk in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 4:22-23).

Each and every day we have a choice to make. We can live our lives in the Spirit, or we can fulfill the desires of our flesh. This choice will determine how we live our lives. It will determine how we talk to others. It will determine how we view others. It will determine how we treat others. It will determine everything we do.

Let me say again, you cannot walk in the flesh and have peace and joy in your life. Peace and joy are fruits of the Spirit, and they don’t coincide with the things of the flesh. You are going to have to choose a side here. You can’t sit on the fence. You can walk in the Spirit or the flesh, but you cannot walk in the Spirit and the flesh.

Many people walk in the flesh but claim to be in the Spirit. Sadly, they don’t understand that it is painfully obvious to those around them which they have chosen. Again, it is evident in the way they live their lives. When we walk in the Spirit, we put God first and others second. We are last. When we walk in the flesh, chaos and turmoil come because we put ourselves first. We worry about what we want and need and no good comes from this.

How are you living your life? Are you happy with your life? Are you at peace? Do you have joy? Or are you constantly wanting your circumstances to change? I spent many years of my life wanting my circumstances and people around me to change. But once I started focusing on God, He made it crystal clear to me that I was the one who needed to change. I can’t control those around me, but I can control my thoughts and actions.

If you’re not so happy with your life right now, you can turn to God. You can draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). He’s waiting with open arms. He will turn your mess into your message if you only let Him.

Have a great day!