It Doesn't Work

Often we believe that abiding and walking by faith will bring harmony in every area of our lives.  It will, in fact, bring great peace within; however, be assured that the flesh opposes the Spirit.  Having this battle resolved within through applying the moment-by-moment cross does not assure that the battle is resolved without.  For if we decide to walk after the Spirit, and those with whom we have the most dealings (mates, partners, children, coworkers in the church, and those in our places of employment) are walking after the flesh, there will still be clashes.  (I have often observed that marriage partners get along better when both are walking after the flesh than when one decides to walk after the Spirit.)  The enemy will use this situation to beat the spiritual believer down and bring him to the place where he feels that it is no longer worth the effort to walk in the Spirit.  With this experience comes the thought that it doesn't work.  However, the proof that it does work is the fact that there is a battle between the flesh and the Spirit.  Conflict is being created through contrast.

By walking in the Spirit, you are exercising pressure on those around you, like salt that burns in an open wound.  Don’t give in to the enemy; the Lord is using you in a mighty way.  Allow your life to continue to be leaven to those around you, for what you have has proven itself throughout the centuries to be contagious!

We must also be on guard against judging those who we now can easily see are living a life after the flesh.  It is always easy to forget from where we have come and how miserable an existence we were leading.  The enemy does not want us to stick it out with others, giving to them what the Lord has given to us.  We will, however, by His grace, resist all temptations to turn away from any believer, not being satisfied until we see them raised to victory in Christ.  “…Freely you received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

IT never works…HE always does.  Well, amen. 

Whenever there is a battle between the “flesh” and the “Spirit” there is a battle between “it” and “Him.”  What a contrast!!!  If we read what Paul wrote in Galatians ch.5, we get a vivid picture of that contrast.

No matter how much the enemy tries to beat us down and bring us to the place where we could feel we can no longer acknowledge the worth of the effort to walk in the Spirit, we must resist and remember: “There is nothing the nearness of Christ cannot overcome.”  AMEN!  Come, Lord Jesus, and be my “all” in resisting the enemy’s efforts to take me out of walking in the Spirit.

And Michael draws us to another perspective: “judging those who we now can easily see are living a life after the flesh.”  Oh, Lord Jesus, please help me to remember “from where I have come and how miserable an existence I was leading.”  And to always be alert to the fact that I couldn't see anything about living life in the flesh or Spirit UNTIL Christ became my life at salvation!  I should never be judging others who are not seeing this.

Thank you, Lord, that You always make the “Spirit walk” WORK!

- Mike Wells