In our fallen world, we have all succumbed to living our lives for our fleshly, carnal desires instead of for our spiritual calling. God calls us to move from flesh to spirit, but most of us spend our time moving in the opposite direction. The world looks so enticing. Surely just sampling what it offers wouldn’t hurt anything, right?
That strategy did not work out well for Adam and Eve, and by extension has caused us problems from the day we were born. We want the tangible delights we can taste, touch, and see. Oh, and we want them now. Our flesh is always pulling us towards the things of this world and away from our true spiritual nature.
The apostle John wrote if we loved the things of the world then we would not have love for God inside us (I John 2:15-16). That’s scary. No, that’s terrifying! We claim to love Jesus but can’t seem to let go of the pleasures of this world. Scripture is clear we can’t have it both ways. Jesus said we can’t serve two masters (Luke 16:13). We’ll love one and hate the other. That’s strong language but seeing as how it came from the mouth of the Son of God, we would do well to not brush it aside.
When we first come to know Christ, it will take some work to move from our flesh habits into new spiritual habits that are pleasing to God. Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth lamenting he still had to speak to them as people of flesh instead of the spirit because they had not yet matured enough to put aside their old ways (I Corinthians 3:1-4). I fear he would write the same to me. Have I allowed God to transform my life from its fleshly pursuits to one that lives and breathes only for His spiritual Holiness? It’s a sobering question to ask oneself.
God breathed His spirit into us to give us life. We are spiritual beings with a fleshly covering. When we live for the flesh, we are living only for the surface things. Living for the Spirit brings a deeper and more fulfilling life. It means living for the core of who we are. So many are searching because they stop at the flesh and go no deeper. We were created to go deeper. We were created for more.
It’s time we move from flesh to spirit. It’s time to put away the things of this world and devote everything to the One who designed us to live in relationship with Him. The things of the flesh only lead to death, no matter how desirable they might seem at the moment. Only Jesus leads to life. Don’t let Satan deceive you. There is nothing on earth worth living for. Only Jesus is worthy of your life. Only Jesus will satisfy when everything is said and done. Put away the lusts of the flesh and feast on the enormous blessing the Spirit of God can impart to your life.