'Walk After the Spirit Not After the Flesh'

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:1-6).

 

A few weeks back, I came across the above scripture in my Bible and it was as if I was reading it for the very first time. It made more sense to me than it had ever made before. The phrase, ‘walk after the Spirit’ as opposed to walking after flesh could not leave my mind! I kept thinking about it and praying that I would walk after the Spirit at all times. Was this the first time I was saying such a prayer? NO! It was a prayer I say every so often in my life. However, it was as if I had never read it before.

 

I don’t know about you but I will often move forward in my seat in an attempt to reach out my hand and do something very stupid interpreted as FOLLOWING THE FLESH! I now believe that GOD made me keenly aware of that scripture because He knew that some situations would arise that would necessitate me to be ALERT. These situations seem to have been waiting for me to read that scripture with new understanding for them to furiously chase one another down my street!

 

In fact, just in the last few minutes, thoughts in reaction to some carnal things fought for my attention as if vying for the first position! Therefore, I had to mentally restrain myself from retaliating in the flesh...from walking after the flesh! Maybe it should have been called CHASING AFTER THE FLESH because the urge to follow my carnal instincts was so loud that I had to rebuke myself so strongly. I noticed that these urges were preceded by a very uncomfortable feeling of strife or of lack of peace somewhere around my heart...enticing me to REACT. However, when I remembered the word of GOD, I stilled myself and dug in to the peace that follows walking after the Spirit. What I first thought was too bad not to react too, soon faded away into nothingness and peace prevailed.

 

Do I speak to you when I talk about these things? Do you, sometimes, feel like reacting in kind to those carnal attacks? I would like to encourage you that it is only a moment of stupidity or weakness that, which if you do not feed, will quickly dissipate. Let us then hold on to our sanity but also to the Spirit of GOD and purpose to walk after the Spirit not after the flesh. Let us PUT OFF what we thought needed to be REACTED TO NOW and lean back and simply rest in His peace.

 

Prayer

 

Dear GOD, I confess that I am sometimes inclined to react to certain attacks and situations that I should not react to. Please forgive me. I now realize that when I do react I am walking after the flesh instead of walking after the Spirit. Please give me the grace to choose to walk after the Spirit instead of  after the flesh. Grant me the wisdom to put off, indefinitely, that which I thought had to be HANDLED NOW. Father, I pray that I choose peace always instead of strife. I thank you, LORD, because you have done it. In Jesus’ mighty name, I have prayed, amen.