29th August 2025
Living in the realm of the Spirit
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ
Romans 8:9 (NIV)
There are only two ways of life, the way of the flesh: the way of our former life (Ephesians 4:22), and the way of the Spirit: the way of the new life that is now ours in Christ (Ephesians 4:24)), and Christians must constantly choose to deny the flesh and so live and walk in the realm of the Spirit. In the New Testament revelation, the flesh and the Spirit are described as being contrary to one another: ‘For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.’ (Galatians 5:17).
To walk in the flesh means to rely on the weakness of our carnal nature, giving way to wrong desires. Believers in whom the Spirit lives are able, through the Spirit, to resist temptations: ‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ (James 4:7)
In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul summarises the characteristics of these two contrasting ways of life. There are people who are engaged in activities such as ‘…sexual immorality, impurity…hatred, discord, jealousy…and the like’ (Galatians 5:19-21). And this is compared to those living in the realm of the Spirit who are developing the opposing characteristics such as love, joy, peace, gentleness and self-control. The devil cannot stand being in the presence of those who are living in the realm of the Spirit and he flees from them (James 4:7).
Romans 8:6 reminds us that, ‘The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.’ One way leads to death and the other way leads to eternal life.
So which will it be? We are compelled to make a choice. Do we want to live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit? It is a no-brainer! Choosing to live in the realm of the Spirit is the wisest choice. Glory and eternal happiness in God’s kingdom await those who do.
Prayer
Father God, through the power of the Spirit, please enable us to live life in the realm of the Spirit. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
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Study by: Sherwin Scott About the author: |
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Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS
Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00 am
Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck
Email: lewes@gracecom.church
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Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church