The Battle With the Flesh – Trusting in the Holy Spirit
VBC Albuquerque · Jun 30, 2024
This sermon explores the spiritual battle between the flesh and the Holy Spirit based on Romans 7-8. The pastor explains that the law cannot free us from sin, but the Holy Spirit living within us has the power to defeat fleshly desires and lead us according to God's will.
The sermon begins by presenting the desperate condition of humanity when trying to obey the law without the help of the Holy Spirit. Through passages from Romans 7, the pastor demonstrates that the law actually awakens sinful desires within us, and nothing can deliver us from this condition except Jesus Christ. The cry "Wretched man that I am!" followed by the response "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord" forms the center of this message.
The second section develops God's solution through the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:1-2 declares that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death. The pastor emphasizes that those led by the Holy Spirit are children of God (Romans 8:14), and the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we belong to Christ.
The third section focuses on the clear contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The works of the flesh include adultery, impurity, selfish ambition, hatred, jealousy and similar things, while the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and goodness. The pastor teaches that those living according to the flesh are focused on the things of the flesh, while those living according to the Holy Spirit are focused on the things of the Spirit, and a mind set on the Spirit brings life and peace.
The final section applies this message to the practical life of believers. The sermon emphasizes that if we live by the Holy Spirit, we must walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh. The Holy Spirit not only helps us overcome sin but also intercedes for us when we are weak (Romans 8:26-27). Finally, God's discipline is a sign of the Father's love, and it produces the fruit of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:7, 13).