HOW TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT

^[p. 134] HOW TO ^[p. 135] DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT

There is the flesh and the Spirit in every believer: Before the indwelling of the Spirit of God, there is but one energy - the flesh; but, consequent on the sealing of the Spirit, there is another energy, namely, the Spirit of God, who seeks and demands the entire rule.

Now these two energies always resist one another; “the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would”, Galatians 5: 17. The Spirit has the sway. The great and constant aim and labour of the Spirit is to suppress and silence the flesh, while the unceasing effort of the flesh is to reoccupy the place of unquestioned sway, which it once had, and which it ever exerts, when not controlled by the Spirit. It is a new era when the Spirit dwells in the believer, for though there be not always a cessation of the flesh’s strife, yet it ever grieves the Spirit, and the saint is conscious often of depression, without knowing the cause of it. The new and legitimate ruler has been hindered by the old one; and “he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption”, but if we “walk in the Spirit”, we “shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh”. “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”, Romans 8: 13. The believer, indwelt by the Spirit of God, is conscious of two things: on the one hand, that there is a new power in him stronger than the old one; and on the other, that the old one must be refused, or the new one will be hindered and grieved; that is, that the old one will not give in once and for ever, but is ever ready to seek what ministers to it. Hence the exhortation, “If we live ^[p. 136] in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. Admit the right of the Spirit, and this cannot be done without refusing the will of the flesh, which is ever ready to seek countenance, and resume its former place.