Spirit or Flesh

This is probably one of the most difficult messages and one of the most important messages I will teach in the Holy Spirit series. It is delicate, and it is accurate. Today I want to talk about the most consistent battle that there is in every Christian’s life. If I were to talk about a specific battle or a specific struggle, the Holy Spirit would make sure to apply it to some of your lives, and some of you may or may not apply it.

Today’s message is for every one of us – me included. If I could sit there with you and be here, both, I would. Know that I am talking to myself as much as you.

Today is about the battle between the Spirit (as in Holy Spirit) and the flesh (meaning our nature).

Galatians 5:16-17(NKJV)
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Now, this is our key scripture for today, I don’t usually start with it, but I thought it was appropriate to get it right out there, so you will understand where we’re headed. But we can’t just jump in at Galatians Chapter 5 because if we were to jump in here, what we would have is a “works-based” message on walking in the Spirit. That can’t happen.

So, we have to go back to Romans Chapter 6, where this all starts. You’ve heard me teach Romans 6, 7, and 8, hopefully, in the past. It is one of my favorite sections of scripture, and if there were three chapters that I would encourage a Christian to study, it would be these three. Or a couple of the others we’ll see today.

One hundred percent of what we have is because of one hundred percent of what Christ has done for us. And a hundred percent of us being able to walk in the Spirit is because of our position in Christ. One hundred percent; it is totally because of our position.

Romans 6:3 (NKJV)
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

Baptizo. It is immersion to bring on a permanent change. It is identification that brings about change.

Romans 6:4-7 (NKJV)
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if (since) we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection (This is our position.)
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. (all positional, either present or past tense statements)

Wonderful positional statements and they continue down to verse 11, with Paul saying that our old nature has been crucified and we’ve been freed positionally from sin. And then comes the battle cry of Romans 6, verse 12.

Romans 6:12 (NKJV)
12 Therefore (because of the previous verses since verse 3 – because of our position) do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

Wait a minute. We just read that we are freed from sin, that sin no longer has us in its grip. That our old nature – that sin nature – has been crucified. And yet, the Word says do not let sin reign. The first verses we read are positional verses. The second verse there, verse 12, is about walking. It’s about possessing.

If you would just bury yourself in Romans 6, 7, and 8, you would see that Paul lives the exact same life that we live – the struggle between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh.

Romans 8:12-13 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Every moment, every decision, every thought – every decision, every thought, every word, every action in a Christian’s life, we are either walking in the Spirit, or we are walking in the flesh. Every. Single. One. For Every. Single. One of us. We are either walking in the Spirit, or we are walking in the flesh.

And what I really want you to see today is that you understand that it is the infilling of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit’s position, his role, his job, his purpose to be continually filling us with the supernatural, dynamite, DUNAMIS power to walk in the Spirit. That is his primary role. He transforms us from glory to glory into the image of Jesus Christ.

Jim Hesterly calls this “possessing our position.” Our position has been won by Christ. It is a gift to us; even the faith (Ephesians 2:8 says) required for us to believe is given to us by Christ as a gift. And so, our position is a gift. Possessing that position is a choice.

God’s sovereign gift of position
Our choice of possessing – of walking in our position

It is the Holy Spirit; it is the baptism and the continual infilling of the Holy Spirit that gives us the supernatural power to possess what Christ has won for us as a position.

Galatians 5:16-17 (NKJV)
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Walking in the Spirit – what does it mean to walk in the Spirit? Walking in the Spirit would mean mostly ordering your life by the Holy Spirit, and probably more specifically, it is the Holy Spirit ordering your life. It is the Holy Spirit that sets the priorities of your life. And this is the absolute best definition, “It is the Person of the Holy Spirit influencing every single moment of your life.” Being under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

If the Holy Spirit is influencing your life, then you are walking in the Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is not influencing, then you are walking in the flesh. The word lust in verse 16, we connect it to sexual things; however, it is not really a sexual word. Lust just means a very strong desire. A very, very strong passion is what that word means that is translated lust. And so, it doesn’t take very long, and it doesn’t take very much honesty to admit that our old nature, our flesh nature, is a very strong desire; that it’s a very strong passion in us. That is the lust of the flesh – the very strong driving force of our old nature. And that old nature, with its strong desire and passion against the Holy Spirit, is in our lives, a formidable foe of the Spirit.

Look again at Galatians 5:17 with me. The question right now is, who (or what) is at war with whom? And, what is your role in this war? And someday, we will do a whole Spiritual Warfare series and see what the big picture is on that. But I really, really want you to see something here in these verses today.

Galatians 5:17 (NKJV)
17 For the flesh lusts against the (Person of the Holy) Spirit, and the (Holy) Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Your flesh has a strong, passionate desire against the Person of the Holy Spirit. and the (Holy) Spirit against the flesh; Meaning the Holy Spirit has a strong passion or desire against our flesh. …and these are contrary to one another. If you’re not feeling removed yet, I want you to understand how removed you are because it is your sin nature warring against the Person of the Holy Spirit. And it is the Person of the Holy Spirit warring against your sin nature. Your flesh. …and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

It is the flesh at war with the Person of the Holy Spirit. What is our role? It is a critical thing to understand. All we do is choose which one we will submit to. That’s our only role. We are not part of the war. We are the result of the war. And our only war is to choose which one we are going to surrender our members to. Do I submit, surrender to the Holy Spirit? Or do I submit, surrender to the flesh? The war is between our flesh and the Spirit. We just choose which one to surrender to.

This war is for our decisions. It is for our will. When Jesus says in Matthew, Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, and mind, he replaces the word strength (from Deuteronomy 6 – the Shema) with the word mind. Why? Because it’s not your strength. You can’t love the Lord God with your own strength; you don’t “got any.” But your will applies supernatural strength to love the Lord your God. Our will is where the battleground is. It is our choices – who we will surrender to.

And so, I want you to know that in every decision that a Christian makes, every single decision, the Holy Spirit is there at war with your flesh. And your flesh is there at war with the Holy Spirit. And you are a pawn. I don’t mean to say they are moving you without your will. I am just saying that the battle is between your flesh and the Holy Spirit. All you’re doing is choosing which side you want to be on for that decision.

So, again, the important thing to understand is that it is the baptism – the infilling, the “upon” (epi) experience – the overflowing, empowering of the Holy Spirit that enables us to make the right choice to walk in the Spirit. That’s walking in the Spirit. It’s choosing to be influenced.

So, the big question, as always with practical messages (which this is a very practical message) is how? How, how, how, how? Give me a recipe, man. I need a three-step recipe. Well, Romans 6, 7, and 8 has been more taught in my life than any section of scripture because it is more needed in Christian’s lives. And so, I have cried out to God intensely for that answer to how? I am especially, right now, particularly, circumstantially, in this crushing position to cry out to God, how do Christians walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh? And so, in that this week, I believe that God has impressed upon me, for lack of a better word, a “recipe.” A process – which I am very against recipes and processes because we do not live by recipe but by relationship. We do not live by the process but by the Person of Jesus Christ. But having said all of those spiritual things, here’s the recipe.

1). Be Filled
2). Be Honest
3). Be Obedient

Now, guys, if you haven’t heard me say this, please hear it. Most of what I teach up here isn’t mine. It isn’t something that God just brings out of the air. I study my brains out, I read all kinds of scholars, and generally, I put all their information together, and for the most part, I just share with you what I learn. This has come supernaturally – an answer to my personal cries to God.

1). Be Filled
2). Be Honest
3). Be Obedient

Those are God’s words to me, and so I pray that as I share them with you, God will use them in your life. We could do a series on each one of these words, someday, maybe. But not today. Today is an overview because I want you to know the practical way to walk in the Spirit every day.

1). Be Filled
Galatians 5 and Ephesians 4 and 5 are companion sections of scripture. Same subject, same context.

Ephesians 5:15-18 (NKV)
15 See then that you walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools but as wise,
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

The Word says in Ephesians 5, be careful. Don’t be unwise. Understand what the will of the Lord is. The context is walking in the Spirit. And then we get this verse 18 that the Christian Church has snatched right out of context and used to generally apply to a separate context.

18 And do not be drunk with wine. Is it accurate that the Bible would teach us to not be drunk with wine? Absolutely it is accurate. But that is not the subject of Ephesians 5. It’s not the context. It happens to be true. The context is walking in the Spirit.

18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Why in the world would Paul, being led by the Holy Spirit, contrast being drunk with wine with being filled with the Spirit? If the context is being filled with the Spirit, why bring in a statement about alcohol? Why not save that for some of the practical lists of dos and don’ts that we do have in the Bible?

Well, you have to understand what the word filled means, for starters. Filled means, most specifically, “to influence.” It means “to furnish, supply or influence.” So, we could say, “Do not be drunk with wine, but be influenced with the Spirit.”

Now, let me see if I can give you what I believe Paul’s word picture is. If I were to fill you up with alcohol right now, fill you up to overflowing with alcohol, what areas of your life would be affected? All of them. Every. Single. Area. Your thought process would be affected by the alcohol. What you see and feel would be affected. What you speak would be affected. How you act would be affected. How you respond would be affected. How you approach others would be affected. If I were to fill you with alcohol right now, it would affect every area of your life – for evil.

Don’t be drunk with wine, …but in the same manner, be filled with the Spirit. Why is Paul contrasting being drunk with wine to being filled with the Spirit? Because if you understand the power of alcohol to affect every area of your life, if you are filled with it, then you understand what Paul is saying about being filled with the Spirit. Be so filled with the Holy Spirit that it affects everything about you. The way you think is affected. The way you see things is affected. The way you speak is affected. The way you act, the way you react, the way you approach people, the way you handle situations – it’s all affected by your influence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. You still shouldn’t drink to be drunk… but that is not what this is about.

But you understand, and most of you who understand most are the ones who have been most affected negatively by being filled with alcohol. And so, now you have this understanding of, “Okay. If I’ll just be that filled with the Holy Spirit, it will influence, it will affect every single area of my life. Every thought. Every word. Every action.” Be filled with the Holy Spirit.

There’s more. The end of verse 18 can be literally translated be being filled. It is a continual process. Be being filled. Continually be being filled. Guys, we believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the initial baptism is a one-time event. But we refer to being re-immersed, being immersed, being filled, being baptized with the Holy Spirit, over and over, and over again. Why? Because just like, in contrast, the very opposite, just like to stay influenced by alcohol, you have to keep drinking towards evil. To be filled with the Spirit you have to keep being filled, and keep being filled, and keep being filled – continually be being filled, so that every thought, every word, every action is influenced. Rather than being filled with our flesh, which influences every thought, word and action, be filled with the Spirit.

But wait – there’s more. The word filled there the Greek mood – there are five areas of every Greek verb. And the Greek mood of the word filled there is imperative. The imperative mood of a Greek verb means it is a command. Let me give you the literal definition of the Greek imperative mood. “It is an absolute command requiring full obedience on the part of all hearers.”
 
So, when Paul says, be filled, he’s saying, this is an absolute command requiring complete obedience on the part of all hearers. No one is left out. Why? Because no one is immune to the flesh. No one. No matter where your place is with God, no matter how godly you are or think you are, no matter what position we hold – no one is immune to being influenced by the flesh. No one.

So, Paul gives a command. Continually be being filled so that every thought, every word, every action is influenced by the Holy Spirit because if it’s not – guess what? It’s the flesh. Period. It’s one or the other.

In Romans 7, verse 21, Paul is talking about his personal, ongoing struggle between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh.

Romans 7:21 (NKJV)
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me…,

Wait a minute, Paul. Aren’t you in the process of writing two-thirds of the New Testament? Weren’t you called as an Apostle by Jesus Christ himself on the road to Damascus? And he says, I find then a law – an absolute – evil is present with me. He’s talking about his flesh, guys. From verses 15-25 of Romans, Chapter 7 is all about Paul’s flesh.

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me…, the one who wills to do good.

And if you get through Romans Chapter 8 (I pray you do sometime), you’ll find out that Paul says the only way to keep that flesh inoperative (which is what “crucified” means – rendered inoperative) is to continually be being filled with the Holy Spirit. If not, you automatically go back to the flesh. Automatically.

1). Be Filled – Continually be being filled with the Holy Spirit

2). Be Honest

This, in my opinion, is the absolute hardest part of this process for a Christian. Because the last thing we want to admit, as a good Christian, is that we have been influenced by the flesh; that our actions may have been influenced by the flesh. That, my friends, is pride. If you see it in me – it’s pride. When I see it in you – it’s pride. The first sin. I don’t mean the first sin of Adam’s. I mean Lucifer’s sin was pride. And it is pride that keeps us from saying, “Dang it! That was just totally in the flesh. I was acting in the flesh. Lord, forgive me. Help me! Give me the power to render the flesh inoperative.” That’s a tough thing to say for a good Christian person, including me.

We have to admit it. When we see the flesh, we have to say, “That’s the flesh! That’s not the Holy Spirit; that’s the flesh.” Fortunately for us, as with everything else, God has given us a sure-fire interpretation method if we choose to use it. Because, guys, once we’re willing to say, and any of you that have been involved in recovery know, step one is to admit the addiction. Admit it. And when we as Christians can say, “You know what, Lord? That was the flesh. I wasn’t being continually being filled with the Spirit. And the flesh won out.” THEN we know what to seek him for – forgiveness. We know what to repent of. We know what to be restored of. And he’s there, our faithful High Priest, and not one who cannot sympathize with us, but in every way has been tempted just as we are – yet without sin (Hebrews 4 says). We can go to him. Get the “of mercy for forgiveness and the grace to help in time of need.” (Galatians 5, from 16-26, is all about this.) That’s the context.

We’ve seen in 16 and 17 our key verses. In verse 19 begins the honesty test. Take it with me – if you will. I’m just going to do a portion of it.

Galatians 5:19 (NKJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery…,

Well, we’re doing pretty good so far, aren’t we? Yepp – doing alright!

19 …hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

Paul continues and says that those whose lives are characterized by these events are not saved. That’s really what he gets on to saying. But that is not our point here. And that is not saying you lose your salvation. It means that if you are saved and filled with the Spirit that your life isn’t characterized by the flesh. But that doesn’t mean you’re safe from the flesh. We’ve already made it very clear that a godly Christian man (I can wrap up Billy Graham, Greg Laurie, Chuck Smith, and some real godly people) and they’re still just as subject to the flesh as you and I are.

Let me give you some definitions of those that are most prevalent in the Church – the flesh in the Church.

Hatred – “strong feelings of malice toward an individual”
Contentions – “discord or quarrels”
Jealousies – “distrust or suspicion”
Outbursts of wrath – “actions brought about by anger”
Selfish ambitions – “self-centered interests at another’s expense”
Dissensions – “separations caused by disagreements”

Let me re-read it for you, using the definitions.

Strong feelings of malice toward an individual, discord or quarrels, distrust or suspicions, actions brought about by anger, self-centered interests at another’s expense, and separations caused by disagreements are the works of the flesh. Period.

God doesn’t do that. The flesh does that. And as soon as we recognize that, we can say, “Lord. That’s the flesh. We’re always battling with the flesh. Forgive us. Heal us. Restore us.” But as long as we think that somehow that’s God, we’ll never confess. We’ll never repent. We’ll never ask to be healed because our pride has us totally in the dark. Because we think we’re walking in the Spirit when we’re really walking in the flesh.

Step two is honesty. We have got to call the flesh – the flesh. And once we do, we have the ability for the Holy Spirit to crucify it in our lives. Why? Because we’ll recognize it as a sin! If we don’t recognize it as the flesh, we’re not going to ask God to crucify it. As soon as we recognize it, God will deal with it.

We have to use the “duck test.” If it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, get the twelve-gauge – because it’s a duck! We have to have the guts to do that.

Galatians 5:22-23(a) (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (long patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control… .

Use them. Use them as a mirror. “Lord, are my actions – do they look like the flesh or do they look like the Spirit? I don’t know… how do I know?” Open your Bible to Galatians 5 and take the duck test. And if your actions look like the flesh, they’re the flesh. And if they look like the Spirit, they’re the Spirit. We have to be honest enough with God to know we’re in the battle.

Ephesians 4 is a powerful companion chapter to Galatians 5. I would encourage you to study all of Ephesians Chapter 4, but for time’s sake, I am going to skip it. Read Ephesians Chapter 4 – it is companion strengthening verses to what we’re talking about here about being honest and walking in the Spirit.

Let me just say that if our pride keeps us from honestly acknowledging the source of our actions, we will never be able to apply the DUNAMIS power of the Spirit to crucify those actions. Are you with me? We have to call sin – sin. And it hurts when you’re looking in the mirror. It hurts me when I’m looking in the mirror, and I never ask you to do something that I haven’t already done. The reason I ask you to do it is because I’ve already done it. I’m just the one who has to talk. Don’t shoot the messenger.

1). Be filled – be continually be being filled
2). Be Honest – take the duck test

3). Be Obedient

After we are filled, after we are honest enough to take the duck test, then all that is left to do is make the right choice. This isn’t about our own strength; it’s about our only role. If we can’t be filled and be honest, we can’t be obedient. I’ll tell you that right now. Your flesh is naturally in control – by nature, your flesh is in control. So, you be filled, you have the power to make the right choice. You be honest so that pride doesn’t keep you from making the right choice. And then you be obedient.

Here’s the best definition I could come up with in this matter for obedience. “Taking the way out that’s been given to you by the Holy Spirit.” Every thought, every action, every word, every reaction, every response, there is a battle going on for your decision. The battle is between the Holy Spirit and the flesh, and every time you choose which one you want to take. You’ve got the power to take the way out the Holy Spirit has given.

God would never leave us hanging. Nothing can separate us. We are super-victorious. More than conquerors through him who loved us (all of that is in Romans 8).

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NKJV)
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (they’re not fleshly – you cannot fight the flesh with the flesh! You cannot respond to the flesh with the flesh.) but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (that means everything in your life that sets up lordship in your life over Jesus Christ), bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Guys, God has given us the only supernatural weapon that is able to truly crucify our flesh. His name is the Holy Spirit. And in the Holy Spirit, we have the power to pull down every stronghold. WE have the power to cast down everything that would set itself up in our lives over Jesus Christ – which I’m telling you right now (and this is not easy to say because I am not immune from it), but when we serve the flesh instead of Jesus Christ, we are making the flesh our Lord. We are setting it up over God in our lives. It’s our nature. That’s why they call it “the sin nature.”

The only role we play is the role of obedience. Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Every. Single. Thought. Into the obedience of Christ. The Holy Spirit will take every thought captive. The Holy Spirit will cast down every argument, everything that sets itself up over God. The Holy Spirit will give you the victory if you will be continually being filled with him, if you’ll have the honesty to call the flesh the flesh and the Spirit – the Spirit, and if you’ll just choose to say, “Holy Spirit, where’s your way out?”

I’m telling you the truth; I can’t even list the number of times this has happened in my life. Where does this happen mostly in my life? It happens right here, in my mouth because I talk for a living. It’s a very dangerous living.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make (create) the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Now, here’s how it works in my life. A thought forms in my head. Flesh or Spirit? Let’s use the flesh example. And between my brain and my lips, the Holy Spirit waves a flag. And I see the flag, and generally, I am doing ninety-miles-an-hour, headed to the “road closed” sign. And the Holy Spirit is like the construction guy with the flag, saying – “Flagman ahead. Road closed.” And if I’m in the flesh, it is pedal to the metal with no regard to the flagman. Everyone that is nodding knows by experience; I can see that.

Guys, the Holy Spirit always gives us a way out. We don’t take it. Every argument I’ve ever had with my wife, I have this sense – “Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it- OH!!! I said it!!!” Every time. Every time we are faced with this flesh/Spirit, flesh/Spirit, the Holy Spirit is making, creating a way out. We just don’t take it. Every time. And the more you are continually being filled with the Holy Spirit, the more you’ll see that flagman. And the more you’ll have the ability to say, “Wait a minute, that’s the Holy Spirit giving me a way out. I think I’ll take it!” Which, for me, means to keep my mouth closed and everything is going to be okay. Maybe for you, it’s a different temptation. But it’s the flesh.

And I’m telling you 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13, says that God makes a way out. He’s given you the power to overcome the flesh. He’s given you the litmus test – the duck test – to know what is the flesh and what is not. And by the way, when you say something that creates discord, argument, dissension – that’s the flesh. You may say, “Yeah, but I’m right!” It doesn’t matter. The fruit is the flesh. And as soon as you’re honest about that and say, “God help me! I know I have the Holy Spirit in me; I know I can walk in the Spirit. Just continually fill me so that I choose to.”

If we will walk in the Spirit, which means continually be being filled with the Spirit – now that is a whole message all by itself. How do you continually be being filled with the Spirit. I just can’t tell you right now for time’s sake. But, it’s basically loving, relating, it’s a relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. It has to do with the Word and prayer and fellowship. Just a whole bunch of things. But if you will continually be being filled with the Spirit, if you will be honest (1 John 1:9 says) to come to God and say, “Lord, I confess that was my flesh. Forgive me.” And if you will be obedient, then you will walk in the Spirit.

This verse is encouragement to do this.

Galatians 6:7-8 (NKJV)
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

I don’t know what stronger exhortation I can share with you to walk in the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 (NKJV)
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Guys, this walking in the Spirit begins with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It continues with a continually be being filled – a continual process of being filled. It is revealed to us only when we are honest enough to confess it, to look at it. And our victory comes when we are obedient to the Spirit. Not our power, just our free will. Just our choice to be obedient.

1). Be filled
2). Be honest
3). Be obedient