October 2024
As the Apostle was writing to the Church at Galatia, I want us to look at what he had to say concerning our spirit man and our flesh and blood physical body we are housed in. In verse 16 of Galatians chapter 5, Paul writes: “This I say then, walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
This verse gives us a very graphic picture of our physical senses and of our spirit: “This I say, walk in the spirit (that is not the Holy Spirit . . . that is our recreated human spirit) and you shall not fulfill the lust (desires) of the flesh (or our senses).” This Scripture will be of infinite value to you, because the senses war against the recreated spirit, and the recreated spirit is warring against the senses.
In verse 17 Paul says, “For these are contrary to each other that you might not do what you would.” The word, “flesh,” should have been translated, “senses.” Then we could understand it. You see, the five senses, seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting are all physical doors that lead to the brain. I know a thing is sweet because I tasted it. I know a thing is fragrant because I smelled it. I know it is hard because I touched it.
What we call the sins of the flesh are sins of the senses. They are sins connected with the physical body, and this body of ours is the laboratory where we have learned all we know of secular knowledge. Then the 18th verse goes further: “But if you are led by the (recreated) spirit you are not under the law.” The Law of Moses had to do only with the physical senses. The New Law that Jesus gave in John 13:34-35 has to do altogether with our recreated spirits. Look at what Jesus had to say.
John 13:34-35, “A New Commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My Disciples, if you have love one to another.”
Paul continues, in Galatians 5:19, “Now the works of the (senses) are manifest.” He goes on to give a long list of them. We are all familiar with it. The battle that we fight in our daily walk is with our senses. I want the thing that I see. I may want to drink it. I may want to eat it. I may want to touch it. But my spirit must govern my senses. It is so vitally important, that my mind must be so renewed by knowing the Word and acting on the Word that I can easily conquer my senses. Look at what Paul said in Romans 12:1-2.
Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service, and be not fashioned according to this age, but be you transfigured by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is the good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Here He is asking that our senses be turned over to Him. You see, our bodies are really our universities, are our technical schools. How do I know anything about mathematics except through the senses? How do I know anything about mechanics except through the senses? If a man is totally blind, he cannot be a mechanic. If you go a step beyond that and rob him of his hearing, now he is locked up to his senses of taste, smell and touch because sight and hearing are gone. Suppose you go a step beyond that, and he is paralyzed so that he has no sensations in his body. Now he is helpless. You see how utterly dependent we are on our senses, and how all the knowledge we have comes through the senses.
I want to encourage you to stay in faith. Stay in the Word of God every day. This is the only thing that will keep the believer in the days we are living in. Keep INCREASE ON YOUR MIND, KEEP SPEAKING INCREASE, and the right things and making the right confessions of faith. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; and remember “God loves you; we love you and JESUS IS LORD!”
In the Service of Our King,
Darrell G. Harrelson