Let’s be honest—sometimes it feels like we’re being pulled in two completely different directions. On one side, there’s this tug toward doing things our own way, relying on ourselves, proving our worth. And on the other side, there’s this gentle nudge from the Spirit saying, “Hey, trust Me. There’s a better way.”
That’s exactly what Paul is talking about in Galatians 5:17 when he says:
“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”
But its important to define terms, first.
What is flesh?
We often assume that the “flesh” is just about obvious sins—the stuff listed in Galatians 5:19-21. But it runs deeper than that. It’s a whole mindset. In fact, over at this blog, we talked about how the flesh is rooted in self-confidence and self-worth apart from God.
And here’s the kicker—Paul, in Philippians 3:3-6, gives us a list of what he used to put confidence in. Things that many of us would proudly post on our resumes:
- Circumcised on the eighth day? Check.
- From the right nation and tribe? Yep.
- Zealous? Definitely.
- Morally upright by the Law’s standards? Absolutely.
But Paul calls all that flesh. Why? Because it’s still about me. It’s about my background, my effort, my righteousness. And the flesh, no matter how polished, always pushes against the Spirit. The desire of the flesh is to find value in ourselves. The Spirit says, “Your value is in Christ.”
The Spirit Way
Living by the Spirit isn’t about trying harder to be better. It’s about letting go of the need to perform and simply walking in what God has already done for us. Grace is the foundation, and faith is how we walk on it.
Before we were born again, we found pleasure in sin—until the Law showed us how it wrecks us. And even then, the Law couldn’t make us righteous—it just exposed the problem. But now, as believers, we have a new nature. We want the things of God. We desire what is holy. And when we fall, it doesn’t feel right. Why? Because it’s not who we are anymore.
You might’ve grown up hearing things like “you’re just a sinner saved by grace,” or “you’re evil, but God wants you to try to be good.” But that’s not the gospel. The gospel says that you were a sinner, but now, united with Christ, you are righteous, holy, and good. Now the Spirit invites you to live like it—because that’s who you are.
When You Don’t Do What You Want
Did you notice how Paul said these two are in opposition “so that you may not do the things that you please”? That’s exactly what he said in Romans 7—he ends up doing what he doesn’t want to do, and not doing what he wants to do.
So what is it that we “please”? It’s walking in the Spirit! That’s what feels right. That’s what aligns with who we are now. But when we, as new creations, try to walk in the flesh, it’s like putting the wrong part into the wrong machine—it just doesn’t work.
Paul’s urging is simple: walk by the Spirit. That’s your real DNA now. That’s your true calling. You were made for this.
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