“If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.  So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God,” Galatians 5:15-25.

For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has His way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us and our wishes are never free from their pressures.

When you are guided by the Holy Spirit you need no longer force yourself to obey Jewish laws.

But when you follow your own wrong inclinations your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts; eagerness for lustful pleasure;

Idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons); hatred and fighting; jealousy and anger; constant effort to get the best for yourself; complaints and criticisms; the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group; and there will be wrong doctrine,

Envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gentleness and self control; and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws.

Those who belong to Christ have nailed their natural evil desires to His cross and crucified them there.

If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.