Those Who Are in the Realm of the Flesh Cannot Please God!

 There is only one way for a born-again Christian to live - Life in the Spirit!

In Romans 8 Paul gives the most wonderful exposition of how we, as believers, can live life in the Spirit with the Holy Spirit working in us and through us to the glory of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour – the Lord of lords, the King of kings and the Name above all names.

Before we look into this chapter, let’s take some time to examine its author, the apostle Paul. Doing this will give us a greater understanding of the authority and understanding he had in writing about spiritual matters for our purposes, and ‘life in the Spirit’ in particular.

Paul (still called Saul at this stage) before his conversion

In the book of Philippians, Paul describes who he was before his conversion to Christianity when he was called Saul.

By his own admission he was:

• A Hebrew of Hebrews and a Pharisee of Pharisees
• The Persecutor-in-Chief of Christians
• A highly rated scholar of the ‘Law’
• Supremely confident in his own flesh
• He was a self-made man

Philippians 3:4b-6 (NIV)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

The Christians of the time were very afraid of Saul of Tarsus! He was a thoroughly nasty and extremely religious zealot! But even more nasty than this, he was an instigator of, and an accomplice to murder. He was present at, and gave his approval to the murder of Stephen, a true man of God!

Acts 7:57-60 (NLT)

57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Acts 8:1 (NLT)

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

Saul’s sole purpose in life at this stage was to eradicate Christianity and he made it his personal mission to persecute the believers wherever he could find them. He wanted to destroy the Church!

Acts 9:1-2 (NLT)

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

Paul’s dramatic conversion

Enlightenment on the Damascus highway! God can change anybody.

Acts 9:3-4 (NIV)

3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

One-minute breathing out murderous threats, the next slain under the power of the Holy Spirit, lying in the dirt as blind as a bat with Jesus talking to him, asking him why he was persecuting him – the Church!

God knows exactly where you are, physically and spiritually and He knows exactly what you are doing! There is no place to hide from God. He knows exactly what we are doing and thinking at all times, don’t waste your trying to hide things from Him!

Let’s have a look at what happened to Saul after this encounter with Jesus and the Holy Spirit on the road to Damascus.

Saul was blind and did not eat and drink for three days

Acts 9:7-9

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

God sent Ananias to pray for him.

Acts 9:11-16

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the .harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Ananias lays hands on Paul and prays for him and he receives his sight and at the same time he is baptized in the Holy Spirit and is also water baptised

Acts 9:17-19

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

This was the pinnacle turning point in Paul’s life. After this all the zeal and enthusiasm that he had used to persecute the Church was turned around and focused on preaching the gospel with great power followed by signs, wonders and miracles – just as Jesus did. The Holy Spirit wants to do the same with us!

Paul’s preparation for ministry

Paul tells us in Galatians that the gospel message he preaches did not come out of any human reasoning, but it came by direct revelation from Jesus himself through the Holy Spirit..

Galatians 1:11-12 (NIV)

11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:15-17 (NIV)

15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

In the above verses Paul tells us as well that after his conversion he did not go Jerusalem to consult with the other apostles but went to immediately start his calling in Christ Jesus which was to preach to the Gentiles. He did this in Damascus for a while and then by going into Arabia for nearly three years before returning to Damascus. This was Paul’s training ground for living life in the Spirit.

It was during this period, whilst preaching to the Gentiles, that he received the true revelation of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit! Divine revelation! This is how he was able to write with such authority and with such deep conviction about living life in the Spirit.

Let’s examine the below verses from Philippians 3:

Philippians 3:3-9 (NLT)

3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

In the above verses from 3-6 Paul tells us about his academic pedigree and self-ability before his encounter with Jesus. This is what he says about himself in verses 5-6:

• I was circumcised (in the flesh)
• I am a pure-blooded Israelite
• I am a Benjamite
• I am a Hebrew
• I am a Pharisee
• I was zealous
• I harshly persecuted
• I was self-righteousness
• I obeyed the law

He was definitely an “I” specialist!

Now, let’s see what he says about himself after his encounter with Jesus when he is born-again, when his heart has been circumcised! Verses 7-9:

• I now consider these things (the things bulleted above) worthless
• For Jesus I have discarded everything else
• Everything I knew before Jesus is garbage
• I can now become one with Jesus
• I am no longer self-righteous
• My righteousness comes from my faith in Jesus
• Circumcision of the heart through the Holy Spirit
• God’s way (through faith in Jesus) makes us right with Him

Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians a number of years after his conversion, so he was able to write it with such confidence and conviction because he had by then actual life experience of being led and taught by the Holy Spirit who brings us divine revelation.

This is the very thing that Jesus meant when he spoke these words:

John 16:12-15 (NIV)

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

It is the Holy Spirit that prepares us for the life that God intends us to live in Christ Jesus! Without him and our faith in Jesus we will not be overcomers.

John 16:33 (NLT)

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NLT)

16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Life in the Spirit is a must for all believers of every generation as Jesus and the Word are one and they never change. What applies to one of us applies to all.

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Without living life in the Spirit, we will not become more like Jesus – we will not be changed into his glorious image. The more we eagerly desire the things of the Spirit and use them for the benefit of others to glorify the name of Jesus, the more we will be conformed to His image!

It is clearly evidenced through his ministry that Paul, after his conversion, eagerly desired the things of the Spirit and was faithful in using them to the benefit of others, and by this he brought glory, honour and praise, to his Saviour – our Lord Jesus!

Now that we have had a look at the man Paul and how he was converted, changed and trained, let’s now look at what he tells us about living life in the Spirit because we like Paul, need to be changed and trained by the Holy Spirit in order to be effective Christians seek the will of God for our lives in true obedience. God has predestined us to do good works for Him in the name of Jesus and for His glory, in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Romans 8.

Let’s bear in mind that the Church in Rome at this time was under savage persecution and most of their activity and worship took place ‘underground’. Many believers had been put to death. At the time Paul’s letter was written the Roman Emperor at the time was the heartless Nero.

Paul new that in order for the Christians in Rome (and Christians today) to overcome this persecution and to overcome their (and our) sinful nature, it was imperative for them to live life in the Spirit. Paul’s letters are written for a specific purpose and always to build up and to edify the Church and to correct error.

Below, from Romans 8, is a list of the benefits we receive in living life through the Holy Spirit for those who are in Christ Jesus. This list is by no means exhaustive.

• There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus – verse 1.
• The Holy Spirit gives us life and freedom in Christ Jesus – verse 2.
• The Holy Spirit enables us to live life in the Spirit and not according to the flesh (our sinful nature) – verses 3 and 4.
• The Holy Spirit allows us to set our minds on what God desires for us – verse 5.
• The Holy Spirit allows us to set our minds on life and peace in Christ Jesus – verse 6.
• The Holy Spirit allows us to be pleasing in the eyes of God – verse 8.
• If we do not have the Holy Spirit in us, then we do not belong to Christ – verse 9.
• The Holy Spirit gives life because of righteousness – verse 10.
• The Holy Spirit will raise us from the dead as He did for Jesus – verses 10 and 11.
• If we are led by the Holy Spirit, then we are truly children of God – verse 14.
• The Holy Spirit brings about our adoption to sonship – verse 15.
• The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God – verse 16.
• The Holy Spirit enables us to be heirs of God along with Jesus – verse 17.
• The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses – verse 26.
• The Holy Spirit intercedes for us – verses 26, 27.
• The Holy Spirit knows our hearts – verse 27.
• It is the Holy Spirit that helps us to conform to the image of Christ Jesus – verse 29.

Through the Holy Spirit we can overcome our present suffering and look forward to future glory in Christ Jesus – Romans 8:18-30

The Holy Spirit will enable and empower you to overcome your present sufferings, trials and tribulations, (remember the words of Jesus in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world”) and lead you into the future glory that God intends for you.

Romans 8:37

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Through the Holy Spirit we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus:

Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[Psalm 44:22]

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we as Christians, are filled with the Holy Spirit and are obedient to His promptings and to God’s Word, we are overcomers! More than conquerors! For the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus, intercedes with God on our behalf which guarantees us victory in this world. Nothing can separate us from the love of God for those who are in Christ Jesus!

Prayer:
Lord, my prayer today is that you would keep on filling me with your Holy Spirit and that you would teach me by your Holy Spirit to live my life in the Spirit always. Humble me, Father, under your mighty hand that I may bring glory to the name of Jesus and that my life would be an encouragement to others and a powerful witness to the unsaved. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Last update: 21 January 2023