Contrast of walking by the Spirit and walking by the desires of the flesh

Galatians 5:16-26

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“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians 5:16-18

Paul was explaining to the Galatians the difference between trying to live by the laws of Judaism and living in the freedom of the Spirit. As the laws were abandoned, the Galatians were to live in the Spirit through Jesus Christ, not living in the wayward freedom of the flesh. The born-again experience is what changes the heart, mind, and soul to enable us to walk in the Spirit. To abandon the laws and live for the offerings of this world is to fulfill the flesh. As Paul said in the Holy Spirit, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” The pursuit of the pleasures and fulfillment of the flesh is contrary to living in the Spirit. When we are led by the Spirit, through our Lord Jesus, we are not held to the written word of the law, the Holy Spirit in us fulfills the law. That’s because we love one another as ourselves and we love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind.

For example, while physical love [love in the flesh] gets people in a lot of trouble in many ways, the love of God in the Spirit through Jesus Christ brings peace and harmony. Love in the flesh brings marital affairs, heartache, child sex crimes, prison, jealousy and violence, etc.

In the following verses, Paul [in the Holy Spirit] describes many different consequences of living in the flesh, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies…” Matthew 15:19  “...the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24

In the following verses, Paul explains what the Spirit produces in a person, which written laws cannot do, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:22-26

“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:6-7

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11