Three Battlefields

Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

When you are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, that Spirit indwells your spirit. The Holy Spirit in your spirit opposes the lusts of the flesh. Your flesh wars against your spirit and the Spirit of God within you. The flesh entices you to sinful lusts. This is why you cannot live the way your flesh desires to live.

Paul described this battle between the spirit and the flesh in Romans chapter 7:21-23:

"I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man (the spirit); But I see another law in my members (the flesh), warring against the law of
my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."

Three battlefields are listed here:

1. The battlefield of the Spirit-Paul wanted to do right and knew that was his responsibility, but there was a war in his heart being constantly waged.

2. The battlefield of the mind-Again, he knew he was living right, yet he struggled with doing what was correct because of that inner conflict in his head.

3. The battlefield of the flesh-This battlefield is one we don't associate with the Apostle Paul. How could he be tempted to give into earthly desires? We must recognize that all people are tempted by the flesh, but it's how we handle the lusts thereof that make the difference.

The lusts of the flesh, if not conquered, lead to sinful works of the flesh which result in spiritual death:

Galatians 5: 19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such thing shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.:

This list can be divided into four categories of sins:
a.Worship Sins-Idolatry and witchcraft.

b. Sexual Sins-Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness.

c. Personal Sins-Drunkenness and revellings.

d. Relationship Sins: Hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, envyings, and murders.

These are in contrast to the fruit of the Holy Spirit which should be developed in the lives of believers according to Galatians 5:22-25:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."


The world and the flesh combine with Satan and his demons to war against believers. These are the spiritual forces of evil. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can you keep these feelings under control. Remember, you are more than a conqueror through Him that loves you!