When life feels overwhelming and your strength is gone, remember that God alone is your true source of strength and satisfaction. Earthly things may fail, and even your own heart may falter, but God remains steadfast, offering Himself as your portion and the strength of your heart for all eternity. In moments of weariness, you can turn to Him, knowing He will revive, refresh, and sustain you when you need Him most. [26:07]
Psalm 73:25-26 (ESV)
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Reflection: When you feel tired or spiritually empty, what would it look like for you to intentionally turn to God for strength instead of seeking comfort in something else today?
Every believer faces a daily battle between the desires of the flesh and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The flesh pulls you toward old habits and distractions, but the Spirit calls you to a new way of living—one marked by freedom, growth, and transformation. Recognizing this struggle is the first step to resisting the flesh and choosing to walk in step with the Spirit, trusting that God empowers you to live differently than before. [35:09]
Galatians 5:16-18 (ESV)
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
Reflection: What is one specific area where your flesh has been pulling you away from God this week, and how can you choose to walk by the Spirit in that area today?
The freedom Jesus gives is not permission to live however you want, nor is it a call to harsh legalism. True freedom in Christ means being set free from sin, the law, and the power of the flesh, so you can live a life that honors God. This freedom is not entitlement; it is a call to maturity, to walk in the light, and to use your liberty to serve others and grow in Christlikeness, not to indulge the flesh or judge others harshly. [40:06]
Galatians 5:13 (ESV)
"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
Reflection: In what ways might you be tempted to misuse your freedom in Christ, and how can you instead use your freedom to serve and love someone today?
A life led by the Spirit is marked by visible fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Just as a tree cannot bear fruit contrary to its nature, so a Spirit-filled believer cannot help but bear good fruit when walking with Jesus. The evidence of your walk is not in rule-keeping or outward appearances, but in the transformation of your character and relationships as you stay in step with the Spirit. [01:02:01]
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Reflection: Which fruit of the Spirit do you most desire to see grow in your life right now, and what is one practical way you can nurture that fruit today?
Spiritual maturity is a process of daily, sometimes faltering, steps forward. Like a child learning to walk, you may stumble and fall, but the key is to get up and keep moving forward, trusting the Spirit to empower each step. Don’t let fear of failure or past mistakes keep you from growing; instead, commit to daily disciplines—prayer, Scripture, fellowship, and service—that help you keep in step with the Spirit and mature in Christ. [01:04:41]
Galatians 5:25 (ESV)
"If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."
Reflection: What is one small, specific step you can take today to keep in step with the Spirit, even if you feel like you’ve stumbled recently?
Psalm 73 reminds us that when our strength fails, God is our portion and the strength of our hearts forever. Life brings seasons of weariness, but God invites us to come to Him for renewal and rest. In Christ, we are set free—not just from sin, but from the law and the relentless demands of our own flesh. Yet, even after salvation, the battle between the Spirit and the flesh continues. The flesh constantly tries to draw us away from intimacy with God, tempting us to seek satisfaction in lesser things. But true freedom is found in walking by the Spirit, not returning to old patterns or relying on our own efforts.
Christian maturity is not about following a list of rules or living however we please. Grace is not entitlement, nor is it a license to sin or to judge others harshly. Legalism, with its harshness and judgment, is just as dangerous as lawlessness. Instead, we are called to a Spirit-filled walk—a daily, deliberate journey of following Jesus, step by step. This walk is marked by liberty, not bondage; by steady progress, not frantic striving; by active participation, not passive waiting.
Walking by the Spirit means being led by the voice of our Shepherd, Jesus, who guides us to green pastures and still waters. The evidence of this walk is the fruit it produces: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are not the results of our own striving, but the natural outgrowth of a life surrendered to the Spirit. The choice is ours each day: to walk by the flesh, which leads to frustration and brokenness, or to walk by the Spirit, which leads to blessing, protection, and growth.
Spiritual growth is a process, much like learning to walk. There will be falls and failures, but the call is to get up, take the next step, and keep moving forward. Even baby steps count. The Lord is patient and gracious, urging us not to give up, but to keep in step with His Spirit. As we do, our lives become a testimony to His transforming power, and the church becomes healthier and more vibrant. Let us choose daily to walk by the Spirit, trusting Jesus more and more, and allowing Him to shape us into His likeness.
Psalm 73:25-26 (ESV) — "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Galatians 5:16-18, 22-25 (ESV) — 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Oct 13, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?
Add this chatbot onto your site with the embed code below
<iframe frameborder="0" src="https://pastors.ai/sermonWidget/sermon/bootcamp-spirit-vs-flesh" width="100%" height="100%" style="height:100vh;"></iframe>Copy