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Satan ALWAYS justifies his presence and influence. All the while he is at work, exerting his influence, he is telling you that some situation or person in the flesh is causing it …. and that therefore the presence of his evil is “deserved” or “justified.”
Galatians 5 contains a (non-exhaustive) list of Satanic influences, called “works of the flesh.” (literally, “energizings of the flesh,” indicate something is doing the energizing). When I say “Satanic influences,” I mean those feelings, passions, emotions, inner workings of the mind and heart, which come, either directly or indirectly (through other people) from the god of this age, the devil. They are strong, passionate, and they (want to) take over and push you around……and they always make things….your life and your relationships…..worse!!!!
Galatians 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another.
The truth of this verse will be seen as very important when we get to the list of the works of the flesh found in verses 19-21. The works of the flesh always seek to steal, kill and destroy, both the one acting, and those being acted toward.
Galatians 5:16, 17 This 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 the one to the other; so that you cannot do the things that you would.
Special note: you’ll notice that though many texts capitalize the word “spirit” in these verses, I don’t. The original texts did not distinguish between capital and small letters, like we do. ALL letters were capital letters, in the original text. In my understanding, I capitalize the word “Spirit” when it applies to God, and leave it small case “spirit’ when it applies to the working of the gift God gave us, the holy spirit, His nature.
Right now, before we take a look at these works of the flesh, God is already letting us know how not to walk in them. He’s giving us the practical solution before the problem is really spelled out. Walking by the spirit is the way to not bite and devour one another.
Remember the Wizard of Oz? How did Dorothy find Oz? By following the yellow brick road. What if Glenda, the good witch of the North, had told her that the way to find Oz was, “Don’t go in any direction that does not bring you toward Oz.” Well, that’s exactly the same as if I told you that the way to find God was simply “Don’t sin.” How STUPID!!!!
Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law.
In mathematics, if A = B, then what does not equal A does not equal B. If you are not under the law if you are led by the spirit of God, then you are under the law if you are not led by the spirit.
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 time past, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
This listing is not so that you can make a list of what not to do. It’s so that you can begin to recognize how Satan works.
If simply doing one of these works of the flesh disqualified you from ever entering the kingdom of God, we’d all be in deep doo-doo. Rather, this last statement in these verses is simply telling us that a person walking in any one of these works of the flesh is not growing spiritually into the presence of God (which is our true inheritance)…..while they are in that influence.
Following is my understanding of the different works of the flesh as spelled out in these verses:
adultery – sex outside of marriage; can refer to spiritual adultery, worshipping false gods fornication (pornos) – the need to titillate or be titillated (turned on) uncleanness – the direct reference is to feces. Sexual conduct. You connect the dots. lasciviousness – a release of all sexual inhibition idolatry – worshipping someone or something as God which is not God witchcraft (pharmaceia) – the use of mind-altering drugs, spells or incantations to manipulate your view of the world….smoking dope to get into God is one example.
hatred – enmity, reckoning another to be the enemy, withholding any and all concern
variance – rivalry, the kind which takes hold and pushes you around
emulations (zelos) – jealousy….I’ll do anything to win
wrath – self-righteous anger, indignation ….. related to bitterness, getting offended
strife – debate, arguing…..needing to prove your point, even though no one’s listening.
seditions – dissension…..a needing to stand apart, to seek to discover that which differs.
heresies – an adamant grabbing hold of dogma, to the exclusion of Christ
envyings – the feeling that others’ gain is your loss
murders – a total discounting of the value of another’s life and potential
drunkenness – the imbibing of alcohol which takes hold of one’s life.
revellings – when 2 or more drunks get together. P – A – R – T – Y !!!!!
such like – similar in destruction, self-destruction. Detrimental and illogical.
The use of the plural in some of the above words indicate that it is when a thing becomes needful is when Satan has come in and made a home……..not just because it happens once or twice.
All of the above will seek to justify their presence in your life! Of course you’re indignant! Who do they think they are? They’re just a piece of sh…! What right do they have to think they’re better than me!!! Party! Let’s let it all hang out! I’ve been studying hard….I need to just let loose!!! Man, I wonder what doing that would feel like….man, that would be such a turn on!! I have a right! How dare they!
My wife, Sharon, shared this amazing discernment with me yesterday. She was very busy, going from one thing to another. She works full time; we’ve had 2 graduate from high school, 2 from college, helped out at a wedding, gone to our son’s senior college piano recital, and a graduation party for 75 – 100 is happening at our home in 2 days. The high schoolers still have each a month’s work of schooling to do (all our kids are home schooled), and (of course) they’re dragging their heels. One of them registered for college classes as a freshman. This has all occurred in the last 3 weeks.
She was stressed, but came to the revelation that it wasn’t being busy that was causing the stress, but rather stress that was causing the stress. This makes so much sense. And in the revelation of that spiritual working, came deliverance from it. When you recognize a turd on the sidewalk, you don’t need to work hard to avoid it. I never met someone and exclaimed proudly, “Guess what!!! I just avoided a turd on the sidewalk!!!” But I have stepped in doodoo, when I didn’t see it; or didn’t recognize it!
The manifestation of the spirit is called “discerning of spirits.” Discerning means to see that spiritual influence as separate from the flesh; as the thing causing the problem. Like Sharon recognized stress as the problem, and not what she was busy with, so indignation is caused by Satan, and not by another’s behavior. Envy is caused by a spirit, and not by another’s abilities, possessions or attitudes. Fornication is caused by a spirit, and not by pictures or another’s provocation. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Well, you decide whether or not you want to continue and justify all the evil, dark, fruitless, destructive (to yourself and others) feelings, emotions and influences in your life ….. or if you’d like to be free from them. Stop allowing them to justify their presence in your life and instead seek to discern the workings of Satan in that part of your mind which deals with the flesh. This is only, yet so very, possible as you walk by the spirit of God’s love, the spirit of Christ.
Romans 7:5, 6 For when we were in the flesh, the emotions (pathos) of sins, which were by the law (which dealt with the flesh) did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, being dead to that wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
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See studies:
Godly Logic (Spiritual Warfare)
The Devil,
Our EnemySatan Exposed
Discerning Devil Spirits
The Spirit of Envy
