How to Overcome Carnal Desires

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 NIV

I was in Abuja, Nigeria some years back for the wedding of my niece; I travelled by air. On my way back, I had the privilege of sitting by the window (my favourite position). 

While the plane was taking off, the Holy Spirit pointed my attention to a serious matter. I looked outside the window and I saw the beautiful landscape of the city of Abuja, slowly and steadily the plane was moving higher and higher. The sight was becoming smaller and smaller until it reduced to something insignificant and less beautiful.

Finally, the sight of the landscape faded off altogether and I was graced with another beautiful sight of the cloud; observing the wonders of God in that nature was so enrapturing that I forgot about the initial beautiful landscape that I was seeing. It was at this time the Holy Spirit said to me, this is how you see the world and how you see God. When you’re closer to the world, you see everything in its glory, and worldliness becomes enticing. You begin to think that you can’t live without the things you have seen in this world but as you approach God and get closer to him in an intimate relationship, the beautiful landscape of worldliness begins to fade away and your eyes are immediately opened to the beauty of God’s holiness. This is the point where carnality dies a natural death!

Paul was speaking about this in the book of Galatians 5:16-18 “ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever[a] you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law”

Notice Paul’s deliberate declaration in these verses. He was sure that if you walk in keeping pace with the spirit (on the frequency of the spirit) carnality automatically dies. So the key to overcoming carnality is not trying to put principles in place or living consciously (although those are good), the more potent weapon is to live by the spirit. 

What does it mean to walk by the Spirit? To walk in the Spirit means that we yield to His control, we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us.

Let me conclude this conversation by asking, ‘How submissive are you to the Holy Spirit and his leading?’ The flip side of not submitting to him is carnality and to submit to him is to overcome carnality absolutely. 

PRAYER