One Bite At A Time

How do you eat an elephant? one bite at a time?

Eat that frog?

Galatians 5:13–18 ESV

13 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. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 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.

Opportunity for the Flesh

What does it mean to give opportunity to the flesh?

What is keep people from sinning more and more?

Romans 13:14 ESV

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Ephesians 4:22–24 ESV

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

It means to not waste your life fulfilling fleshly, earthly, worldly desires.

Instead, serve Christ. Pursue the things of God.

We now have the power within us to be free from sins slavery and pursue God.

This next part is purely for believers.

You are not bound

You are in conflict

Romans 7:14–20 ESV

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Galatians 6:7–8 ESV

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

There are two natures at work within you.

Two wolves - Which do you feed?

Believers now have the Spirit present in their lives as well as still having the flesh present and its desires.

The Spirit desires the things of God.

The Flesh desires the things of this world and sin.

James 4:1–3 ESV

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

The Spirit has victory

We must not give opportunity to the flesh.

Galatians 5:15 ESV

15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

We must rather

John 13:34 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

How do you eat an Elephant?

How do you destroy a fellow believer?

How do you build a fellow believer?

Let us not give opportunity to the flesh.