Flesh or Spirit – Which Do You Prefer?

Hello! Let’s begin with scenarios. Think of your favorite restaurant and your preferred food to order there. You’ve planned to go with a loved one tonight. You ate a lighter lunch to save room. You arrive to discover that it is closed. What is your first response? Mine would be to complain and say that since I have thought about the food all day, the evening is ruined. Or, would you accept the news with grace and believe this gives you an opportunity to explore and try a new place with one of your favorite people? My response was out of the flesh, and the latter was out of the spirit. 

Let’s take this up a notch. You had a stressful interaction with a coworker. Do you whine about having to go back tomorrow? Or, do you instantly remind yourself of Lamentations 3:22-23, "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness"? This conflict gives you an opportunity to show God’s grace and mercy. Tomorrow you will acknowledge, “This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Do you quickly whine in the flesh or remember God’s Word?

Allow me to raise the stakes once more. How do you first react with the loss of income, housing, or a relationship? Do you instantly find comfort food, scream, cry or call a friend to vent, or do all of them? Maybe you read the Bible and pray without hesitation.

I’ve been listening to Taylor Welch’s The Deep End podcast, The Operating System of Jesus. It has me questioning how I function in my mind. According to my AI Overview research, “It takes about 200 to 500 milliseconds (or half a second) for the brain to register a sensory signal and turn it into a conscious thought.” Taylor discusses how that speed makes most of our reactionary ideas to be based on instinct. This rapid response can reveal if a person is operating in the flesh or spiritual world. We can’t do both simultaneously, but we can go back and forth. He goes on to point out that when we’re faced with a future situation, our mind looks at the past because “flesh determines possibility based on experience”. Our spirit, though, “creates possibility out of the words of God”.

When a future challenge arises, my instinct tends to remember the painful past. Since I was not allowed to talk about the devastation of my parents’ divorce, I took on the core value that my opinion doesn’t matter, and that no one cares about me. Therefore, I make the improper assumption that if something could result in abandonment, I better not do it. Is my identity based on being popular with people who will probably let me down eventually, or in being deeply loved by my Creator and Redeemer? Did I forget His word?:

Deuteronomy 31:6 - “ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified   because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

Joshua 1:9 - “ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

Psalm 23:4 - “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for 

you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Isaiah 41:10 - “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous 

right hand.”

Are you getting the truth of God’s devoted and loving presence that is with all 

of us? When I have time and a quiet place to process, my mind operates more in the spiritual realm as I thank the Lord, praise Him, and contemplate my current Bible reading. 

Let’s recall my recent blogs. When I was in Minnesota, I was learning to open my senses to embrace what God is showing me out of the box. That was fun and easy to do because I was on vacation with Virg and Beth. Their patient and encouraging presence helped me overcome fears. It’s not so easy in regular life and dealing with a stressful situation. I’ve always been amazed that Virg responds to challenges with positive reactions about how God can use them for His glory and turn things around. She’s not a complainer because she processes through the Spirit of God and not her flesh. 

Is it possible to change the operating system that has dominated my mind for decades?

Yes. Let me remind you of Scriptures. Jeremiah 32:17 states,  “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” If God created all of the universes and lovingly formed us in our mothers’ wombs, He is certainly able to help us transform to fulfill the purpose He has for us. Jesus died on the cross to bring salvation, liberation, and peace. In Romans 8:6 Paul says, “the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” He continues in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” In Romans 12:2, Paul encourages,  “ Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

It is never too late for our minds to be transformed. Here is my example. A few weeks ago, I was tired after finishing Back to School Night and getting ready for the first day with 24 Kindergartners the next morning. When I started the car, I quickly checked my texts and discovered that I would be without an aide the next week because my last one got a full time job elsewhere a few days before. I began my hour commute home at 6:45 p.m. by calling my husband to complain in my flesh about losing my aide. He then informed me about an invitation to a gathering with people we haven’t seen in 7 years, and relationships had been strained with them. After I gasped, I heard Holy Spirit say, “I want you to go.” I was surprised to hear my response, “I’ll go.” Could it be that I was finally having a somewhat quick response in the spirit? This old dog is learning new tricks. Hallelujah! After my husband recovered from the shock of my answer, I explained that God is once again removing an old chain from my past. It will require deep breaths and prayer, but I’m ready to finally let the past stay where it belongs. Ten minutes later, the Christian radio DJ said that if God is calling us to do something that is uncomfortable, He has already prepared the setting for us and to have courage for He will go with us. I appreciated that confirmation.

The next day I was catching up with a close friend in front of the grocery store when a former friend had to walk past me to enter the store. It’s been about 5 years since she ghosted me (not the first time). We politely smiled and said hello. I was ready to reconnect with her, but it was clear she didn’t want that. When she left the store, she walked around to avoid me. The old doormat me would have been deeply upset, but the new me who understands that my identity is in the Lord and not trying to be popular was fine. Now I know where we really stand, and I can move forward. Hold this thought for a moment.

God has been talking to me about several lessons simultaneously for months. Back in January, my husband and I started a huge yard landscaping project. We recently finished it with its 160 feet of fencing, concrete (to keep out gophers) to go under new sod (free because it had been sitting out for days), about 75 tractor loads of dirt and wood chips, about 40 bags of top soil, fruit trees and bushes, and flowers. It’s unbelievable to look at the before pictures. We had this land with great potential covered with a broken fence, unkempt natural bushes, and weeds for 26 years. As much as we wanted to do something about it, we didn’t have the money, time, or vision. One of our sons visited, and gave us the vision back in October.

Although it required a lot of time and back aches, it was liberating to pull weeds and use the shovel and rake for hours and hours to mold the property into what we wanted. We did short spurts to protect our bodies, and gradually we saw amazing results. My husband eventually added water fountains, fun signs, and bird feeders. We weren’t the only ones who enjoyed it. The birds and squirrels also enjoy the final product and are entertaining to watch. Many people have also made positive comments. We can engage with them through our goat seeing gate. Ha ha. This was not part of the original plans, but after our neighbors got the adorable goats, Flower and Whipped Cream, we couldn’t have them blocked by a solid fence. We are blessed to see these cuties from our bedroom sliding door. This gate has allowed my husband to have wonderful conversations with neighbors as they drive or walk by. A solid fence would have limited this extra sense of community. Right now I can hear my husband having a conversation with a kind man and his awesome dog who we haven’t seen in a long time.

Let’s get back to the property transformation. According to Isaiah 64:8, “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Ephesians 2:10 says, “ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” About a month ago, I was sitting in our swing and thanking God for our yard, when Holy Spirit said I was like our land. Parts of my mind were broken from trauma. Other sections were confused and covered with “weeds”. I focused on previous pain and couldn’t see potential, only the ugliness that I tried to mask to make people like me. 

But, my Heavenly Father has had a marvelous vision of what my life is going to look like. The transformation couldn’t begin until I was willing to see myself through His eyes. He absolutely loved and adored me as a messed up teenager. He has been patiently molding me through sermons, books, songs, and loved one’s encouraging words. Now that I like myself and no longer see me as a doormat, God has been pulling the weeds, removing the broken fence, and lovingly adding topsoil, wood chips, flowers, and lots of His refreshing water to create me into His masterpiece. Don’t forget about the fruit. We planted it inside gopher baskets. God hides us in the palm of His hand to protect our roots from the enemy.

There have been incidences recently, when I reached out to friends within moments of them going through life altering situations. I didn’t know it when I felt Holy Spirit’s prompting to contact them. Then, I was able to pray and encourage them with God’s truth. When we are walking with God, we can hear His voice when He needs us to bless one of His kids. 

Back to the situations with my former friend and others I will soon see at a future gathering. This is God pulling the weeds to allow my roots to grow deep and strong in His firm foundation. He’s doing a new work. It hurts a little but nothing like it did in the past. I’m not dwelling on it but choosing to move forward and follow the advice of Philippians 4:8: “ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

I know I keep stalling regarding the disciples, but I want to tarry a little longer after Pentecost. This was an amazing season for them learning how to grow through Holy Spirit’s guidance while living in Jerusalem, which was largely inhabited by Jews serving one God. There were visitors from lands that worshipped many gods and idols. This was a training season before the disciples dispersed to those foreign lands to spread the gospel. 

In Galatians 5:22-23, we learn, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Yes, I talked about this powerful list before. I want to look a little deeper. If you are Christ’s followers, Holy Spirit lives in you. Is His fruit evident in your life? God will use the rest of our lives to develop and mature them in us. While some of these fruits may be present only once in a while. Wouldn’t you like to see all of them more often? I’ve had the flesh’s fruit of pride, self sufficiency, impatience, guilt, shame, bitterness, etc. They led to a lot of ugly and emptiness. Me and everyone around me can benefit if I display Holy Spirit’s fruit instead. If you read my book, It All Began With the Darn Microwave, you know that God doesn’t usually change us instantly. He prefers the slow process that involves more time than we appreciate. 

My mom was a part time student through most of my childhood before she finally earned her BA and teaching credential. I’ll never forget her saying, “I knew I was going to get older anyways. I might as well go to school and work toward a rewarding career I can enjoy at that age.” Little by little, she reached her huge goal.  I’ve applied that wisdom to my life many times. One example is with our new fruit trees and bushes. I get frustrated when I swim and see them knowing they won’t produce their crop for at least three to five years. Then, I remind myself how fast time usually goes. Before I know it, we’ll be tasting the fruits of our labor.

So, what fruit of the Spirit would you like to see more of in your life? Is your heart hard like the fallow ground in the first picture? Do you react to new situations out of your flesh? Or, has Holy Spirit patiently been adding love to soften and prepare your heart to receive His seeds and refreshing water? You can add the topsoil by reading the Bible and other Christian books, praying, and praising God through worship songs, volunteering, and looking for ways to bless others. Maybe you’ve been walking with the Lord for years, have deep roots in Him, and your life looks like the second photograph. Are you already bearing lots of fruit and responding to the future out of the spirit while remembering God’s goodness and promises?  You are the mentor a young believer needs.

Flesh or spirit, what do you choose?