SEPARATING THE SPIRITUAL FROM THE PHYSICAL
THE HIDDEN MEANING
INTRODUCTION
In these next scriptures, we at VAL-TE’ believe is about you’re not being strong enough by yourself; you’re strong because you’re in a state of spiritual union and fellowship with Immanuel, which involves trusting, depending on, and being guided by God, using His presence provided for guidance, strength, and growth to protect your heart and mind from spiritual attacks. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6: 11-18 NKJV
Biblical Word
SPIRITUAL WARFARE – We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Immanuel our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7: 14-25 NIV
Reference
Galatians 5: 16-17 – What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do. GNT
Significance
The Flesh Wars Against the Spirit (It’s the inner fight between wanting to do good now (flesh) versus doing what’s eternally good (spirit)) – We at VAL-TE’ also believe means there’s a constant inner battle between your old, selfish human desires (flesh) – like greed, laziness, and pride – and the new, God inspired part of you (spirit) that wants to do good, be loving, and live righteously, with the “flesh” pulling you towards not doing the right thing and the “Spirit” guiding you toward God, making every choice a tug-of-war over which side you’ll feed. It’s a daily struggle where you decide whether to follow that inner pull towards instant gratification or negative actions that go against your values, even if you know better or listen to the Spirit’s guidance.
