So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. Galatians 5:16-18

There is an answer to all of us who at one time or another felt like the Apostle Paul when he asked the question – “oh wretched man that I am who shall save me from this body of death?”

The question came after the realization that he was incapable of rising above the power of the sinful nature within himself. At that point he realized that only the grace of God through the redemptive work of Christ could help him break the power of sin and death within himself. But that was only the beginning for Paul.

Here in Galatians, he comes back with step two – a strategic plan to help the follower of Christ remain victorious long-term. It is one thing to be delivered and totally another thing to stay delivered. And you, by your co-operation with the Holy Spirit  have the power to make that happen.

If you give permission to the sinful nature to have its way in you – it will. But if you give permission to the Holy Spirit to have His way in you – He is going to give you in return the ability to not only resist the desires of the sinful nature, but also allow you to live according to what the Spirit desires.

The question is who’s going to be master of your life – the Spirit or the sinful nature? Who do you want to “slave” for – the Spirit or the sinful nature?