Spirit Over Flesh
- Henley Samuel
- Dec 2, 2025
- 7 min read
December 02, 2025
Today, let's explore a transformative truth that can revolutionize how you approach every challenge in your life. This isn't just about positive thinking; it's about understanding the profound difference between living according to the flesh versus living according to the Spirit. Prepare to discover how Abraham and Sarah's journey from doubt to faith can illuminate your own path to victory.
God's Faithfulness in Fulfilling Promises
Abraham and Sarah's story teaches us something remarkable about God's faithfulness. When God promised them a child, it seemed impossible by natural standards. But God asked a powerful question:
"Is anything too difficult or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appropriate time when the season for her delivery comes, I will return to you and Sarah will have a son." - Genesis 18:14
And just as God promised, He fulfilled His word:
"The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised." - Genesis 22:1
But something beautiful happened in between the promise and its fulfillment. Sarah's attitude changed. She moved from doubt to faith:
"By faith Sarah herself received the power to conceive even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised." - Hebrews 11:11
Sarah started ignoring what her body said, what the symptoms said, what the world said, what the circumstances said. Instead, she began trusting God and considering Him faithful who had promised.
Living by Faith in God's Promises
Abraham's transformation was equally remarkable. The scripture tells us:
"By faith Abraham when he was called by God obeyed by going to a place where he was to receive as an inheritance, and he went not knowing where he was going." - Hebrews 11:8
"By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as in a strange land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob who were fellow heirs of the same promise." - Hebrews 11:9
Abraham didn't just believe in the promise; he went to live in it by faith. If you want to live in your healing, the first thing you need to do is by faith live in the land of healing. All these blessings - healing, good success, prosperity - are already given, but how can you receive them? By faith.
Just like you got saved by faith - you never saw Jesus dying on the cross, but when you heard it, you believed it and accepted it. The same way, you don't need to see a good doctor's report to know that you are already healed. You don't need any report, all you need is to believe.
"Right believing produces right living."
Fully Convinced of God's Power
Abraham reached a place of complete conviction:
"Being fully convinced that God had the power to do what he had promised." - Romans 4:21
God was convincing both Abraham and Sarah, and once Abraham got convinced, there was no turning back. He was even willing to sacrifice his son, even though he had never seen a resurrection, because he knew that if God had given something, He would raise even from the dead. That's how convinced he became of God's faithfulness.
The Battle Between Flesh and Spirit
Paul gives us crucial insight into two different ways of living:
"For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are living according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirit." - Romans 8:5
If you set your mind on the things of the flesh - only what you can see, feel, and touch, you're living according to the flesh. But we are called to live based on the spirit, not on the flesh. If you're motivated by the flesh, you will get the result of the flesh. But if you're motivated by the spirit, you'll get the things of the spirit.
"Now the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the spirit is life and peace, the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God both now and forever." - Romans 8:6
If you're going to live based on what you see, touch, and feel, it's a carnal mindset that will produce death. If you keep focusing on the doctor's report and meditate on it, surely you will die. But when you reject it and believe in the word of God, you're changing your mindset from flesh to being controlled by the spirit, filled with the word of God, filled with belief. Then you find life and peace.
"If you don't find peace, then you are living in the flesh."
The Hostility of Flesh-Focused Living
Here's a sobering truth:
"The mind of the flesh with its sinful pursuits is actively hostile to God; it does not submit itself to God's law, since it cannot." - Romans 8:7
If your mindset is completely focused on the flesh, it's hostile to God. It fights against God's plan and refuses to submit to God's plan, refuses to submit to God's idea, refuses to submit to God's direction because it cannot.
"And those who are in the flesh cannot please God." - Romans 8:8
No matter how hard you try, you cannot please God with your flesh because it actually fights against God's plan. The fleshly mind will speak what went wrong, see what is the worst, and believe only on the things you feel and touch rather than believe on the word of God and the promises of God.
Your True Identity in the Spirit
But here's the glorious truth for every believer:
"However, you are not living in the flesh but in the spirit, if in fact the spirit of God lives in you directing and guiding you." - Romans 8:9
Paul is asking: why are you living in the flesh? When you accepted Christ, when the spirit of Christ empowers your life, when you are dominated by the spirit, you will see the difference. There's no reason for you to be dominated by the flesh but by the spirit.
"And if Christ lives in you, though your natural body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness." - Romans 8:10
Now Christ lives in you, and there's no reason for you to live in the sin nature.
The Resurrection Power Within You
Here's the most powerful truth of all:
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." - Romans 8:11
When you're born again, you're getting the spirit of Jesus, the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. You have the same resurrection power. Nothing can stop the resurrection power. Any sickness, anything that's causing death in your life, when you believe that you have the born-again spirit, the resurrection power will raise you even from the dead. It will give you new organs in your body, new things in your life.
"You have the resurrection power of God. The same power that raised Jesus from dead is in you, producing life. All you need to focus on is the spirit rather than focus on the flesh."
Conclusion
Paul is saying there's no point in living based on flesh - live based on the born-again spirit, the resurrection power. When you believe in the resurrection power, every plague, every sickness, everything will change. Nothing can stand against you. You have the resurrection power of God. Focus on the spirit rather than the flesh, and you can live the life of fullness and peace.
That's what Abraham changed - his mindset from what he could see to living based on the spirit, based on the word of God, based on the promise of God. When you don't derail from that, you will see the manifestation of God's promise.
Reflect on This
Are you setting your mind on the things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit in your current challenges?
How can you practically live "by faith in the land of promise" regarding the specific areas where you need breakthrough?
Prayer
Thank You God for giving us the power that Jesus had, for giving us new life, new power, a new beginning. Jesus, You and the Holy Spirit live in us and guide us, giving us life over death. Thank You for teaching us to follow Your word and speak life into our lives. Thank You for convincing us to have faith in You so we can receive Your blessings. I declare that I am not dominated by flesh but dominated by the resurrection power, dominated by the spirit of God. I am the temple of the living God. Every thought of the flesh I reject in the name of Jesus. I am dominated by the spirit. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Key Takeaways
God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah after convincing them of His faithfulness through their journey from doubt to faith.
Living in God's promises requires faith to inhabit spiritual realities, just as you got saved by faith without seeing Jesus physically.
A flesh-focused mindset actively opposes God's plans and produces death, while spirit-focused living brings life and peace.
The same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in every believer and can transform any area of death in your life.
You are not dominated by flesh but by the Spirit of God - focus on the spirit rather than the flesh to live in fullness and peace.
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To dive deeper into this powerful message, watch the full sermon on our YouTube video below.
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