I recently heard this question on a podcast, and it has stayed with me. We know Jesus said to his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, ” The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). But why is that?

The woman on the podcast went on to answer her own question:

We know in life things have to be fed to grow: plants, pets, kids. No food = no growth. So how does this apply spiritually?

First, what is the difference between flesh and spirit?

Our flesh is our natural desires, and we all know if it were only up to us, we would always be looking out for ourselves. Our flesh is selfish. Our flesh is sinful. And our flesh is separated from God.

So then what is Spirit?

We believe that Christians have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. When we came to faith, our old self was buried, and we were raised to new life. And one would think that, because the Holy Spirit is one member of the triune God, He’s automatically stronger. When the Holy Spirit comes in He should just completely take control, overpower our flesh, and set us on the path to live perfectly obedient lives.

That would be easier, wouldn’t it?

But God had a different way. Yes, we have the Holy Spirit inside us, and yes, He theoretically could overpower all our fleshly desires in one fell swoop, but that’s not the way God designed this relationship to operate. He’s a partner, not a dictator.

And so that means there’s some work we have to put in to cooperate with the Spirit. Paul knew this well, and in Galatians 5:16-17 he says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 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.”

We walk by the Spirit, and we feed the Spirit, rather than the flesh, in order to fully live in Him. So how do we do this practically? It’s a word no one loves to hear, but we all need.

Discipline.

Spiritual disciplines are the Holy Spirit’s food (imagine that)! When we choose to read our Bible instead of scrolling social media, the Spirit’s work in us grows stronger. When we choose to pray instead of gossip with friends, the Spirit’s work in us grows stronger. When we choose to gather with fellow believers at church instead of sleeping in, the Spirit work in us grows stronger. Are we getting the picture?

The good news is we’re not in this alone. “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14). The battle against our flesh has been fought and won on our behalf already. We just have to choose to lean into that victory each day, moment by moment.

So, flesh or spirit, which one will you feed today?