Galatians 5:16 “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”
A cruel man with two dogs – one black and one white – organized regular fights between the two in a lucrative illegal operation in the backstreets of Birmingham. They were equally ferocious animals, and it was hard to predict which one would win each time. It seemed uncanny, though, week by week, that whenever more bets were placed on the white dog, then the black dog would win – and vice versa – which meant that the owner kept on making good profits. Eventually the punters discovered his secret. He starved both dogs all week, and once the bets were in, he quickly fed the dog that had less money placed on him.
There are two dogs slugging it out within each of us. Whichever one we feed the most will win.
Do read Galatians 5:16-26. Remember, what goes in comes out. If you feed the black dog, the sinful nature, it results in “impurity, hatred, discord, fits of rage, selfish ambition, envy, drunkenness” and the list goes on. The stakes are high because “those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (v21).
Feed the white dog, the Spirit, and here’s the fruit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (v22). It’s a no-brainer in theory, but how about in practice? We don’t want a list of ‘thou shalt nots’, but when you realise that if you feed on trash, it’s going to kill you, then here are a few questions:
Is what I’m reading, listening to, or watching on TV good for my soul?
Are my relationships with certain people dragging me down and making me compromise?
Am I more attentive to the lies of the prevailing culture or to the voice of God in my spirit?
What are you feeding on? Which dog is in the ascendancy?
Lord, help me choose to live by the Spirit today. Amen!
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