Being Our Fleshly Self or Our Spiritual Self?

     Everyday we have to decide in how we are going to be. We have to decide in how are we going to reacted to the different situations in our life. Are we going be our fleshly (primitive) self or our spiritual (higher) self? In the Bible, it speaks about our flesh always being in conflict against our spirit. So in a way we have two choices, listening to our flesh or listening to our spirit.
     Our fleshly human body seems to be perfectly suited for this world. It feels, taste, hears, sees and smells. It knows when to eat and to drink. It deals with some of it's needs automatically and tells us what else it needs in order to stay alive. This basically functioning body is given to all of us at birth, as it was design by God. But as we all know the human body is much more than it's basic self. Within it is where our conscious self resides. The conscious self is like the parent and the body is like the unruly child that needs guidance. If the conscious self does not bring discipline to the body. The body will rule itself by basic instinct relying on it's impulses and desires as a guide.
    We can see how our undisciplined mind works in a child that is growing up. The child needs a lot of discipline and instruction in order to just survive in this world. A child is motivated by it's basic impulse, causing it to want something or to do something, even if it is harmful and dangerous to itself. A parent is needed to guide the child so to help it to learn self-control. The parent knows it is vital for the child's survival to learn the difference between what is right and what is wrong.
    God is our heavenly Father and he is trying to keep his children from harm. He sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to us, so to instruct us in how to live our lives. He showed us that he wanted us to have total control over our bodies, to let the spirit rule over the flesh. He wanted our conscious self to embrace his teachings in order to bring discipline to the body and lessening it's control over us. God is telling us and showing us through his son Jesus Christ that our mind with the help of his Holy Spirit that we can gain control over our flesh and not be it's slave.
     Our conscious mind (the parent) can rule over the body (the child) with God's instruction and help. We can show love over hate, forgiveness over vengeance and live upon this earth as higher spiritual beings. However, we can see how those who reject God's plan, act in a fleshly way. They let their bodies (the flesh) rule over their mind. They hurt themselves through their addictions as well as hurting others by violence and verbal abuse. They are people who do not say no to their bodies desires. They spoil the child (the body) by not saying no and the body will act like a spoiled child and keep on trying to take control over the conscious mind (the parent). They do not understand their conscious mind is the master and their body is the slave, thus they become the slave to own their body's desires.
     Galatians 5:16,17,24 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For 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. ²⁴And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Those who believe in God, obey his words. They do the work that is needed to grow in a spiritual manner. They subject their flesh to the higher laws of God. They know that their bodies are the temple of God's spirit (1 Cor.6:19). They know that the Spirit within is guiding them in the right direction and bring them into a closer relationship to God. We are God's obedient children and he is preparing us to be with him in his kingdom.
     God's way is the better way to live. Living in an unselfish way, having control over your body and mind. By doing this, you would be a member of society that is loved rather than being feared. You would bring honor to yourself and to your family rather than shame. God's way is the higher way for us to be. Just like a good Father, God is looking out for our benefit by telling us to be a more spiritually minded and not to give in to our temptations and fleshly desires. He knows that the sin that we practice will only bring about destruction to our soul.
     God's way, Galatians 5:22,23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; ...." What more can you asked out of life if your have these qualities. You would feel complete and whole within yourself. No more feeling unsatisfied, God's Spirit would bring satisfaction to your whole soul. Being around those who have the fruit of the Spirit would make you feel happy, joyful and give you the feeling of being loved. This is God's way, the perfect way for all of us to be.