Taming Our Flesh

We’ve all had those moments where our “flesh” — our human side — wants to take the driver’s seat. You know… like when someone cuts you off in traffic and you suddenly forget you were singing along to a worship song? Or when your kids ask you for a snack… right after they just ate.

The Bible calls this pull our sinful nature. And here’s the thing — it’s not just about “big sins” that make headlines. Sometimes, it’s in the small, everyday choices where the battle really happens. Galatians 5:16 says, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves."

Today, we’re going to look at what taming our flesh actually means, how we can spot it before it takes over, and how to build some real-life, Spirit-led habits that stick. And don’t worry — this isn’t about being perfect. This is about learning to live with God in the driver’s seat… even when the road gets bumpy.

You can’t tame the flesh by pretending it’s not there — you tame it by learning to recognize its voice and turn the volume down.

The flesh hides in plain sight. It’s in impatience, in pride, in that “last word” we just have to get in.

Notice what sets you off — those moments are red flags. Those are the things we need to be praying about and learning from so we can better walk through life without these triggers.

What’s one common trigger you need to watch out for?

Environment shapes response. Have you ever noticed that, depending on what is going on around us and even who we are with, we may respond differently to things?

If we are filling up on negativity or around negative people, then we really shouldn’t be surprised when we are also negative.

When we decide to combat that intake with worship music, Bible reading, and prayer, then we will see that we are more likely to overflow with that more than the other.

What’s one influence you need to turn down so you can hear the Spirit better?

Fighting our flesh is hard, and it takes compromise sometimes.

The flesh wants what is easy, and the Spirit wants what’s right, lasting, and fulfilling. So, we have to really look at where change needs to take place and compromise our wants to do what the Spirit wants.

It is more about the character we are looking to portray and the choices we are willing to make to ensure that we are portraying God’s character in the right way.

Where is God nudging you today? He wants you to lean toward growth, and with that, we need to make choices that help us clearly walk in the Spirit.

You can’t follow the Spirit if you’re sprinting in the opposite direction. Slowing down might be your most Spirit-led decision today.

Galatians 5:16 says, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves."

Sometimes, the best way to tame the flesh is to give the Spirit time to actually speak. If we’re constantly reacting without thinking, it’s no wonder our decisions don’t look much different from anyone else’s. This hour, we’re going to talk about ways to strengthen the Spirit’s voice in our daily lives — because the more we hear Him, the less tempting it is to follow the flesh.

Some of the best advice is to slow down before reacting. We can react so quickly and regret just as quickly, so slowing down allows us to process and listen to what the Lord may want us to do. Pause, pray, and then proceed.

This helps us to feed our minds truth and not thrive on what the flesh is wanting us to do or say.

What truth can you learn to carry with you so that it might help you slow down before responding and reacting?

We need to be accountable for what we do, and we can receive that accountability by aligning our desires with God.

When we are intentional with listening and obeying God, then we will notice that the Spirit will change our wants over time. We are not meant to fight the flesh alone but to walk in Spirit and in Truth to keep ourselves accountable and aligned with God’s Word — and then to obey as He leads.

What is one way you can learn that accountability and, through that, allow God to reshape your desires?

Walking in the Spirit isn’t about willpower — it’s about training. You can’t just “try harder”; you have to “train smarter.”

Athletes don’t show up to the championship game without practice. And in the same way, you can’t expect to win against the flesh if you’ve never trained with the Spirit in the smaller moments. This last hour, we’ll look at how to build habits that strengthen your spiritual reflexes so choosing God’s way becomes more natural over time.

Galatians 5:16 says, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves."

Consistency feeds the Spirit, and when you see change, let’s thank God for helping us and celebrate that progress.

Build small, repeatable habits. In this, every small victory matters, and they build confidence. When we are confident and see change, that is when we will most likely continue.

Let’s make a plan and a list. This way, we can use that accountability we talked about to choose the Spirit over our flesh and also stick to our new habits.

Thank God for your growth and for guiding you to take the steps in drawing closer to Him on a daily basis.

When we are learning to tame our flesh, we need to know what our temptations are and learn to prepare ourselves so when they come up, we will have them identified, a plan made, and be ready and confident to make it through.

Then once you have realized that those temptations are under control, you can be encouraged and then use that victory to help someone else.

All the lessons we learn can help others — your story could help someone win their battle.

Look for ways to be used by God and be thankful for how far you have come.

Friends, taming our flesh isn’t about being the strongest person in the room — it’s about leaning into the strength of the Holy Spirit. The flesh wants the quick win, but the Spirit is building something that lasts. And here’s the best news — every time you choose the Spirit’s way, no matter how small, you’re growing stronger.

If you mess up, you can start again. God’s mercy is new every morning, and He’s not waiting to scold you — He’s ready to guide you. So today, when you feel the pull toward impatience, pride, or anything that doesn’t line up with His heart, pause… listen… and follow His lead.

You don’t overcome the flesh by trying harder — you overcome it by letting the Spirit lead louder.