The Works of the Flesh

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Galatians 5:19

Are you operating in the works of the flesh? Do you know what they are? Do you have a way to measure them?

What if I told you that in spite of your commitment to Biblical Entrepreneurship you might not inherit the Kingdom of God? You may ask, “What does it mean to inherit the Kingdom of God?” It means to receive all the promises of God, according to Scriptures, in your life and business in this lifetime and to rule eternally with Jesus Christ. You may ask, “Why? I have committed my business to the Lord, and I seek Him in every aspect of running the business.” Many of us are seeking to build kingdom businesses but are still operating in the works of the flesh in certain aspects of our lives.

We made God Lord over some of the major areas of our lives, but we have not made Him Lord over certain minor areas of our lives. Some of those areas are areas that we derive the most personal pleasure or benefits from. They are areas that we think we can manage or have under control. The works of the flesh are behaviors that are contrary to God and our spirit man. They are acts that satisfy our physical and emotional senses but grieve God and our spirit man.

These acts are stated in Galatians 5:19 -21, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Notice that Apostle Paul states that these acts are evident; meaning they are obvious and we should know when we are participating in them. A true born-again believer will not find enjoyment in any of these acts without feeling guilty or grieved in his or her spirit. What do these things mean and how do we know when we are participating in them?

• Adultery – Married person, who participates in sexual activities with someone else or has lust in his or her heart for someone other than his or her spouse. It can also be viewed as being unfaithful to God.
• Fornication – Being sexually active, lusting in your heart, or engaging in any act of sexual pleasure when you are not married.
• Uncleanness – Being morally impure; having sexual perversion or evil thoughts.
• Lewdness – Behavior that is directed at sexually enticing others, i.e., how you dress or carry yourself, being promiscuous, every act done prior to actual fornication.
• Idolatry – Worshiping of other gods; the worship or devotion to anything other than God.
• Sorcery – Witchcraft; practicing magic or the practice of dealing with evil spirits.
• Hatred – Intense dislike for someone else. Holding a grudge or wanting to hurt someone else or see someone hurt for whatever reason.
• Contentions – Being difficult to deal with, argumentative.
• Jealousies – Hostility toward someone you believe has the advantage; striving to excel at the expense of someone else.
• Outbursts of Wrath – Lasting anger, great anger because you perceive someone did you wrong.
• Selfish Ambitions – Seeking to get the advantage purely for personal gain without regard to others.
• Dissensions – Disagreement that leads to discord, causing trouble, rebellious, or disorderly.
• Heresies – Rejecting sound biblical doctrine and replacing it with false doctrine.
• Envy – A feeling of discontentment or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or advantages.
• Murders – Killing another human being directly or indirectly.
• Drunkenness – Excessive drinking or taking any drug to the point of losing good judgment or self-control.
• Revelries – Partying hard; lively and noisy festivities which most times include drinking alcohol and or music. And there are many others that could be included.

How do you know when you have a problem in any of these areas? If you derive pleasure, success, or advantage from manifesting any of these attributes, then you have a problem. Evaluate your behavior in each of these areas on the scale of 0 to 10, 10 being the highest. In the areas where you are struggling, invite God to lord over that area of your life and seek the help of someone who loves you and whom you trust to keep you accountable.

My prayer for you this week is that God will give you the grace to overcome the works of the flesh and walk in the Spirit so that you can inherit the Kingdom of God.