Seeking Perfection in the Flesh

Paul wondered why the Galatians had become “foolish.” What were they doing that was so foolish? They were trying, in their own human strength, to seek perfection for things that were started by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul used a Greek word that means, “bringing to an end, finishing, achieving the ideal goals.” The Galatians were assuming they didn’t need God’s Spirit to finish the work He began. They felt that they already had all the resources and understanding they needed.

It can be easy for any of us to fall into the same trap. Victorious Christian living requires that we begin in the Holy Spirit and continue to seek His direction and empowerment. We must commit everything we’re doing to God. We must ask Him to guide, direct, and bless us. We must depend on Him to provide the peace, power, unity, and wisdom we need. We must recognize that our success depends upon Him, not on anything we do in our own strength.

As Paul reminded the Galatians, even if we begin in the Holy Spirit, we can start to feel self-sufficient. We can assume we’re able to do things on our own, without calling on God. But, having begun in the Holy Spirit, we must continue in the Spirit’s power. We continually need to be led and controlled by Him in everything we do.

If we don’t seek God, we can find ourselves depending on our own strength, following the world, acting out of habit, and taking His blessings for granted. If we follow this route, we’ll gradually become more like the Galatians, operating in the flesh and surprised God doesn’t bless our efforts and give us victory.

Today, commit everything you do to God. Seek His wisdom and the anointing of the Holy Spirit for every task, whether large or small. Don’t trust in your flesh, but stay sensitive to the leading of the Lord.