"For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." Romans 8:5

"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." Romans 8:14

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets it desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another," Galatians 5:16-17

To be saved in Christ is to have been crucified, buried and risen with Him - to be a new Spiritual creation that transforms us into sons of God - and to be Spiritual warriors who war against the desires of the flesh. The Holy Spirit is the only lawful originator.

Whatever we say and do will have it’s origin in the Spirit or in the flesh. Jesus said, -"The flesh profits nothing." (John 6) And, -"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." (John 3) This is generally applied to the truth that in Adam we were all born of the flesh and in Christ we are all born again of the Spirit. But the principle of "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" can also be applied to every thought, motivation, work or deed. We must come to the point where we confess that without the Lord we can do nothing, Jesus said, -"Without Me you can do nothing." (John 15)

You might argue that you can do lots of things without Christ. It is true that we can do a great many things without Christ and most "Christians" and "Ministries" do. Jesus prophesied that on the Day of Judgment "many" would declare all the ministries and wonderful works that they did in His name - yet He will reply, -"Depart from Me, you who practice sin. I never knew you." (Matt.7) Yes, we can do many things yet to God they will add up to nothing if He has not led us to do them by the Spirit. If the Lord has not sent you, He is not with you, -"I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not speak to them, but they prophesied." (Jeremiah 23) The blessing is only in His will. Many jump out ahead of the Lord and expect Him to bless their work, while His plan is to lead by His Spirit and do His work through them.

You can create the illusion that you are accomplishing much by using your own talents and natural abilities. These natural abilities were there before we were born of the Spirit - they are a part of who we are in Adam not who we are in Christ. While God can and will use these natural abilities by quickening them with the Spirit we must learn to never reply on them but on the move of the Spirit of God, -"But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." (John 16)

Anything that we set out to do without being led by the Spirit has the stain of flesh on it and God always rejects a mixture. We have been purified and are commanded to live pure lives before the Lord. Our ways must be pure and be His ways. Our words and deeds must be pure and a mixture is not pure. An idea, word or work born in the flesh is worldly and fleshly and actually wars against the Spirit of God. In fact, it is rebellion against the very will of God.

Adam, the flesh, cannot be rehabilitated, he must be crucified. His will and his desires must drown in the watery grave of baptism and not be a part of our new identity in the risen Christ. We must not quench the Spirit and restrict the life of Christ in us - it is His life now not ours, -"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in te flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Gal.2:20)

In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul wrote that each saint is a living temple because the Spirit of God lives in them. He also said that the Holy Spirit places in us the mind of Christ by which we come to know the very thoughts of God. Christians have two minds, the natural mind they were born with which must be in the process of being renewed daily, and the mind of Christ which is given to lead us. We hear our own thoughts and also the thoughts of God.

You might wonder how we can know the difference since one is born of the flesh and one is born of the Spirit. I have often said that when you hear a thought that surprises you because it is not something you would normally think, and it is confirmed by the Word to be Biblically sound with Scriptural authority behind it, then it is from God.

 But there is also the principle that if you seek the true will of God and are willing to receive it no matter the costs - you are in the place where God can lead you by the Spirit. We must come to the point of surrender - where we truly want God’s revelation and His will above all. That is the only place where you will hear the Spirit clearly have discernment between what is man and what is Divine.