Charles Spurgeon Commentary Galatians 5:17

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would." — Galatians 5:17 (ASV)

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17)

You are pulled about by two contrary forces; you are dragged downward by the flesh, and you are drawn upward by the Spirit.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

How often that is the case! You wish to be perfect, but ye cannot do the things that ye would. We would, if possible, escape from every evil thought; we would not even hear of anything sinful, if we could help it.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh:

They will never agree; these two powers are always contrary one to the other. If you think that you can help God by getting angry, you make a great mistake. You cannot fight God's battles with the devil's weapons. It is not possible that the power of the flesh should help the power of the Spirit.