God will never put you into a position where you don’t have a choice.

As a Christian, you can choose to live on your own power, which the Bible calls “the old sinful nature.” If that’s your choice, here are the results of your power: “Sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions…envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin” (Galatians 5:19-21). Not a pretty picture.

Or you can choose to live “according to your new life in the Holy Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). If that’s your choice, here are the results of the Spirit’s power in your life: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s not up to us to produce “this kind of fruit.” We just have to give control to the Holy Spirit, who does the producing.

So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

Galatians 5:16