The Flesh

February 16, 2025

Senior Pastor:

Related Topics:Character, Conflict, Faith, Identity

Pastor Aaron Buer continues our Enemies of the Soul series by examining the battle between our flesh and God's Spirit. We explore how our sinful nature distorts good desires and opposes God's work in our lives, while discovering that victory comes through Christ's transforming power. Through Scripture, we see that spiritual growth requires both honest evaluation and decisive action. We are challenged to move beyond simply managing our sinful nature to actively pursuing life in the Spirit through intentional spiritual practices and daily choices that shape our character.

Watch on:

Share on:

Dive Deeper

Continue the conversation by exploring the Sermon Guide for reflection and practical next steps, or spend time with our Devotionals to carry God's Word with you throughout the week.

More in this Series

Week 1
- Sermon Guide
- Devotional
Enemies of the Soul
The Devil
Pastor Aaron Buer begins our Enemies of the Soul series by examining the reality and nature of spiritual warfare in our daily lives. We explore how the devil operates as God's adversary in the world, using lies as his primary weapon to destroy God's good work in our lives. Through Jesus's example and the promises of Scripture, we discover that while we live in enemy territory, we can resist the devil's schemes by standing firm in God's truth. We are challenged to recognize that our primary battle is choosing to believe God's truth over lies while finding hope in the assurance that through Jesus's death on the cross and resurrection, the devil is already defeated.
Week 3
- Sermon Guide
- Devotional
Enemies of the Soul
The World
Pastor Aaron Buer continues our "Enemies of the Soul" series by examining how the world is an enemy of the soul. We explore how secular society normalizes behaviors that oppose God's truth, often reshaping our thinking without us noticing. We discover that victory requires choosing transformation over conformity, redirecting our affections, and identifying personal battlegrounds. We're challenged to build our lives on biblical truth rather than cultural values as we learn to recognize and resist this powerful enemy.
Week 4
- Sermon Guide
- Devotional
Enemies of the Soul
Spiritual Warfare
Pastor Aaron Buer concludes our Enemies of the Soul sermon series by examining the spiritual armor God provides for believers. We discover how the six pieces of armor—truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and God's Word—equip us to stand firm against the world, the flesh, and the devil. This powerful teaching reveals why putting on our spiritual armor requires intentional daily action and how we're designed to fight these battles in community, not alone. We are challenged to recognize the tactics of our spiritual enemies and to take decisive steps in developing spiritual practices that will help us live the full life God created us for.

Previous Sermon in Series

The Devil

Next Sermon in Series

The World

Related Resources

View More Resources

Sermon
06.28.26
Patches and Wineskins
Pastor Jeff Manion begins our new sermon series, The Parables, by exploring the stories Jesus used to reveal deep spiritual truth. We see how Jesus used everyday images—torn garments and old wineskins—to show that his kingdom is something entirely new, not a patch on an old way of life. We discover that Jesus consistently defied expectations and called people to follow him rather than simply add him to their existing plans. This message challenges us to examine whether we've been trying to fit Jesus into our lives or truly surrender our lives to him. Following Jesus is about being transformed from the inside out.
Sermon Series
06.23.26
Armor of God
Life can leave us feeling exposed and uncertain—but we don’t stand alone. In Armor of God , we’ll discover how to stand firm in the victory Jesus has already won, clothed in His strength and protected by His armor. “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” In the midst of fear and vulnerability, we find hope, confidence, and unshakable faith in Him.
Sermon Series
06.23.26
Christmas 2025
Pastor Aaron Buer teaches on persevering through life's challenges by keeping our focus on Jesus. We learn how Christ equips us to endure suffering and overcome the obstacles that hinder our faith journey. This series reminds us that God reveals himself in surprising ways and invites everyone into his family through the new life Jesus offers. We discover that faith isn't meant to be lived alone but as a community running together toward Christ.
Sermon Series
06.23.26
Courageous Church
The early church changed the world with courage that came from complete devotion to God and each other. In Acts, we see five commitments that made them unstoppable. These same commitments can transform our church and our lives today.
Sermon Series
06.23.26
Taking Jesus Seriously
What if the most famous sermon ever preached wasn't meant to be admired—but lived? Jesus didn't give us the Sermon on the Mount to impress us. He gave it to transform us. This summer, we're diving into Matthew 5 to wrestle with the hard questions: How do I actually love my enemies? What does it mean to deal with anger at its root? How do I live authentically before God, not just before people? Jesus ended with a warning: hear these words and do nothing, and your life is built on sand. But hear them and act—that's building on rock. Are you ready to start building?
Sermon Series
06.23.26
Do Not Worry
Guest Pastor Dan Lian shares a powerful message examining Jesus's teaching on worry in Matthew 6:25-33. We discover how worry has become common in our daily experience and how Jesus diagnoses the root causes of our worries. Through Jesus's imagery of birds and flowers, we see God's faithful provision and care for his children as a good Father. We're challenged to remember that we are seen and cared for by God and trust in his abundance. The message invites us to experience the freedom God intends as we seek his kingdom first and discover that worship and worry cannot coexist.
Sermon Series
06.23.26
You Asked For It
Join us for "You Asked for It," a sermon series built around real questions from our church—questions about God, faith, and the Bible that impact everyday life. Whether you've been following Jesus for years or are just curious about faith, we'll explore practical answers to help you navigate what you're wrestling with.
Sermon Series
06.23.26
Enemies of the Soul
Every day, we face unseen battles—forces that work against our peace, purpose and faith. In Enemies of the Soul, we’ll uncover the invisible threats that pull us away from God and discover how to stand firm in the truth that sets us free. During this series, you can dive into bonus content on our Beyond The Weekend Podcast : [btn] Listen on Spotify [/btn] [btn] Listen on Apple [/btn] [btn] Watch Bonus Content [/btn]

Recently at Ada Bible

Parables

The stories Jesus told and what they mean for your life today . Why did Jesus teach in stories? Because the deepest truths about God are often found in the ordinary moments of life. In the parables, Jesus takes everyday things, a lost sheep, a dinner party, a farmer planting seeds and uses them to show us what God is really like and what it means to follow him. This summer, we’re spending seven weeks in the parables from Luke’s gospel. Whether you’ve heard these stories a hundred times or this is your first time, you’re invited to come and hear them fresh. June 27/28–August 8/9

Learn More