There’s a war happening in your mind and soul every single day and it’s not just between right and wrong. It’s between two voices: the voice of Satan and the voice of the flesh.
One is a deceiver.
The other is a responder.
And far too often, we mistake one for the other.
You see, Satan speaks to the flesh, but it’s the flesh that responds. And until you learn to discern the difference, you’ll keep fighting the wrong battle, blaming the wrong enemy, and falling for the same cycles over and over.
Let’s go deeper.
Understanding the Voices: Satan vs. Flesh
The Voice of Satan (External Temptation)
Satan is real and so is his voice. But he doesn’t force sin. He suggests it.
He is:
A tempter (Matthew 4:3)
An accuser (Revelation 12:10)
A liar and deceiver (John 8:44)
He whispers things like:
“Did God really say?”
“If you are who you say you are…”
“You won’t surely die.”
“You deserve this.”
His goal? To plant doubt, fear, and pride, and to twist God’s Word just enough to make it sound reasonable.
The Voice of the Flesh (Internal Desire)
Now the flesh, that’s your fallen nature. It’s the part of you that wants what it wants, when it wants it, even if it costs you peace or purpose.
The flesh sounds like:
“I just feel like…”
“They hurt me, so I had to…”
“What’s the harm?”
“It’s just who I am.”
It thrives on:
Comfort
Control
Lust
Approval
Instant gratification
And the Bible makes it clear:
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh…”
Galatians 5:17 KJV
The Strategy
Satan Speaks to the Flesh
The enemy doesn’t usually shout. He whispers.
He doesn’t overpower. He persuades. He knows your flesh already craves control, comfort, and compromise, so he simply feeds it.
Look at these two examples:
Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3)
Satan’s voice: “You won’t die… You’ll be like God…”
Flesh’s response: She saw, she desired, she took.
The serpent planted it. But her flesh picked it.
Jesus in the Wilderness (Matthew 4)
Satan’s voice: “If you are the Son of God…”
Flesh’s opportunity: Prove identity. Relieve hunger. Take a shortcut.
But Jesus didn’t respond in flesh. He responded in Spirit and Truth.
“It is written…” over and over again. That’s the difference.
Even Good Intentions Can Carry the Wrong Voice
Let’s not forget Peter (Matthew 16:22–23).
He told Jesus, “This suffering won’t happen to you!”
Sounds loving, right?
But Jesus didn’t say, “Thanks, friend.”
He said:
“Get thee behind me, Satan…”
Why? Because Peter’s voice was fleshly reasoning and Jesus saw the spirit behind it.
Some of the hardest voices to discern are the ones that sound like love, but are rooted in fear, pride, or comfort. Now, this is something to truly think about. This is worldly love, and the not the love we learn from Jesus. There’s only one voice we should listen to, and that’s God. Regardless who God chooses to use, we should still hear Him.
How To Discern the Voices
Satan’s Voice
“If you are…”
Twists the Word
Encourages fear or rebellion
Sounds like logic
External influence
Flesh’s Voice
“I feel like…”
Justifies compromise
Craves comfort or control
Sounds like personal truth
Internal craving
Keys to Victory
Crucify the Flesh
“They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh…” Galatians 5:24 KJV
Die to what makes you impulsive. Crucify what feeds the enemy’s whispers.
Resist the Devil
“Resist the devil, and he will flee…”
James 4:7 KJV
The more you starve him of a reaction, the less room he has to move.
Walk in the Spirit
“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
Galatians 5:16 KJV
The more you yield to the Holy Spirit, the more you silence both the accuser and your carnal nature.
Final Thought
Satan is the tempter.
The flesh is the doorway.
But the Spirit? He is the guide.
When you walk by the Spirit, you don’t just avoid sin, you grow in discernment, authority, and truth. You stop reacting and start reigning.
Because the real war isn’t always outside of you.
Sometimes, the real enemy is what you let live inside you.
So ask yourself daily:
Whose voice am I responding to? Spirit, flesh, or the serpent?
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