The flesh is the part of us that resists our transformation into the new person in Christ.
And since this is the case the devil wants to use the pleasures of our flesh to keep us enslaved to our old habits and sinful attitudes.
We have daily choices to live according to God's righteous desires, and deny sin. When we use our power to choose God's way instead of sin's way, we crucify our flesh.
God helps us crucify our flesh through the Holy Spirit so that we may live in the newness of the Spirit.
The desires we must crucify include fornication, covetousness, stealing, and lying plus follow the rest of the ten commandments.
As we put these things to death, we are able to then put on the new man, renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created us.
1 Peter 4:1-2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
When a man is crucified, he dies. And when you die, you're dead.
Therefore those of us who belong to Jesus need to crucify the flesh so that we become dead to the flesh, dead to our passions, and dead to our desires.
Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Now if this is true, why do we still have ungodly desires, and why do we still yield to the flesh and it's passions?
Also since these things still bother us, does that mean that we are not one who belongs to Jesus?
Are we failures as Christians? Do we really belong to satan and not God?
Have I struck a nerve? Perhaps you've pondered over these exact same questions.
I suspect that all of us may have felt this way at one time or another.
Rest assured, you are still a child of the King if you have excepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
God paid a high price for you. He sent His own Son to die in your place.
Therefore the intent of (Gal 5:24) is not to discourage, but to encourage us to resist these fleshly desires and passions.
What is dead is the strings that attach us to sin that no longer bind us because they were cut loose and destroyed by the Blood of Jesus and the Word of God.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
So what we need to do is commit to responding to the flesh in different ways than how we used to by choosing to be a living sacrifice to God and by being obedient to him.
Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
For example: If your flesh wants to look at a person to lust after, look the other way. Or if your flesh wants to take someone else's valubles when they leave you alone in the room, you should change your thoughts to something possitive.
Another one could be if you know you're going to be alone tonight and will be able to surf for porn on the internet, you could invite a friend over so you don't have the opportunity to get into trouble.
Keeping your mind off of your own desires by helping others is another good way to keep from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Crucifying your flesh does not mean that your life will lack pleasure. God is the author of true pleasure that is not tainted with sin in any way.
Matthew 13:44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."
In fact, God provides perfect pleasures that bring lasting satisfaction and joy, unlike the temporary pleasures that selfish sin could ever offer.
David Hopkins is a "Christian Article Writer" who specializes in helping people remember to glorify God in everything that they do, so they don't miss out on any of His wonderful blessings.
Visit Daily Word Of God Group to read additional articles and to sign-up for a free newsletter to learn everything you need to know about why you should be putting God #1 in your life.
Many Christians often wonder, "How should we pray?"I'm going to... Read More
The second chapter of John's Gospel offers a most interesting... Read More
Over the last few months hundreds of thousands of people... Read More
How does a Christian really handle negative feelings and emotions... Read More
A young man who was attending my Coffee Bar Bible... Read More
"See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs... Read More
"With regard to the ancient Egyptians we have it on... Read More
Being in the Ministry for a few years now, I've... Read More
I am with you heart and mind..."Do all that you... Read More
Now, let's recall again the text: "Let her be covered."... Read More
My wife had a vision recently of a string of... Read More
Talent is defined as: "Natural endowment or ability of a... Read More
Now that Satan, all of his fallen angels and all... Read More
... Read More
During World War II the government realized that the majority... Read More
RESPONSE TO PAULINE CHRISTIANITY: - The whole of Christendom is... Read More
During His ministry, Jesus often made references to His impending... Read More
2 Kings 9:30-9:36. How many her today believe in the... Read More
Recently I have run across quite a few Christians who... Read More
Several weeks ago, while shopping in a grocery store, my... Read More
A friend of mine had asked my thoughts on how... Read More
The Emmaus Journal The Standards Of This World Are Not... Read More
Pop singer Madonna came this week to Tel Aviv to... Read More
Tao exists before Heaven and Earth. It will still exist... Read More
If your view of religion is like most people, you... Read More
There are hundreds of named men and women in the... Read More
"Religion is the fashionable substitute for belief." - Oscar WildeA... Read More
The Path Is Winding:Ever wonder why things that happen in... Read More
Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated to all of Israel,... Read More
There is now one more set of 7 judgments God... Read More
There is a prophetic mosaic that few have attempted to... Read More
I remember hearing a minister years ago as he quoted... Read More
Isaiah 43;19 declares: "Behold, I will do a new thing,... Read More
The Caribbean is the site of another thing which some... Read More
Every great human movement toward freedom, whether commercial, political or... Read More
I am not a particularly pious person and I certainly... Read More
The internet is a great resource of information on all... Read More
Dr. Robins' observations are beyond mere intuition, they include an... Read More
The following message entitled THE WOMAN ISSUE is a study... Read More
The Emmaus Journal Strangers In A Strange LandDo you often... Read More
Sometimes it is hard to know where to start even... Read More
The world has been blessed to have Pope John Paul... Read More
It seems to me that some of the oldest still... Read More
DANTE: - Dante Alighieri is the tour guide of Hell.... Read More
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA: Anytime a well-known name gets involved with a... Read More
Dear Readers, I received a letter this week that is... Read More
French & Dutch Reject EU Constitution & British Table It-We... Read More
In 132 CE, Simon Bar Kosiba organized and led a... Read More
To learn who you are in Christ, you must know... Read More
Prostrateology is the theological term for the doctrine of prayer.... Read More
Much confusion surrounds the person of one "Melchizedek" found in... Read More
The subject of this document is so unpleasing to the... Read More
If you look at just the man/women after he/she has... Read More
The Bible says that an unholy trinity will arise in... Read More
Romans 7:8-7:25. The Christian today has become a people without... Read More
Why does every one believe that Jesus is the son... Read More
"Religion is the fashionable substitute for belief." - Oscar WildeA... Read More
In Matthew 13 Jesus relates a paprable to His disciples.... Read More
Now that Satan, all of his fallen angels and all... Read More
One cannot begin to appreciate the early struggles of Christianity... Read More
One point many Christian Working Moms who have been interviewed... Read More
A father savagely murders his nine children. A stay at... Read More
You are now inside one of the top theological schools... Read More
Some people look at the biblical book of Revelation as... Read More
"Christianity posits the realization of human freedom not here on... Read More
The human evolution timeline is found recorded in Bible quotes... Read More
Religion |