THE FLESH
Apostle Paul said, in Rom.7:18-25, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. —— O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” You have the flesh, the soul and the spirit. Remember these sayings, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that you are the children of God, (Rom.8:16). Then, “The soul that sinneth it shall die, (Ezek.18:20). And the examples of the works of the flesh are found in Gal. 5:19-21, Rom. 1:29-32. For the unsaved person, it seems the devil controls their flesh. Demons operate in the flesh. They find a body to inhabit. The unsaved is a perfect candidate for the devil to use their bodies. The devil attacks Christians (saved) also, even in their sleep. What you cannot do when you are awake, you fall a victim to it in your sleep or dreams. If you doubt it, why do you in your sleep use the name or blood of Jesus Christ and you have victory and you know it and are happy. But when you allow your flesh, to dominate you for a moment the devil takes advantage of it, in every way, even in your sleep. When you are faithful to the Lord, any error you make, the Holy Spirit signals you. Your joy may suddenly disappear, your tongue may become suddenly bitter in taste or headache. All these are God’s mercy and way of calling you to immediate repentance.
The flesh is dangerous because it always votes with the devil, (when not mortified), it is wild like an animal and must be tamed. The bible teaches about mortifying the flesh. By so doing you put the flesh to death and the sinful nature in check. The commonest approach is fasting and abstinence from things that nourish the flesh such as (gluttony, sex addiction, pornography, lies, all the works of the flesh and much more). The flesh at the translation moment will be changed to the eternal body that agrees with the soul and spirit that are eternal. Mortal shall put on immortality. The mortal here is the flesh, and serves like satan’s and demons play pen. God will give the redeemed a new body, satan has no part in. Possessed persons experience the devil in their bodies; sickness are in the body or flesh part of man. In Matt. 26:41, Jesus said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Here you can see that the spirit man, which is part of God is willing to do all that God has for the man; but the flesh part is the one that magnifies weakness and the devil always takes advantage of the unmortified flesh.
According to Rom. 8:13, “If you live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if through the spirit ye mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live.” There is need to crucify the flesh, to put it to death against its own will and desire to do so. If done the spirit comes alive and the grace of God is experienced. To war against the flesh you need the help of the Holy Spirit. Meditate and pray at every moment and always, when you can, no matter the place. Pray without ceasing. Pray quick prayers of faith, in your mind or out aloud if you are alone. Remember to use the blood of Jesus Christ even against evil thoughts that defile. Keep in mind that you are in a spiritual war against the powers of darkness that hang around the flesh. But remember the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, (2nd Cor. 10:4-5).
Rom.7:5, “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” Paul in 1st Cor. 15:31, said, “I die daily.” Death did not frighten him one bit, besides he always died to the flesh by mortifying himself. Things happened to him to keep him on his toes. Look at the conditions that made him strong and he had no room for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof, (2nd Cor.11:23-30): Such as he was in prison often, five times he received forty stripes save one, stoned, suffered ship wreck thrice, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils among false brethren and the heathen. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness: and the care of the churches and much more. Anyone in their right mind will know that the devil will be behind all these and the flesh will feel it and complain. The natural or carnal man will succumb to these pressures because of having confidence in the flesh: But if you are spiritual, you will know that this is war, you need to work and walk in the spirit, trusting Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh.
According to Rom. 6:11-13, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your member as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your member as instruments of God unto righteousness.” The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, (These are the works of the flesh. People can be absent minded; it also happens in the spirit. When you are hooked by a TV program, you may be called for prayer, and you find yourself saying wait and let this my favorite program finish; you are hooked and spiritually absent minded. The flesh has you in control and the devil is using it to advantage) and let us put on the armor of light. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lust thereof, (Rom. 13:11-14).
1st John 2:16, states, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” They all are avenues the devil uses to attack us if we make room for such. Greed is a tool to fulfill these three areas of lust that the devil uses in taking people captive at will. What weapon is the devil using on you, is it changing your prayer appointments with God or stealing little things from where you work, dressing to cause a fatal attraction, secret pornography on your phone, your face book posting to boost your ego. We all have secret lives no one knows but you and God, but the devil is taking advantage of your secrecy to manipulate your fleshly desires. Paul said, “There is no good thing in the flesh”; that is not mortified. That is why we have to bring our bodies into subjection, Paul said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away.” The unmortified flesh is dangerous. But come to Jesus Christ in full repentance, no matter your situation. Make a faithful change and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, (Rom. 12:1).” Remember your body has to do with you flesh; mortify the flesh to enable you cooperate with the soul and spirit, that make up your spiritual self, that can make you obedient to God. The flesh often desires what is contrary to the Spirit. Study Galatians 5:16-17, about the flesh and the Spirit and decide what you wish to do for your life.
110 – THE FLESH