Day 8 - Dealing With Your Flesh

Galatians 5:24 AMP
And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.

Colossians 3:5 AMP
So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God).

We all have flesh and are responsible to do something with our flesh. The flesh is strong and must be "crucified" daily (sometimes hourly, or minute to minute). We can only crucify the desires of our flesh through the power of God's grace, His Spirit and His word. It is spiritual work!

You cannot exercise enough of your "will power" to overcome the lust and desires of the flesh. You need the strength found only in the power of the might of the Holy Spirit working in you to say NO to the flesh.

Jesus became a "living sacrifice" in the Garden of Gethsemane. He presented Himself; spirit, soul and body to the Father and declared, "Not My will but Your will be done." His flesh wanted to resist going to the cross but at that moment He chose to crucify His flesh by yielding to the spirit instead.

We follow Jesus as our example of how to live a life as a living sacrifice. We must choose to "crucify the flesh" daily by submitting ourselves to the will of our Father and say "NO!" to our flesh so that we can yield to the Spirit of God.

During this time of fasting and prayer we are taking control over our bodies by denying our flesh the desires it has in the area of food. When we forbid our bodies to have what it craves and desires (sugar, carbs, etc.) then we are exercising our authority over our flesh. This is a spiritual discipline and it produces great results.

Don't give up! Let's keep exercising...it's worth it!

Challenge:
Write down 2 things that you need to "correct" in your life. (Could be 2 areas where you have let the flesh rule.) Take it to the Lord and submit it to Him.

Say this:
I choose to walk in the spirit today. I refuse to listen to my flesh. Instead I speak to my flesh and I say NO. I will not allow my flesh to rule me. I am empowered by the Holy Spirit to take control of my life and do only what He wants me to do. I am a follower of Jesus and present myself a living sacrifice today.

Pray this:
Lord, I come to You to present myself to You as a living sacrifice. I submit to Your will today. I choose Your will for my life today and everyday in the future. I belong to You. I am not my own I have been bought with a price; the precious blood of Jesus. Thank you for empowering me to say NO to the flesh and YES to the spirit today. In Jesus Name."