How Not to be Lead by the Flesh

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

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How many times have you said this to yourself? I don’t feel like it. And, because you didn’t feel like it, you didn’t do it, even though you knew it needed to be done. The flesh is a bully and wants to be in control. Also, the flesh is at war against your soul. When you were laying in the bed, the flesh was saying, lay there a little longer. When you’re eating the flesh says, have a little more, even though you know you shouldn’t. The flesh desires things that the word of God wants us to stay away from. Let’s look at Galatians 5:19 “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature (your flesh), the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God”. We must take an honest look at our lives, and do a comparison. Are we living by the spirit of God, or are we living by our flesh? Doing what we desire, rather than what the word of God desires for us. Be encouraged, Jesus understands our temptation. He makes a statement in John 16:33 “I have overcame the world”. This lets us know that we can overcome living according to our flesh. He reassured us by telling us in Romans 8:37 in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. The Lord knows how to help when we are being tempted according to Hebrews 2:18 Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

The word tells us that we must crucify the flesh. Meaning, we must take control over those desires that war against our soul. Things you can do to overcome the flesh.

1. Surrender your life to Christ: Salvation is about believing who Jesus is and the work that he did for us on the cross, which brings complete restoration, and we are no longer bound to sin. Surrendering to Christ means being doers of the Word, not just hearers (James 1:22).

2. Take authority over your thoughts: The mind is the constructing field of our actions. According to the word, 2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

3. Know what the Bible says: 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Matthew 11: 29, Jesus tells to learn from him. We can’t just study, we must also be learning from what we are studying, so that change can take place in our life.

4. Meditate on the word of God: The Bible tells us in Joshua 1:8 the way that we are going to have success is through meditating on the word of God. I believe that when it says day and night, it means to do it often.

5. Build your faith and trust in God: You won’t let go of your old ways of doing things, unless your faith grows through your trust in God. Whenever healing and deliverance took place in the New Testament, Jesus would conclude, your faith has done it for you. Read Mark 5:34, Luke 17:19, Luke 18:42.

6. You can walk in the spirit: As a child of God, you can operate in the realm of the spirit, not just by your flesh. We must learn how to walk in the spirit. Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! When you’re walking in the spirit, the fruit of the spirit will be evident in your life. The last one, self-control is one we must master, but we can’t do it on our own. We must rely on the Holy Spirit.

7. Pray the will of God: For spiritual changes to take place in your life, you’re going to have to do it through prayer and supplication with God. For His will and His plan for your life to be manifested. You also will have to pray for strength that you may resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Also, pray to receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come (Acts 1:8)

8. Sow to the spirit: Galatians 6:8 “He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” I can’t emphasize enough how important sowing to the spirit is. You are sowing to the spirit anytime you are reading, praying, studying, meditating, and involved in worship, even through your giving, you are sewing to the spirit.

If you put in action, the eight steps that have been given, you will be well on your way to walking in the spirit, as you are led by the Spirit of God. Here are two books I think would be very helpful to your spiritual walk.

Please share with others. Leave your comments, and questions. I look forward to staying connected to you!