Flesh v Spirit: Management

All believers have trouble with the flesh.  We have times when we are immersed in the world and we indulge in the flesh.   The ideal is that we don't go to them places but the battle can be really really hard.  What I want to do is describe the process, with scripture, how we go from Spirit to flesh.  Also, what is the real issue with this from the Lord's point of view?  We will also explore the enemy's strategy in it all.

Firstly we are filled with the Holy Spirit.  The standard for Him is absolute Holiness.  The idea is we do not touch this world, that we are set apart and stay apart.  We all know that we have good times at this and not so good times.  I'm assuming the reader wants to walk well in holiness, not some pious attitude but simply walking as a set-apart new creation.  At what point, with good intent, do we switch from walking in the Spirit to walking in the flesh?

The area that nudges us into the flesh is in our thinking.  We are to make every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor 10:5).  How does this work in practical terms?  Lets assume a weakness for you is lack of trust in God's provision.  This usually goes with a discontent as you see 'the wicked prosper' (Jer 12).  So to remedy this you begin to think of ways you can make some money. As you are contemplating this issue you are reinforcing thoughts that do not include faith in the Lord in this area.  So as we prolong the train of thought we are sowing a harvest of sinful practices (James 1:13-15).

A better example is the weakness of sexual lust.  Walking through the city on a summers day a man will inevitably see things that are attractive.  At the point where the male beleiver becomes aware that he is entertaining lust in the look, that thought needs to be immediately rendered to Christ.  The same is true of any and every thought that can lead to sowing towards full blown sinfulness.  It is in this thought area where the enemy goes to extraordinary lengths to tempt us.  The enemy knows that if he can keep you in this area it will definitely lead to full blown sinful behaviour.  To be clear, the lustful look is sinful but it hasn't yet become sinful behaviour which has a much bigger social consequence than adultery in the heart.  Sin fully outworked will lead to a more prolonged period of defeat and in that place the enemy sticks the boot in.

The enemy's ultimate goal is to have you become so exasperated with self that you give up even trying.  However the Lord has this all covered.  Because the Lord's will is for us to be so fed up with sin we yield self to God, again the enemy plays into the will and purpose of the Lord.  This is not to say the Lord wants us to sin. Not at all!  Jesus hates sin for a number of reasons but one is that his beloved child becomes estranged from his Lord until he repents.  However, as we continually fail in an area we get to a place where we finally let go of that complex arrangement that makes us love it more than Jesus.

In all of this we still have a sinful nature and a new heart.  The flesh and the Spirit are still at war but our willingness to give in to flesh has weakened by the journey.  This is a process of sanctification. Ive pointed out that thoughts not rendered up to the Lord leads to sinful behaviour, but that can blossom into sinful habits and a seared conscience.  The victory over the flesh does not begin at rendering every thought to Christ.  It starts at wanting to.  How do we want to want to be holy?

The only answer is a close walk with the Lord.  The Lord leads us into a good relationship with Him when we submit, yield and abandon self to Him.  So here are the ingredients of 'Holy pie' -

• Submit, yield and abandon self to God (Luke 14)
• Take on devotional study of God's word (Luke 10:27)
• Study the whole council of God (Heb 5:11-6:3)
• Get in a group that are serious about the Lord
• Know that you belong to the Lord (Eph 1  / Ps 139)
• Find out about 'Israel' and the end times (Romans 9-11)
• Talk to your Lord all the time (1 Thess 5:16-18)
• Render all your dark thoughts and lusts to the Lord (2 Cor 10:5)
• Recalibrate yourself back to God immediately when you fall (Acts 3:19)
• Have faith in the data but also that this applies to you (Rom 1:17)

There are other things included in 'holy pie' but these are a ballpark.  This list is not something to live by is is something that will be growing as you do the first one.  Always remember that Jesus took you on board fully aware of your worst potentials.  He has dealt with your sin and wants you to be free.  I like this song by Andrew Peterson, especially the last verse:

Walk Well.

Gary Ward