“Death: the path to life”
A continuous battle rages against us.
The battle thunders on the level of the soul.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Galatians 5:16-17
Satan fights to capture the mind, will and emotions of man and thus determine the behavior of man.
God works to renew the mind which brings about transformation of the soul and the behavior.
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I. Continually cultivate a dynamic relationship with Him.
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II. Persistently pursue, develop and maintain meaningful community within the body of Christ.
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III. Resolutely resist the world the flesh and the devil
In order to come out on the winning side of this battle for your soul, you must learn to fight.
Continually focus on your relationship with Christ.
Persistently pursue meaningful community with the body of Christ.
Also, you must resolutely renounce and resist all evil of the world the flesh and the devil.
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A. Renew and purify Your heart
B. Refuse conformity with the World
The Bible clearly instructs us as to our relationship with the world
You will not succeed in your battle with the flesh until you have clearly established your relationship with the world system that energizes and influences the flesh.
1 – Don’t love it or be friends with it, but turn your eyes upon Jesus
2 – Don’t listen to its enticement, but encourage one another daily
3 – Don’t be captivated by it or its stuff, but die to it.
4 -- Do not be partners with it, but live in it separate as salt and light.
5 – Expose its evil with truth
6 – Overcome its evil with good.
For a moment think about how much of the culture and world in which we live and thige things of this world distract us from the purity and simplicity of devotion to Christ.
Cannot engage in eternal things because:
Not enough time.
Not enough money.
Yet consider how much of our time and money goes to the temporal things and activities of this world system.
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The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
Worry about ability to control people and circumstances.
Pursuit of things.
Pursuit of pleasure.
All of these things render the seed of the living word ineffective in the maturity process.
No fruit, no maturity, no growth, no spiritual growth.
We will never be the effective servant until we learn to deal with this continuous battle with the world the flesh and the devil.
Paul reminded young pastor Timothy about the distractions of the world system.
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Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Tim. 2:3-4
Are we so entangled in the affairs of everyday life that we have ceased to be useful soldiers in God’s army.
Today we identify the second of three major enemies and hopefully, in a tangible way, explore the instructions provided by God in the Bible for its defeat.
C. Renounce the flesh
The basic instruction concerning the world is to refuse conformity to it and focus on Christ.
The basic instruction regarding the flesh is to renounce it and walk by the power of the spirit.
1. Biblical use of the word flesh (sarx)
Just as the term used for the world had a variety of applications according to context, so The term generally translated “flesh” in most translations and too often erroneously translated “sin nature” in the NIV, is the Greek word “sarx” was used to refer to several different things.
Reference to mankind in general, humanity
And all FLESH SHALL SEE THE SALVATION OF God.' " Luke 3:6
'And it shall be in the last days,' God says,
'That I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all MANKIND; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; Acts 2:17
Reference to ones personhood
and said, 'FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? "Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." Matthew 19:5-6
"I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh." John 6:51
Reference to the physical aspect or one’s body
he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. Acts 2:31
I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Cor. 5:5
All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 1 Cor. 15:39
but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. Galatians 4:13-14
Reference to one’s humanity
"Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:41
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? Hebrews 12:9
Reference to material things
If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material (fleshly) things from you? 1 Cor. 9:11
Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material (fleshly) things. Romans 15:27
Reference to the self-centered passions fallen man
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 1 Cor. 3:1-3
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Romans 7:5
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. Romans 7:18
Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Ephes. 2:3
And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, Col. 2:13
There are many different ideas about the nature of this thing called the flesh .
I will do my best to describe it in such a way that it may be readily identifies as an enemy.
Since the sin of Adam each person entered this world with a coordinated set of twisted appetites.
They are perversions of many of the longings originally installed at creation.
The appetite for relationship and interpersonal connection, the appreciation of the physical world and creation, the longing for significance and security.
Like many of our physical appetites these appetites became twisted and distorted.
Our basic hunger appetite becomes dangerous when we develop cravings and obsessions with certain kinds of food.
What was natural, becomes twisted.
Our basic sexuality becomes twisted through exposure to a devil-distorted view of sex.
We are trained early what is “sexy” through our environment and culture.
The more perverted our culture the further we slide from God’s original plan.
The flesh is the product of generation after generation of devil distorted patterns ingrained from birth as to the source of real life.
Satan directs the people and inventions of this creature-centered society to appeal to at least three core appetites deeply engrained at the fleshly level of everyone born from Adam.
the Bible identifies these three basic drives of the flesh.
1 - The drive to find satisfaction through sensory pleasure apart from the selfless love of God.
The flesh cries out for satisfaction from pleasant sensations, experiences without any real drive to give selflessly to others.
“As long as I feel good about it, it must be good.”
Pleasure without love is empty and self serving.
Pleasure at someone else’s expense is destructive.
We live in a culture that continually appeals to this passion to be served NOW.
Self-focused pleasure lies at the core of the flesh.
2 – The drive to find security through material possessions apart from complete trust in God and obedience to Him
And He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." Luke 12:15
The flesh feeds on things for security.
As long as I have stuff and a significant bank account, I am secure and do not need to trust God for my future.
The flesh focuses on how I feel NOW.
Get all you can NOW because it may not be there later.
Self-focused things, lies at the core of the flesh.
3 – The drive to find significance through prestige apart from the righteous character of God.
God created us with a longing to love him and others with a selfless love.
God created us with a longing to completely trust and obey Him not things.
God created us with a longing to be like Him, to be holy for he is holy.
The flesh seeks to fulfill our deepest longings apart from God.
Pleasures apart from love.
Possessions apart from trust and responsibility.
Prestige and worth apart from character and identity with Christ and holiness.
the core value of the flesh is:
Does it feel good for me.
Does it look good to me
Doe it make me look good or feel secure.
Today we even restate the Gospel message and redesign evangelism to appeal to the basic fleshly appetites of fallen man.
Let’s restructure the service to be pleasing to the flesh
Let’s promise wealth and material security in order to appeal to the flesh.
Let’s promise happiness and ignore the call to holiness.
The core focus of the flesh is self-satisfaction.
I think it is not that difficult to know whether it is flesh or spirit.
If it is self-centered, it is of the flesh.
If it is kingdom-centered or others-centered, it is of the spirit.
James identifies the core problem we face.
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. James 3:14-16
Paul exposed the fleshly walk of the Corinthians because they manifested self-centered rather than kingdom centered behavior.
Paul was kingdom-centered.
Who cared who did what as long as the kingdom grew.
The fleshly desires entrenched in our flesh wars against the spiritual longings which emanate from our spirit.
What does the Bible say about this ruthless enemy of our soul.
Look at the relationship between the Trinity.
No self serving.
Not self-promoting.
No self-protecting.
Complete other-centered relating.
Everything about the flesh rebels against such a focus.
“Meism” is at the center of flesh control.
The deeds of the flesh all have to do with pursuing pleasure and protecting fro pain and promoting self.
Lets look as some key passages that provide some basic truths regarding the flesh.
2. Biblical truths regarding the sinful flesh
• The flesh wars against the spirit.
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Galatians 5:17
• It is the spring of sinful passions
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Romans 7:5
• It is the source of interpersonal conflict
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:1-3
• Spiritual truth cannot be understood on a flesh level
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.. Romans 6:19
• There is nothing good about the flesh
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. Romans 7:18
• The flesh is a slave to sin
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:25
• Regenerated people operate according to the spirit of life in Christ
• If the Spirit of God dwells in us, our true identity is not fleshly but spiritual.
• Those whose identify is flesh alone cannot please God and are hostile to God.
• Regenerated people are no longer obligated to live by the lusts of the flesh.
Roman 8:1-17
• Living according to the flesh results in further corruption.
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:12-13
For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. Galatians 6:8
• A life lived on the level of the flesh becomes evident.
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
• God provides a way of escape for the godly and pronounces judgment on those who indulge the flesh.
the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority... 2 Peter 2:9-10
• A focus on keeping law has no value against fleshly indulgence.
These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. Col. 2:23
Paul described his conflict with the sinful flesh.
By the end of Romans 7 he cries out in despair and yet provides hope.
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:24-25
3. Biblical instructions regarding the flesh
• Consider yourselves dead to the desires of the flesh.
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:4-11
We are to consider our death to the fleshly passions a spiritual reality.
• Mortify kill, put to death the flesh and its deeds.
In light of our death with Christ we must actively agree with God concerning the flesh and all its passions.
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Rom 8:12-14
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. Col. 3:5-11
Our co-crucifixion with Christ released us from any obligation to live according to the flesh.
We may find ourselves in the flesh but we are not under any obligation to stay there.
We are now free to choose to live according to the new longings of the spirit.
We must agree with God that the flesh has no value and is evil and deserves to be crucified.
We must come to realize how ugly and vile and damaging the flesh is so that we will not allow it to reign but remain on the cross.
We must reckon ourselves dead to its passions and pull and continue to die to them.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Gal 5:24
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 2 Cor. 4:10-11
We must learn to ignore its cries for pardon and pass sentence every day.
• Hate everything about the flesh
And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Jude 1:22-23
• Put on Christ and walk in the spirit.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Romans 13:14
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
If (since) we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16, 25
When we focus on Christ, the author and perfecter of faith, we will learn to deny the flesh and release the desires of the spirit.
We are able to resist even though the flesh screams and cries.
when you are assured of your identity with Christ, some things can no longer tempt you.
When you engage in the work of the spirit, the glitter of the world fades in comparison.
• Present Yourselves and your body to Christ
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Rom 6:12-13
• Deny the flesh (make no provision in regards to its lusts)
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.. 1 Peter 2:11
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; Titus 2:11-13
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Rom 13:14
This includes a proper understanding the world system and its effects on the flesh.
You can’t deny the flesh and feed it at the same time.
You can’t pursue selfish advantage and selfless love at the same time.
• Put no confidence in the flesh
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, Philip. 3:2-3
Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the LORD.
"For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant.
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD.
"For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8
I am here to expose the futility of living according to the flesh.
It always brings bondage.
God provides His world to expose the deeds of the flesh.
God continually brings things in our life in order to expose the flesh and release the spirit.
Emptiness & loneliness breaks the drive to seek life apart from God
Wilderness breaks the drive to set our own agenda.
Tribulation and Loss breaks the desire of dependence on things for life.
Darkness and confusion breaks the drive to be in control.
Failure breaks self-reliance.
Bondage breaks the fondness for the gods of this age and their stuff.
CONCLUSION
Think about your life for a moment.
How much of our life revolves around a self-centered focus?
The flesh asks,
How am I feeling?
How did that effect me?
I am hurt.
What is wrong with it?
How does that benefit me?
Does that feel comfortable for me?
I can’t do that because it is uncomfortable.
I won’t talk to them because they hurt me.
Do this or that and you will feel better.
Let someone else do it.
I put in my time.
Don’t get too radical.
Life is found in what feels good. If it feels good pursue it.
Life is found in looking good.
Life is found in feeling important and significant.
Life is found in talents and gifts.
Life is found in a good education.
Life is found in family.
Life is found in accumulating new stuff.
Life is found in exciting activities and temporal amusement.
Jesus said the one who tries to find his own life will lose it.
The one willing to lose his life, deny self, take up cross, follow Christ will find it.
The flesh focuses on the temporal not the eternal
Man shall not live by bread alone
The flesh focuses on self in control not daily trust in God.
You shall not tempt the Lord your God.
The flesh focus on achieving significance through identity with the things of this world rather than God.
You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only.
Jesus withstood horrible personal abuse unjustly and uttered not a word.
Only when the actions of others effected kingdom purposes did he respond negatively.
False teaching of the Pharisees leading the sheep astray.
Misuse of His Fathers temple.
The Spirit says:
How does this make God and others feel?
How does this effect others?
How does this benefit the kingdom of God and others?
I will suffer hurt for the sake of others.
What is right with this?
Rejoice when you encounter various trials and testing.
I want to do all I can for the kingdom.
All my time and resources are God’s.
I give all to God.
I will love the Lord my God with all my mind, soul, strength and might.
Not my will but yours be done.
What pleases God?
How can I encourage others?
How much of our life is driven by the flesh?
How much of our life revolves around making a place of comfort for us in this fallen world while ignoring the priorities of the world to come?
How much of our relating is self-centered rather than other’s centered?
I am afraid lest the serpent deceived Eve, we also have been lead astray from the simplicity of devotion to Christ.
Does our life choice flow out of a deep spirit driven commitment to Christ and His kingdom or a flesh driven commitment to self?
You must die to self.
Are we willing to die to the stuff of this world and the screams of the flesh in order to gain eternal life.
Paul declared,
“I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life I now live in this body, this flesh I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
You can’t have it both ways.
Enough with trying to have the best of both worlds.
Friendship with the world and reliance on the flesh put us on the opposite side of God.
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When we pursue relationship with Christ and His kingdom first we discover an amazing thing.
In his right hand are pleasures evermore.
In him we become heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ.
In him we are becoming like Him.
There is a continual war for control of your thinking.
It is a war between the world the flesh and the devil and the church the Spirit and God.
Refuse conformity with the world but be transformed by the renewing of the mind.
Renounce the desires of the flesh to establish life for yourself on your own terms.
What are you going to do?
First you must come to recognize the flesh for what it is.
The flesh ignores the spiritual side of life. Man does not life bread read alone.
|The flesh resists trust and obedience. Whatever is not of faith is sin.
The flesh finds identify with the prince of the power of the air and his world.
That results in a self-centered focus that disrupts community with God and others and drives to self-promotion and pleasure and importance.
• Reckon yourself death to the flesh.
• Kill the deeds of the flesh.
• Ask God to give you a holy hatred of the things of the flesh.
• Walk in the spirit and put on Christ.
• Present every part of your being to Him.
• Deny the request of the flesh for fulfillment.
• Put no confidence in the flesh for genuine life.
Benediction
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25
