Encouragement

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The flesh is the part of us that resists our
transformation into the new person in Christ.

And since this is the case the devil wants to use the
pleasures of our flesh to keep us enslaved to our old
habits and sinful attitudes.

We have daily choices to live according to God's
righteous desires, and deny sin. When we use our power
to choose God's way instead of sin's way, we crucify
our flesh.

God helps us crucify our flesh through the Holy Spirit
so that we may live in the newness of the Spirit.

The desires we must crucify include fornication,
covetousness, stealing, and lying plus follow the rest
of the ten commandments.

As we put these things to death, we are able to then
put on the new man, renewed in knowledge according to
the image of Him who created us.

1 Peter 4:1-2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered
for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the
same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath
ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the
rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but
to the will of God.

When a man is crucified, he dies. And when you die,
you're dead.

Therefore those of us who belong to Jesus need to
crucify the flesh so that we become dead to the flesh,
dead to our passions, and dead to our desires.

Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ's have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Now if this is true, why do we still have ungodly
desires, and why do we still yield to the flesh and
it's passions?

Also since these things still bother us, does that
mean that we are not one who belongs to Jesus?

Are we failures as Christians? Do we really belong to
satan and not God?

Have I struck a nerve? Perhaps you've pondered over
these exact same questions.

I suspect that all of us may have felt this way at one
time or another.

Rest assured, you are still a child of the King if you
have excepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have everlasting life.

God paid a high price for you. He sent His own Son to
die in your place.

Therefore the intent of (Gal 5:24) is not to
discourage, but to encourage us to resist these
fleshly desires and passions.

What is dead is the strings that attach us to sin that
no longer bind us because they were cut loose and
destroyed by the Blood of Jesus and the Word of God.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I
no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.

So what we need to do is commit to responding to the
flesh in different ways than how we used to by
choosing to be a living sacrifice to God and by being
obedient to him.

Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts
thereof.

For example: If your flesh wants to look at a person
to lust after, look the other way. Or if your flesh
wants to take someone else's valubles when they leave
you alone in the room, you should change your thoughts
to something possitive.

Another one could be if you know you're going to be
alone tonight and will be able to surf for porn on the
internet, you could invite a friend over so you don't
have the opportunity to get into trouble.

Keeping your mind off of your own desires by helping
others is another good way to keep from fulfilling the
lusts of the flesh.

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto
liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the
flesh, but by love serve one another.

Crucifying your flesh does not mean that your life
will lack pleasure. God is the author of true pleasure
that is not tainted with sin in any way.

Matthew 13:44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like
unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man
hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and
selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."

In fact, God provides perfect pleasures that bring
lasting satisfaction and joy, unlike the temporary
pleasures that selfish sin could ever offer.

David Hopkins is a "Christian Article Writer" who
specializes in helping people remember to glorify
God in everything that they do, so they don't miss
out on any of His wonderful blessings.

Visit Daily Word Of God Group to read additional
articles and to sign-up for a free newsletter to learn
everything you need to know about why you should
be putting God #1 in your life.

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