Overcoming the flesh

 Gal 5:16 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

One of the biggest battles the Christian will face after coming to faith in Christ and committing themselves to follow Him, is to subdue the flesh and bring into subjection to Christ. The Apostle Paul spoke of this battle in 1 Cor 9:27: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 


He recognized that even with the great call from God on his life and the incredible things already accomplished by him through Christ, that if he did not subdue his own flesh and bring it into subjection, he himself could end up a castaway (which in the Greek means rejected, worthless and reprobate). So It was not something he took lightly or viewed as optional for himself and neither should we. Paul told us that the righteousness of the law would be fulfilled in us, but only if we practice walking NOT after the flesh, but after the Spirit: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Rom 8:4).


Overcoming sin and the deeds of the flesh and pursuing righteousness is a key factor in “fighting the good fight of faith” and laying hold of eternal life: But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (1 Tim 6:11-12). 


Many Christians start out well with this call and charge and accept it fully, but then get disillusioned because of the difficulty and daily reality of the battle and they begin to lose that determination. The devil doesn’t sleep, that’s why Jesus told us to make a consistent practice of praying and seeking God: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt 26:41). Therein lies one of the main keys of overcoming and subduing the flesh, that is that we “watch and pray”. “Watch” means to be steadfast and diligent, putting it together with “pray” means that we are called to be steadfast and diligent in prayer and nurturing a close, vibrant relationship with Christ. He will always provide the way of escape from temptation, and our relationship with Him will drive us to always take it so as not to disrupt that close fellowship with Him.


We also need to spend much time being “washed by the water of the word” by regularly partaking of and meditating on Scripture: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim 3:16-17). We don’t study scripture just for head knowledge, but so that we can be trained in righteousness and thoroughly furnished unto all good works.


As we do these things, we are built up and strengthened by Christ and the Holy Spirit works in us to teach us how to resist temptation, overcome the flesh and put it under in a progressive manner which is our sanctification: For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor (1 Th 4:3-4).


Many Christians end up making a “peace pact” with sin and the flesh and just accept its continued presence and working in their lives. We need to instead resist it, fight against it, and put it to death as scripture repeatedly tells us to do: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom 8:13-14). 

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