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  • How To Defeat the Flesh [It Starts With A Choice]

The Way To Defeat The Flesh Is Ultimately A Matter Of Choice

A man was sitting in a rocking chair on his porch. His dog was sitting near him whimpering and howling. A neighbor walked by and asked what was wrong with the dog? The man in the rocking chair said he was sitting on a nail. The neighbor asked why the dog didn’t move? The man looked at the dog and said, “It must not hurt that much.”

dog on porch - to defeat the flesh you have to move

This story is probably not true but it speaks to an experience of life we truly understand. There are times when bad things happens to us and we have the ability to fix them but we don’t. It may be that we didn’t see the nail before we sat down but we can get up and move. Sometimes we don’t move even though it hurts to stay there.

The flesh is like that nail. The flesh is the inclination to sin that all people have. After Adam and Eve sinned they and all their descendants became sinners Romans 5:12. Consequently we all have a propensity to sin.

One wonderful truth of being a Christian is we can defeat the flesh. We’ve been freed from the power of the flesh to control us. It still tries! It regularly attacks us with evil desires. It is by the power of the Spirit of God that we have the ability to defeat the flesh. Here’s how according to Romans 6:11:

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

The Keys To Defeat The Flesh

  1. Consider yourself dead to any attempts by the flesh to attack you.
  2. Recognize when you are being attacked by an evil desire.
  3. Immediately stop thinking about it.
  4. Act like you’re alive to God. Tell Him what you’re feeling and thinking.
  5. Choose the Spirit led desire God wants you to follow instead of the attacking evil desire.
  6. Act on that right choice.

Let’s say you unexpectedly receive a tax bill for thousands of dollars. At that moment the flesh attacks! You start to feel discouraged and anxious.

STOP! Your mind is being attacked by the flesh. Pray “Father, I know I am dead to the flesh, I don’t have be discouraged or worried. How do you want me to think about this trial in my life?”

What desires from the Spirit do you need in your heart right then Galatians 5:22-23? Faith, love and peace. Pray, “Father, I am going to choose to believe you are in control of my life and will enable me to pay this bill. I know you love me and I won’t be discouraged by this. I choose peace instead of anxiety.”

This is called walking by the Spirit Galatians 5:16. It isn’t saying these words that change things. It’s believing them. You can defeat the flesh! You may have to spend a while talking to the Father. The key is trusting Him. Take the first step and the Spirit will empower the next.

If you have a question, please leave it below!

  • I prayed this morning and cried out to God the Father to help me to get back to Him . I asked Him to give me a message or preaching I can listen to to help me to get back into fellowship with Him . I repented from my sins and need help with addictions that I have pain killers and alcohol and I am starting to drink more often . I need prayer and help , at the moment I don’t have any questions just need someone to listen to me in how I am feeling . i drink secretly and buy pills and take one every day morphine 2s . They are easy to get off the streets . They are 15 dollars a pill , My husband knows I drink but not in front of him told him I take pills for pain . My youngest daughter lives with us and knows about my addictions , she has quit going to church also . I feel responsible . We need a miracle in our lives . There is also no Christian Church where we live and there is a great need here for a Pastor ” Who will come ? ” There are Surrounding Reserves here and there are a lot of detached Christians here just like us . We need to fellowship with other believers who are full of the Holy Ghost and are sold out to God . The sheep are scattered and we need leadership . People go to other countries for missions but we need some in Canada right in your back door . There is so much in my heart to share my body aches from pain I feel , I am crying my body is crying . The Lord says in His word we are to take care of our salvation with fear and trembling . The Lord healed me from breast cancer a small tumor 3 years ago and now I have been diagnosed with arthritis on my hips and pelvic area . I have been hurt and need to forgive by faith like i did when I first accepted Jesus . I also am afraid of some people in the local church . THE KEY TO HEALING IS FORGIVING THOSE THAT HAVE HURT YOU . THANK YOU FOR READING THIS .

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    Ward Cushman


    My journey of faith started when I was nine years old when I realized that Jesus died and rose again to pay for my sins. At the age of thirteen I felt the call of God on my life for ministry.

    I have been fortunate to work in the marketplace for over ten years and in full-time Christian ministry for over thirty years.

    My passion is to teach God's Word in such a way that it is easy to understand and so that God uses it to bring about life change in those who hear it.

    It is my greatest joy to see God work through me to produce fruit for His glory!

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