Beware of Hawking by the Flesh!
One of the most uncomfortable experiences people have when going to a mall is hawking. That’s when a salesperson from a kiosk catches your eye and starts enticing you to buy something. Many people avert their eyes and try to sneak by. Even those of us who have no problem just saying no get worn down by it. If they can just get your attention for a moment, the well-trained salesperson knows how to lure you in.
Our enemy the flesh or sin nature does the same thing to us. The hawking by the flesh is what the Bible calls our inclination to sin. The flesh regularly pops into our consciousness enticing us to do the wrong thing.
For example, let’s say you’re working at home and the kids start fighting. The flesh urges you, “Get angry, yell at them, they’re bothering you.” Or you’re at work when a suggestive advertisement appears on your computer screen. The flesh comes out of nowhere and prompts you, “Go ahead, click on it. It’ll make you feel good.” Later you pull into your driveway and notice your neighbor has a new car. The flesh is suddenly urging you, “Look at that, it’s beautiful. You deserve it more than they do. You should have it!” And on and on and on it goes.
How to Say “No” to the Hawking by the Flesh
If this happens to you everyday, congratulations, you’re alive. The flesh continually attacks everyone, believers and unbelievers with evil desires Galatians 5:17.
But what if you weren’t alive? OK, you’re right, you wouldn’t be reading this blog if you weren’t alive. But think about it, there will come a day when we leave this world and the flesh won’t bother us. That’s how we need to think about the flesh right now. We play dead to it. Really. Romans 6:11 says,
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (ESV)
As a Christian the Father sees you as so connected to His Son that it’s like you died on the cross with Him and you came back to life with Him.
The next time you have a desire from the flesh (some of them are listed in Galatians 5:19-21) try this. Think, “I’m dead to the flesh. I don’t have to get angry, or look at something I shouldn’t or be envious. Father, I’m alive to you and want the desire your Spirit produces Galatians 5:22-23. I choose them.” Then pick one of them and do it instead. In the next verse Paul tells us the point of considering yourself dead to the flesh Romans 6:12
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. (NIV)
When we do this we declare that the flesh is no longer boss, God is and we will obey Him. Try it, it works!
What have you learned to help you with the hawking of the flesh? Please share a question or comment below.
