Spiritual Warfare 2024
Battle Against the Flesh Part II
Jesus shared in our humanity
to show us how to battle with the flesh.
It is easy to see Jesus’s suffering
and His missed opportunities in the short life
of 33 years to do the things that gratify the flesh.
But the real question should be…
Why?
What gave Him the drive?
What energized Him?
One Word…
LOVE
Jesus’ first love was
His Father in Heaven.
Jesus never wanted to disappoint His Father
even when His Father sent Him
on a mission of suffering and death.
Jesus never stopped loving His Father.
Love Never Fails
Battle Against the Flesh Part II
Paul talks about this conflict between
the sinful nature and the Spirit.
Paul gives a list of some of the acts
of the sinful nature.
Galatians 5:19-21 TBL…
19 But when you follow your own wrong inclinations, your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group-and there will be wrong doctrine, 21 envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Flesh and blood will not enter the Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 15:50
Our flesh is tempted with eating too much
and desires the wrong things.
Our flesh desires the attraction of things
we should not have.
It craves lust and greed.
Our flesh is selfish and keeps us
from loving God and others.
Our flesh wants to do its own thing…
“If is feels good, do it”
Which brings disorder and chaos.
Our flesh has the just sentence of death on it.
Hebrews 2:14-15,18…
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
There is suffering when our flesh
is tempted and we do not yield to it.
Jesus came to our world in flesh and blood.
He was tempted in every way we are yet…
He never gave into those temptations.
Jesus shared in our humanity
to show us how to battle with the flesh.
It is easy to see Jesus’s suffering
and His missed opportunities in the short life
of 33 years to do the things that gratify the flesh.
But the real question should be…
Why?
What gave Him the drive?
What energized Him?
One Word…
LOVE
Jesus’ first love was
His Father in Heaven.
Jesus never wanted to disappoint His Father
even when His Father sent Him
on a mission of suffering and death.
Jesus never stopped loving His Father.
Love Never Fails
Scripture Reading
41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.
The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Galatians 5:16-26 TLB
16 I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. 17 For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has his way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures. 18 When you are guided by the Holy Spirit, you need no longer force yourself to obey Jewish laws.
19 But when you follow your own wrong inclinations, your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group-and there will be wrong doctrine, 21 envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control; and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws.
24 Those who belong to Christ have nailed their natural evil desires to his cross and crucified them there.
25 If we are living now by the Holy Spirit's power, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. 26 Then we won't need to look for honors and popularity, which lead to jealousy and hard feelings.
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