Flesh

My flesh is crying out for sweets lately, what is yours crying out for?  I believe the Lord showed me something this morning and it has to do with the flesh.  I started to take control of my eating habits about six weeks ago and approximately four weeks ago I cut out all processed sugars or sweets and I think my body went into a withdrawal period or what you might call a detoxifying time.  I believe we should take control over our eating habits as well, as what goes into our minds, read what God’s Word says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” We have an enemy and He uses people and demons to harass us and to mess with our minds and to plant all kinds of lies and deceptive teachings and thoughts to enter our hearts and if we are not careful they reside there and destroy our way of thinking. I have heard it said that out of the abundance of the heart the  mouth speaks. 

If we are born-again believers, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in each of us, praise the Lord!!  What I was thinking about this morning was our flesh and how it craves many things; all we have to do is look into our closets and dresser drawers and basements and garages to know that what I am saying is the truth.  The example I felt the Lord brought to my mind was kids that are used to having sweets and you take them to a candy store and let them look at all the candy and then tell them that they can’t have any and you will, more than likely, have a big fight on your hands.  Their flesh will cry out and may result in fits of anger and screaming and arguing and out and out disobedience.

If anyone has tried going pretty much cold turkey on sweets, you probably know what I am talking about.  I eat pretty much the same thing every day which can get old fast.  For me this is not just a diet, but a lifestyle and I praise the Lord for the conviction and the help He has given me thus far in my journey.  I have had some positive results so far.  I have lost around twenty pounds and my blood pressure, from the last time I had it done, went from 135/80 to 122/72, praise the Lord!!

I think the first 12 weeks will probably be the hardest, after that I think my body will be pretty much adjusted and it should be a little easier after that.  I want to be more like Paul in this situation when he said this in Philippians 4:10-13, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

There are a lot of things that our flesh might be crying out for and they would be a struggle to try to overcome in our own strength, but with the Lord nothing is impossible if we do our part, He will do his part!!  Here is a list of just some of the things that we have been set free from but continue to bring us down because we allow the flesh to rise up in our lives instead of walking in the Spirit and the power that He gives us to overcome these things.

Read Galatians 5:19-26, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

This is just a partial list, there are many other things that our flesh desires also and if the Lord convicts us of one or more of these desires then we need to take action on our part.  The evidence of a new heart is a changed life.  Like I said, if we take action on our part the Lord will help us get through it, praise the Lord!!    

May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!