The Godly Gazette (Lusts of the Flesh)

Lusts of the Flesh

1 Thessalonians 5:23 - May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. NIV

This verse teaches us that we are three part being, consisting of spirit, soul, and body. The Bible also tells us that when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God gives us a renewed spirit and makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

However, when you (the spirit) gets renewed, your body and your mind do not get renewed. You still have the same old body of flesh and same old mind, which will continue to be tempted to fall into sin.

Your Flesh

Being saved/born again did not change the fact that your flesh still wants to do wrong things. It wants to dominate your life with its selfish demands and lustful desires.

Some of the sins of the flesh include; drunkenness, addiction, gluttony, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, covetousness, greed, idolatry, love of money, financial dishonesty, and even the desire for worldly honors, fame, and reputation.

Romans 7:23 - but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. NIV

You must take authority over the lustful desires of your flesh and its sinful nature. Your newborn spirit, where the life of God now resides, will never agree to these sinful desires.

1 John 3:9 - No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. NIV

You must deliberately choose to live by the spirit and not under control of your flesh. Your spirit, which has God’s life and nature in it, must dominate your life if you are to overcome temptation and claim victory over the bondage of sin.

Romans 8:5 - Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the spirit desires. NIV

The renewing of your mind will give you power to live by your spirit. As you grow in knowledge and wisdom of God’s Word, you will learn to live under the control of His Spirit, giving you strength to fight the lustful temptations of your flesh.

Romans 8:6 - The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. NIV

You must consciously decide to center your life around God, and let His Spirit guide you. As you continue to read the Bible on a daily basis, you will discover God’s way of living, which brings true life and a peace that surpasses human understanding.

Ephesians 4:22/24 - You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV

The apostle Paul gives a very good example of putting on your new self when he say’s to: set your heart and your mind on things above, not on earthly things, for Christ is now your life (Colossians 3: 1/3).

Renew Your Mind

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