When I led our campus fellowship as an undergraduate, I would see younger students hugging or interacting with female students inappropriately. I would tell them to stop, but some wouldn’t listen. Later, they would come to me for counselling as they struggled with masturbation. I knew they had empowered their flesh; given in to their fleshy desires.
Friend, your greatest enemy is not the devil. It is the flesh (Galatians 5:17). It is true that Jesus has defeated Satan on the cross. But your flesh is not yet defeated. Your victory over the flesh is a daily victory achieved by leveraging the victory that Jesus has won for you on the cross (Romans 7:18-25). How strong is the flesh in your life?
Many believers are empowering the flesh in their lives without knowing (1 Corinthians 9:27). They keep saying and doing things that make the flesh stronger in their lives. We are to put the flesh under, not empower it. Jesus won’t do this for us. He has given us the Holy Spirit through whom this victory is established in our lives daily. It is a partnership (Romans 8:1-2).
Are you partnering with the Holy Spirit daily in your life? This is what it means to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). This way, we would not fulfil the lust of the flesh. It is either you are partnering with the Holy Spirit, or you are fulfilling the lust of the flesh. The flesh has its lusts or desires. It has what it wants you to do. But God wants you to do otherwise (Galatians 5:17).
God wants you to obey Him unto life and peace, rather than obeying the flesh unto destruction and death (Romans 8:6-8). Who would you obey? Are you going to obey the dictates of the Holy Spirit or the lust of the flesh? The more you obey the flesh, the more you empower it, and the more difficult it is to subdue it (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Stop empowering the flesh.
Any activity that is not contributing to your spiritual growth and health is empowering the flesh (1 Timothy 4:7-8). If you preach the gospel, you empower your spirit. If you engage in gossip, you empower the flesh. If you worship, you empower your spirit. If you worry, you empower your flesh. Beware of relationships and activities that empower the flesh in your life (Psalm 1:1-3).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria