What is the lust of the flesh? It
is the desire within us which causes us to do our own selfish will rather than
God’s holy will.
When Adam and Eve sinned against God,
Elohim, in the Garden of Eden, it was because they were tempted by the
tempter. Every person is tempted by
pressure from our enemy, the devil. We are also tempted because of the pressure
of our surroundings – the world. But we are also tempted by a nature that is
within us – the flesh. James said: “But
each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”
(James 1.14)
There is a real devil, but if there
were not, might it be possible that we would still sin? I think so. We have all
inherited an inborn propensity to go against God as we gravitate toward our own
desires.
You may ask a child to do something
that seems very reasonable to you, but to the child it is completely
unreasonable. Whether it be to go to bed, limit his amount of sweets, say “I’m
sorry” for hurting someone, or turn off his game gadget, he does not want to
because he likes things his own way.
We are all much like children but
maybe a bit more sophisticated. God gives us commands that we don’t like. It is
our tendency to rebel instead of happily submitting.
The Holy Spirit of God tenderly
(sometimes, more forcefully) moves upon our hearts to obey God and do things
his way. At the same time our inner nature (the flesh) cries out for its own
way. How can a believer in Jesus overcome this great predisposition of the
flesh.
If we walk in the Spirit (yielding
control to him), we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5.16). I
don’t know that there has ever been a time, when I’m tempted, that I did not
feel the prodding of the Holy Spirit and hear his whisper in my ear that my way
was wrong and his way was right. There have been many times when I’ve
experienced his conviction that I did not heed his warning. What we must learn
to do now is; listen to his voice. Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”
And also: “he goes before them; and the
sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” (John 10.14, 4)
If a sheep is not following, it is
aimlessly wandering. Follow Jesus. Hear his voice. Let him call the shots. Be
filled with the Holy Spirit.
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