To make it to Heaven in the life to come, you MUST first of all deal with “Mr. Self” in this present world.
Galatians 5:24 says, “And they that are Christ's have crucified THE FLESH with the affections and lusts (its practices).”
In Romans 8:3-8 the Bible calls Mr. Flesh “the one who dwells within and who controls the mind and the physical body of a man to accomplish his own desires.”
Whosoever controls the mind at any time controls the physical body. It is what your mind says that will determine what your physical body will do (manifest). Therefore, if the Holy Spirit is the one in control of your mind, then your physical body will do things in line with God’s Word. But if “the Flesh” is the one in control of your mind, your physical body will do things that contradict the Word of God.
Chastisement and discipline cannot change “the flesh” from being a rebel against God, and against His will.
Romans 8:7-9 says, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in ‘the flesh’ cannot please God.”
No matter what you do to “the flesh,” it remains stubborn and rebellious. How then can one deal with Mr. Flesh? You should not attempt toovercome “the Flesh” by making war against it through fasting and sanctions.
While the believers are concerned about “the manifestations of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19-21), God is primarily concerned about “the flesh” itself.
This is because once “the flesh” is dealt with, it is no longer there to manifest its practices through your physical body.
How? Galatians 5:24 says, “And they that are Christ's have crucified THE FLESH with the affections and lusts (its practices – Gal. 5:19-21).”
“Knowing this, that our old man (“the Flesh or Self”) is (has been) crucified with Him (Christ), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom. 6:6).
Apostle Paul recognizing God’s way of salvation said, “I am (my flesh is) crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
The Bible often speaks of the “lusts of the flesh.” 2 Peter 2:18 says, “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error” (KJV).
“…Walk (therefore) in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).
1 John 2:15-17 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, (1) THE LUST OF THE FLESH, and (2) the lust of the eyes, and (3) the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”
In Jude 23, God instructs His children saying, “…hate even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
Nothing can ever change the nature of the flesh! You cannot mend or educate “the flesh.” No matter the spiritual method you employ, it cannot change the nature of the Flesh in any way or by any measure.
So, even if you set out to improve your Flesh through fasting, or making resolutions so as to help the Flesh to change for the better, you are bound to fail.
Then what is to be done to “Mr. Flesh?” The only way out is to kill “the Flesh.” The only way you can kill “Mr. Flesh” is by taking it to the Cross.
Once “Mr. flesh” is dead, you will be free from sin. “For he who has died is justified (free) from sin” (Rom. 6:7).
The source of sin is “the flesh.” For instance, when you go into a room full of cobwebs, it will be foolishness to remove the cobwebs without locating the spider because the spider is the source of the cobwebs.
So, the right thing to do is to locate and kill the spider first. In other words, once the spider is dead, you will be free from the cobwebs. Then you can remove the cobwebs, and the room will be free of cobwebs.
Similarly, first kill “the Flesh” by crucifying it. Then cleanse yourself from all the filthiness of “the Flesh” by going to God in total repentance.
I have good news for us: And the good news is that God the Father Himself has already done this for us in Christ. The work of God is to crucify the believer’s old man (“Mr. Flesh”) with Christ so that those who are of Christ, have crucified “the Flesh.”
Everyone who has believed in Christ and accepted Him as personal Lord and Saviour belongs to Christ.
“And they that are Christ’s… (Gal. 5:24)” refers to everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus.
Does a person’s spiritual level matter in this case? No matter your spiritual level, you belong to the Lord once you have given your life to Christ.
No matter what your present spiritual condition is, whether you are victorious or failing, your Flesh has been “crucified” on the Cross together with Jesus Christ.
“And they that are Christ’s,” whether strong or weak have crucified the Flesh with its practices.
What of if the person is still sinning? You may say, “But you are still sinning.” But God says, “You (Mr. Flesh) have been crucified on the Cross.”
What then should one really pay attention to? You should not pay attention to what is still happening in your life (your experience now – the practices of the Flesh).
Rather pay attention first to what God has said in His Word concerning you. And God’s Word to you is that no matter how you feel, “your Flesh” has been crucified on the Cross.
How can one have the experience of the crucifixion of his Flesh? If you merely look at your own experience every day, instead of looking at what God has said in His Word about you, you will never have the experience of the crucifixion of your Flesh, because you are walking by sight.
But the Scriptures say, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Do not pay any attention to your feelings and experiences. Since God said that “your Flesh” has been crucified, then it has indeed been crucified. That’s the truth! Therefore, you must hear and believe God’s Word first, then thereafter you will have the experience.
We were crucified with Christ. Since we were crucified the very moment Christ was crucified on the Cross, our Flesh also was crucified.
Romans 6:6 says, “Knowing this, that our old man (“the flesh”) is (has been) crucified with Him (Christ), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
Also, our being crucified does not mean that we were crucified by ourselves, but that the Lord Jesus, at the time when He was crucified, also carried us with Him to the Cross. Therefore, in God’s eyes, our Flesh “has been crucified on the Cross.”
That means that whether you have the experience or not, God’s Word says, “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).
“Walk ye therefore in the Spirit, and you will not fulfil the lusts of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).
If we are firm on this point – that the flesh has been crucified – we will be able to go on and deal with the flesh in our experience. You must believe and stand firm in what God has said, and then you can obtain the experience.
Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!
Your friend: I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor)
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