What's Managing You?

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, 

and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1 John 2:16 

God tells us to love Him with all of our heart, mind and strength.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Mark 12:30

Our enemy, Satan, knowing this, wants to keep us distracted from fulfilling this command by any means necessary. He will work through our self nature to keep us in bondage to our former self. But the word of God lets us know that when we accept Jesus into our lives in accordance with the word of God, that old things are passed away and all things become as new. Apostle Paul explains this newness to the church at Ephesus:

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.  Ephesians 4:21-24

Apostle Paul deals with the sins of the flesh in the context of the old man and the new man, he inserts this warning:

. . . Neither give place to the Devil.  Ephesians 4:27

This admonition indicates that when you commit these fleshly sins, you give place (literally a claim) to Satan in your life. Continued willful indulgence in fleshly sins more often that not results in bondage to Satan:

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.  2 Timothy 2:26

We are constantly at war with our flesh. Even in our best attempts to do right, there is always a constant onslaught of the influences of the world, desires of the flesh and assaults of the enemy to sin against God. 

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.   Galatians 5:17

This is what the bible tells us:

The body, soul, and spirit of man are closely related. Because of this, Satan assaults the soul through our mind and senses. This strategy is evident in the first temptation of man. Eve "SAW the tree was good for food (TASTE), and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be DESIRED to make one wise". She took of it and gave it to her husband also.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.   Genesis 3:6

Satan used fleshly senses and desires to gain access to Eve's soul which in turn overruled her spirit.

If Satan cannot "blind your mind" and keep you from accepting the truth of the Gospel, then he tries to keep you in bondage to the flesh after you receive the Gospel. Fleshly lusts war against the soul:

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;   1 Peter 2:11

®       Satan uses the self nature to affect the mind:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  Romans 7:23

®       Satan uses our self nature to affect the spirit:

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.  2 Corinthians 7:1

®       Satan uses the flesh to cause you to reap corruption (rottenness, perversion) in your life:

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.   Galatians 6:8

A born-again believer cannot be "possessed" by Satan as long as he remains a true believer. Possession by Satan involves control of body, soul, spirit, conduct, and thought. But if a believer continues to practice fleshly sins there comes a time where the practice may move from a sin of the flesh to a sin WHOLLY controlled by Satanic influence.  Consider what the bible says about giving in to the lust of the flesh:

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  James 1:14-15 

At some point, according to God's time, he may release you over to corruption:

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Romans 1:21

We must strive to be victorious in our battle against our sinful nature. Apostle Paul states:

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.  1 Corinthians 9:27

When we combine our effort with that of the power given to us through Christ Jesus, we can be and indeed are victorious when we use all that God has given us and allow the Holy Spirit to stand up inside of us:

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  1 John 4:4

Biblical Studies

01/02/15
03/12/16
04/10/17
03/21/19
06/12/20

05/04/22