Lust of the Flesh

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

The 'world' is an evil social force of Satan that works from the outside to attack believers. It is the corporate organization of fleshly individuals. The 'flesh'; our self nature, is an evil force working from within the believer. The same "fleshly spirit" that operates in the world will operate in our life after we are converted if we allow it to do so. The term 'flesh' is also used in Scripture to refer to the actual body of man and beast. But this is not the context being discussed today when referring to the use of the term 'flesh'.

The Bible also uses the term 'flesh' to describe the basic sin nature of man. The flesh is the center of willful defiance and rebellion against God:

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing; for to will (to do good) is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.   Romans 8:18-20

The 'flesh' is a compulsive inner force which expresses itself in rebellion through sin. It is this meaning of flesh which is being discussed.   The words "carnal" and "old man" are also used to describe the fleshly nature of man. All men have this basic, sinful, fleshly nature:

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.   Romans 5:12

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23

John tells us not to love the world neither the things of the world which are centered on three things:

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

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  Galatians 5:16

What is the lust of the flesh?  Lust is "strong desire, soulish emotions, the natural tendency of man towards evil that develops into strong desire"  The Bible warns that we should not lust after evil things:

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.   1 Corinthians 10:6

Lusting after evil things which will please your fleshly nature is "lust of the flesh". It is how Satan attacks from within. It is comparable to a civil war within a nation, with your spirit and flesh warring against each other.

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

Lust, or sinful desire, first enters through the natural senses. The eye sees something evil or the ear hears something wicked. A touch, a taste, or even a smell can foster lust. This is how Satan uses the environment of the world to tempt and influence the flesh. These natural senses trigger an evil thought or desire in the mind. If the mind is not checked this thought or desire heightens and grows and turns to lust. The lustful thought is what tempts you to do evil:

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.   James 1:13-14

Remember, God never tempts you. You are tempted when you are drawn by your own sinful, fleshly lusts. But you do not have to yield to this temptation. God always provides a way of escape:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it.   1 Corinthians 10:13

Since the mind is used to tempt the flesh, Apostle Paul warns:

For to be carnally (fleshly) minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  Romans 8:7-8

If you yield to lust, temptation results, and if you yield to temptation, it results in sin which leads to death:

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.   James 1:15

The world is corrupt because of lust:

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.    2 Peter 1:4

Your flesh is corrupt because of lust:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;   Ephesians 4:22

When you are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, that Spirit indwells your spirit. The Holy Spirit in your spirit opposes the lusts of the flesh. Your flesh wars against your spirit and the Spirit of God within you. The flesh entices you to sinful lusts. This is why you often cannot live the way you desire to live.

Apostle Paul described this battle between the spirit and the flesh.  He summarized the battle:

I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man (the spirit); But I see another law in my members (the flesh), warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.   Romans 7:21-23

The lusts of the flesh, if not conquered, lead to sinful works of the flesh which result in spiritual death:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such thing shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.   Galatians 5:19-21

They are contrasted to the fruit of the Holy Spirit which should be developed in the lives of believers.  The bible tells us there is no limit to the quantity of the fruit of the spirit, we should have as much of it as we can with the implication being that the more fruit of the spirit we have the less likely the works of the flesh can operate in us.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

The 'world' and the 'flesh' combine with Satan and his demons to wage war against believers. These are the spiritual forces of evil.

Thank God for the comforter; His Holy Spirit.  There is no need to be discouraged or defeated for He tells 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

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