The consequences of living in the flesh
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
When born, we inherit from our parents a natural inclination towards evil. Consider, for example, children; they start lying and shouting in anger without being taught to do so. Instead, they need to be taught to do good. Therefore, evil comes naturally from within us. More than this, people are controlled by their evil tendency in different ways. For example, some lie a lot to get their way, others steal and commit sexual immorality, some are prideful or lovers of money, while others have anger issues. This evil tendency that we are born with is called the flesh in the Bible.
We are all born with flesh, and therefore we all have evil inclinations; we are all controlled by them until we become Christians. When we turn to Christ, he gives us the Holy Spirit to help us control and master our evil inclinations. Still, the problem is that we often do not cooperate with the Holy Spirit to control our sinful tendencies and stop living in our flesh.
For example, the kid has the natural tendency to do whatever they want, and the parent’s job is to control them.
When we live in the flesh, we face tremendous consequences for our spiritual life. Today I want us to look at three consequences of living by the flesh, three consequences of not using the Holy Spirit to control our natural selfish tendencies.
I. Hinders your spiritual nourishment
a) How?
1. By making you reject spiritual teaching
In what way?
When people are used to whatever they want, Jesus Christ comes with the message of self-denial, which is tough for someone who always wants to do whatever they want. Again, take the example of a kid who always has their way; it is tough to get them to listen when they are allowed to do whatever they want. In the same way, when we do not listen to the Holy Spirit and gratify our flesh when someone preaches a message of repentance and self-denial, we tend to reject it.
2. By making you unable to understand spiritual teaching
The Spirit helps you understand how to fix your spiritual, he gives you wisdom, but when you do not live by the Spirit, you cannot understand.
Mark 8:14-21
Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
II. Hinders of spiritual growth
What is spiritual growth?
To grow in conformity to being more and more like Christ. If you cannot take solid food, you cannot develop properly. Living in your flesh will keep you in a permanent spiritual childhood.
For example, a kid does not enjoy the same privileges as adults because they cannot handle them. A kid cannot drive a car and cannot have much money on their hands because they cannot manage them. But first, they need to grow up and mature in order to do these things.
In the same way, we need to spiritually grow to enjoy some spiritual benefits and blessings. To have the gift of prophecy, you need to grow spiritually. To be used by God, you need to grow spiritually. If you want to feel the joy and the peace that come from the Spirit, you need to grow spiritually and stop living in your fleshly desires.
A bible passage that captures the connection between immaturity and the rejection of spiritual teaching is Hebrews 5:11-14
“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
III. Hinders your relationships
-when you live controlled by your selfish, sinful tendencies, you tend to enter into conflict much easier. According to Galatians 5:10: fits of anger, strife, enmity, and jealousy are deeds of the flesh and they are all deeds that will damage significantly your relationships.
Conclusion
How to stop living by the flesh?
1. Confess your sins with deep remorse before God (Make a habit of confession)
2. Make a habit of reading and studying the bible
3. Get to know what the bible says about your problems.
4. Build a powerful prayer life
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mk 8:14–21.