I have a word for everybody today! Your greatest enemy lies within you—to be more graphic, around you. It is your flesh. The Bible calls it your old man. It is the sinful nature that we inherited from our father Adam. Adam was not created with this nature but it was birthed in him when he chose to disobey God.
What made us so unique in the creation of earth was that God granted us the power of choice. This privilege that was given to man, was to bring glory to God. Every time I obey Him, it is like me bowing to the King saying, “not my will but Your will be done.” We were created to be worshippers. The Lord desires us to fulfill our purpose and that is to worship Him. Our life is not our own. It belongs to the Life-giver. If we could just do what the Apostle Paul admonished us to do in the 12th Chapter of Romans, our lives would take on a new and powerful meaning.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
Our challenge is to present our bodies to God for His Will to be done. However, it seems like our bodies put us on the altar. It declares it is in charge. Rather than following the directions of God, our flesh goes into a fit for what it wants and ignores what God wants. It is time for a change. We must make the Lord the head of our life. He must be in control. He and He alone should get the glory from our life.
James summed up a truth that can set us free today. In James 4:10 he says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” The only victorious thing that we can do with our flesh is to submit it to the Lord. We can’t control it, dominate it, or rule it. But there is one who can and He is the Lord Jesus Christ. When we do our part, He will do His part. Paul said to present your body and James said to humble yourself. In I Peter 5:6, the Apostle Peter said to humble yourself. Jesus said that you cannot serve two masters. You must choose a master to serve. They are all telling us the way to overcome our flesh is to give the Lord the authority over it.
There is an important exchange taking place. When I give Him the authority over my flesh, I am giving Him authority over what should be dead. When He receives that authority, He, in turn, gives me the authority over life. I give Him death and He gives me life. Calvary proves He can handle death. He rendered it powerless by letting it grip Him for three days and then picking up His life again. Unfortunately, we were born in the grips of death but we can rise to life by submitting our flesh (death) to Jesus and receiving the life that only He can give. James said that after we humble ourselves, He will lift us up. There will be a resurrection, but before there is a resurrection, there must be a death. Die fully and completely by giving Jesus control of your flesh.
I will end this devotional by saying humbling yourself is not an event, it is a process. James opened his letter (James 1:2-8) by stating this truth. The process which you should consider as joy will test your faith and develop your perseverance. The result however, will bring you to maturity. It will bring you to the place of life. Then you will bring forth fruit. Life brings forth life. While going through the process and being submitted to God and yet facing great testing and trials, expect to see the favor (grace) of God. In the midst of a bad day, He will provide you with a way of escape. The Apostle Paul writes in:
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV):No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Before what you are in becomes unbearable, He will give you a way of escape in the midst of what you are going through. Not an escape from it but an escape while in it. This escape will allow you to handle the pressure until your elevation comes; that is when He resurrects you. What you are going through is all for your good and His glory. It will end with your enemies becoming your footstool. These are not just the enemies over there but more importantly the enemies within you. Don’t feel bad about the amount. The more enemies you have; the greater and higher the footstool. When you have been resurrected, like Christ you now go to the place of power. The Hebrews writer called it the right hand of the Father or throne of God. At the place of power Jesus was an intercessor. We too, will intercede for others as well as ourselves.
Remember the road to the place of power begins by giving the Lord your flesh. The best way to do that is to make Him Lord of your life by confessing it so. Your tongue, as the most unruly part of your body, represents your flesh. When it confesses Jesus Lord it is speaking for all of your flesh. Commit Jesus Lord of your life by confessing it so now. This same confession should be repeated when you are under attack. Remind yourself and your flesh who is in charge; the Lord Jesus Christ.
Next week I will talk to you about the flip side of this. That is, once I have the victory over the dead thing in my life (flesh) by giving it to the Lord, I now need to know how to bring to life the things that should be alive in my life!
