Who do you consider your enemy? Do these make the list?
That lady
That guy
That man
The devil
My boss
My neighbour, etc
Remarkably, from the bible, only 3 entities make the list. The man born again has not been called to wage war against his fellow man for any thing. Hear scripture:-
Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil.
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matt 5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you.
2nd Cor. 10:3 – 4 For though we may be living in the flesh, we are not fighting after the way of the flesh. For the arms with which we are fighting are not those of the flesh,
Eph 6:12a For our fight is not against flesh and blood…
It is misplaced priority and a vain task for any Christian to hold any person he sees as his enemy even if the person has been pronounced a witch or wizard. Our fight is not against flesh and blood!!!
But worthy of note are these three entities in order of importance:
The flesh
The world
The devil
We would be dealing with the first and most important today – Your flesh. Your body had long been the instrument through which sin achieved its deadly purpose and like a zombie, your body had been habituated to this. Ephesians 1:1 – 3
When you became born again however, you were identified in the death of Jesus i.e you died in Christ Jesus and rose with him unto newness of life. Now you have power in your inner man. Your spirit has been renewed, made in the very image of God. Your body however is very much the same. With the same cravings. This would not be changed till the day of redemption.
The cravings and desire of your body had been that which had been worked up by the old sinful nature. Because of this we are called to bring our body under subjection. The outlet through which we get to view the desires of the body is through the mind. The body cannot be handled directly through whatever means, however, the passions of the body can be put in check through a renewal of the mind. Romans 12:1 – 2
No wonder scriptures say as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. The issue is not about the body “corpus” so no amount of harsh treatment would help the body rather it is about what the mind is built upon which is a direct reflection of the issues of the ongoing passions in the body.
Realise that walking by the proceeds of your flesh is tantamount to an opposing walk in the spirit. Gal 5:17 – 18
Your flesh is always with you. You could resist the devil and he would flee from you. But your flesh is always there. The way to walking in victory over the flesh is by acknowledging who you are in Christ Jesus and walking in the light of the same. No wonder scripture says we should reckon ourselves dead to sin and dead indeed. i.e. consider yourself truly dead to sin. Rom 6:12. You are not under bondage to the motions of the flesh now because your existence is not in the flesh but in the spirit. Rom 8:9 This is your new plane; your identity. Because of this Galatians 5 and verse 25 says that if you and I live in the spirit, let us walk also in the spirit. A walk in the spirit does not allow the contradictory desires of the flesh to be satisfied. Gal 5:16
A walk in the spirit is a walk giving heed to God’s word which is spiritual. John 6:63
A walk in the spirit is walk giving heed to the spirit man within who does not go at variance to God’s word since he is birthed by the author of the word.
Learn dear friends to walk in the spirit now and always. This is the way to fight the war of the flesh.
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2nd Tim 2:22
– bolaji akanni
