The flesh dies hard. It\u2019s resistant and resilient\u2014resisting\nevery attempt to slay it and recovering despite my repeated attempts to put it\nto death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An emphasis of the Christian life is putting to death the\nworks of the flesh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We don\u2019t have to look far to find the flesh trying to thwart\nGod\u2019s best plan for our life. The Lord puts high priority on self-denial and self-discipline.\nThe flesh craves self-indulgence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Self is not used to being denied. Anything it wants, usually\nit gets. Denial is an unfamiliar word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My spoiled Self hasn’t pulled me into any big trouble\nlately. It’s been content dabbling in a little naughtiness\u2014fear, ingratitude,\ndiscouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I wanted a closer walk with Jesus, but Self kept clinging to the old life. God wanted my whole heart, but Self rebelled every inch of the way. How well I identify with Paul’s predicament in Romans 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled, bewildered]. I do not practice or accomplish what I wish, but I do the very thing that I loathe [which my moral instinct condemns]” (v. 15).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that\nis, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the\nintention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.] For I\nfail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do\nnot desire to do are what I am [ever] doing” (v. 18-19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“O unhappy and pitiable and wretched man that I am! Who\nwill release and deliver me from [the shackles of] this body of death?”\n(v. 24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following that cry of desperation comes this confident\ndeclaration, “O thank God! [He will!] through Jesus Christ (the Anointed\nOne) our Lord!” (v. 25).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus laid out the plan for following him. \u201cIf anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also]” \u201d (Matthew 16:24).\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I wanted to know more about these two aspects of following Jesus\u2014cleave steadfastly and conform wholly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I wanted to know more about these two aspects of following Jesus\u2014cleave steadfastly and conform wholly. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Webster\u2019s dictionary and my computer Thesaurus gave insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steadfast: firmly fixed in place; immovable; not subject to\nchange; unwavering, unfaltering, unswerving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This brought to mind a favorite verse, Hebrews 10:36. \u201cFor\nyou have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and\nfully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to\nthe full] what is promised.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul wrote this in 2 Thessalonians 1:4. \u201cAnd this is a cause\nof our mentioning you with pride among the churches (assemblies) of God for\nyour steadfastness (your unflinching endurance and patience) and your firm\nfaith in the midst of all the persecutions and crushing distresses and\nafflictions under which you are holding up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unflinching is an awesome word\u2014unwavering, constant, steady,\nundaunted, persistent, resolute (Thesaurus). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hebrews 11:27 says this about Moses. \u201c[Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second Timothy 4:5 says, \u201cAs for you, be calm and cool and\nsteady, accept and suffer unflinchingly every hardship\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conform wholly means to the full or entire extent;\ncompletely; to the exclusion of other things; solely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steadfast. Unflinching. Conforming wholly to Christ\u2019s\nexample. That\u2019s how I want to live. That\u2019s how I choose<\/em> to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God never intended for us to struggle through this life day\nafter day. He meant for us to empty ourselves\u2014of self\u2014so he can fill us to\noverflowing with the luscious fruit of the Spirit\u2014love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness,\ngoodness, faith, meekness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our inner life dominated by the Holy Spirit should impact\nour outer life so we are no longer controlled by the flesh clamoring to have\nits own way. We can say no to our stubborn flesh!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our inner life dominated by the Holy Spirit should impact our outer life so we are no longer controlled by the flesh. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n The Christian life is a process of being conformed to the image of Jesus. I used to think we must stay as close to him as we can get. It\u2019s easier than that. We recognize we are attached to the Vine and abide there with full confidence in him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus said, \u201cI am the vine, ye are the branches: He that\nabideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me\nye can do nothing\u201d (John 15:5 KJV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Would you tell me how the presence of Christ makes a\ndifference in your life and decision-making? And please share this with your\nfriends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Scriptures from The Amplified Bible unless noted)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The flesh dies hard. It\u2019s resistant and resilient\u2014resisting every attempt to slay it and recovering despite my repeated attempts to put it to death. An emphasis of the Christian life is putting to death the works of the flesh. We don\u2019t have to look far to find the flesh trying to thwart God\u2019s best plan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[9,417,416],"class_list":["post-1125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-dianne-barker","tag-self-denial","tag-the-flesh-dies-hard-take-my-word-for-it"],"yoast_head":"\n