Daily Companion  |  20 April

THE DESTRUCTIVE ENEMY OF THE SOUL AND SPIRIT 

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. (1 Peter 2:11) 

 Fleshly lusts are things the flesh pleasures with. And almost always they are sexual things. They are immoral pleasures which weakens the spirit of excellence and destroys the souls. Sexual sins like fornication, adultery, masturbation, fetishism, sodomy and are just a few examples of fleshly lusts that war. It is not a respecter of any person. The poor and the rich, the great and the small, the young believer and the giants in faith, man and woman, sinners and saints who carry flesh are equally not spared.  

Even the most upright Christians, the God's elect will need constant reminder and exhortation to abstain from the worst sins: fleshly lusts - the greatest threat to a man's spirit and soul. Not only does the flesh war against the spirit but it does so vehemently likewise against the soul. When a man can tame his flesh, he can conquer the earthly war and acquire heaven’s slot. Self-control and abstenance could be a painful and herculean task. . God knowing it could be very difficult for man himself to achieve this, has made a provision under grace and by His word. 

Winning over the flesh requires two elements: faith and grace. Grace brings redemption from sins. Grace is Christ ability to do the right thing; to be free from sin. The grace of God has appeared to all men, “teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12). Grace gives access to the faith and vice versa. Faith is the tool we need to unlock the power over flesh, "for by faith you stand” - to stand against immoral pleasures (2 Corinthians 1:24). Faith on its own is a two-edge sword: trust and action. Trust component of faith makes you to believe in the ability of God (grace) to give you the expected result: that you can be free from immorality, that you can be holy. The action component is what you do in cooperation with that trust. Your action part is to abstain, to avoid, to flee, and run away from fleshly lusts and all its appearances (1 Thessalonians 5:22; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:22). 

When constantly put under checks, overcoming flesh paves way for earthly breakthroughs, favour, promotions, and eternal celebrations and glory. And surely, a day of visitation will soon come in which many will glorify God because those who heeded to this exhortation and have chosen to prevailed against their flesh and lived holy lives, will forever rejoice and celebrate they did. 

Dear friend, what are you waiting for? Pray for grace now and pray for non-faltering faith to constantly stand against fleshly lusts. 

Today’s Recite:  Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)

Today’s Morning Prayers: Thank You Lord God for another new day of grace. I pray against fleshly lusts that war against my progress, and breakthroughs. I receive grace and faith to put it under subjection. Keep me holy and pure within and without in Jesus name. Amen!

Today’s Hymn: CALLED UNTO HOLINESS

Today’s ReadMe:  2 Kings 17 - 20