FLESH IN THE CROSSHAIRS

Greetings...welcome to the FLESH FREE ZONE. We have seen in the past few Ruminator Ramblings...that if we don't deal with the flesh...the flesh will deal with us. The flesh has being identified as that nature of man that rises up in opposition to the Spirt of God. We have also seen that God's will for us...His wish...His desire for us is to walk in FREEDOM...and NOT to be subject again to a YOKE OF SLAVERY. We also saw that we have a calling in our lives...we have been CALLED to FREEDOM. As creatures of FREE WILL...we have the ability to make choices that will determine if we will be bound by the FLESH...or free by the SPIRIT. We can take our freedom and turn it into an OPPORTUNITY for the FLESH...and opportunity does not only knock once...it is constantly knocking. (Read Galatians 5:1, 13)

Notice the picture of the WOLF...in the crosshairs. I chose a picture of the wolf...because the WOLF represents danger to the flock. The wolf may be getting a bad rap...but throughout history the WOLF has been pictured as someone who sneaks in and tries to hide in SHEEPS clothing who at an unsuspected moment attacks the SHEEP. The WOLF kills Grandma...poses as who he kills...and then plots and schemes to eat Little Red Riding Hood. One of my favorite Lon Chaney Jr. movies is The Wolfman. In the movie they quote a line through out the movie... that for some reason I remember after all these years..."Even he who is pure in heart..and says his prayers by night...can become a WOLF when the wolf bane blooms and the autumn moon is bright." When someone was bit by a werewolf...they became a werewolf. The only way to deal with the werewolf...shoot that thang...with a silver bullet or kill it of by beating it with a silver tipped cane. Hey...I had to work that wolf picture in here somehow.

If you don't deal with the flesh/wolf...the flesh/wolf will deal with you. The question is: "How do we deal with the FLESH? ANSWER:

1. Walk by the Spirit...and you will NOT carry out the DESIRE of the FLESH. (Galatians 5:16) For me...this is my gauge...indicator how I am doing. If I find myself carrying out the desires of the flesh found in Galatians 5:19-21...I know that I am NOT walking by the Spirit. I can either get depressed or condemned about it...or I can now specifically deal with the issue.

2. Walk by Faith: If I am carrying out the desires of the FLESH..I am NOT able to do the things that I PLEASE. (Galatians 5:17) I know that without FAITH...it is IMPOSSIBLE to PLEASE God...and I want to be a GOD-PLEASER. Applying my faith...to FLESHBUSTING...is (1) Coming to God (2) Believing that God is (3) Believing that God is a Rewarder (4). Diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) Faith must become my LIFESTYLE...the just shall LIVE by faith (Romans 1:17/Habakkuk 2:4/ Galatians 3:11/Hebrews 10:38). We can't go by what we see. In the FLESH...we see what we were...satan condemns us as we walk in the FLESH...but when we WALK BY FAITH...and not by sight (II Cor. 5:7)..we begin to CALL things that are NOT as though they WERE (Rom.4:17).

3. We become DEAD MEN walking: We belong to Christ Jesus...not satan...the devil...or the FLESH. Since we belong to Christ Jesus...we HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh. The flesh has PASSIONS and DESIRES.. and by FAITH...we crucify the flesh. This simply means that we identify with the D.B.R...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS. Galatians 2:20 Paul states, "I HAVE BEEN (past event...how does it feel to be a has been?) CRUCIFIED with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME; and the life which I NOW (present) in the FLESH (this tangible body...that the flesh nature manifests itself) I LIVE BY FAITH (substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things not seen) who LOVED ME...and delivered Himself up for me.

We are dead men walking...but as we identify with the death of Jesus... and relate it to the death of our FLESH...we also identify with the RESURRECTION of Jesus as we are RAISED TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE. (Romans 6:4) This is what is identified in as we get baptized (totally dipped and immersed in water and brought back out again.. Romans 6:1-7) This is what breaks the pattern of slavery to sin. Paul identified with this one time event...D.B.R. and realized that He was killed on the cross with Christ...but he identified with this event...dealt with the flesh daily...as he pointed out in I Cornithians 15:31 "...I die DAILY." We must DEAL with the flesh DAILY...or it will DEAL with us.

4. MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT WALK: If we LIVE by the Spirit...we need to WALK by the Spirit. This is manifested by the way that we treat one another. "Let us NOT become boastfull, challenging one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:26) Walking is putting one foot in front of the other.

5. PROPER MIND SET: We need to renew the mind (Romans 12:1,2)...and we must have a proper MIND SET..."...who do not WALK according to the FLESH, but according to the SPIRIT. For those who according to the FLESH....SET their MINDS on the things of the FLESH, but those who are according to the SPIRIT...the things of the SPIRIT. For the MIND SET on the FLESH is DEATH...but the MIND SET on the SPIRIT IS (a) LIFE (b) PEACE." (Romans 8:5-6) The MIND SET on the FLESH...is HOSTILE towards God. (Romans 8:7/Galatians 5:17)

6. SPIRIT FRUIT: Fruit is the production of ...the produce of...the end result of the SPIRIT. The end result of the outworkings of the FLESH is death. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentelness, and self-control...Against these things...there is NO LAW." (Galatians 5:22,23) Let the fruit grow.

Well...that is it for now. Deal with the flesh...or the flesh will deal with you. The will of God is you to have dominion over the deeds of the flesh.

Thanks
Rodney