THE FLESH FIGHTER PRINCIPLE

Hello Sunshine. Are you at the end of your rope? Have you failed again? Have you lost your temper to the point of yelling at your family, your dog, and even at yourself? Have you been around that mountain of the sin that so easily besets you so many times that they have carved your face in it and called Mount (fill in your with your name and the word more...ie. Mount Rodmore? Do the deeds of flesh control you instead of you controlling the deeds? Is that what's bothering you boopie?

WELL NEVER FEAR..HELP IS HERE. THERE IS HOPE...AS LONG AS YOU ARE BREATHING...SO NEVER GIVE UP...NEVER GIVE UP...NEVER GIVE UP THAT SHIP!!!!

Some of you recognize the parody of that old commercial...some wonder what's going on...but the bottom line is...you have taken the test...and come up lacking. You have tested yourself to see if you are in the faith...and the early reported Poll results have shown that the mountain wins.

Fear not...there is help. As you do not give up...as you wrap your hands around the pelican that is attempting to swallow you alive...as you begin to speak to that mountain instead of going around it for 40+ years...as you raise up your weapons and declare FREEEEEEEEEEDOM....God will met you.



The desire for your vineyard...is to replace rotten fruit of the deeds of the flesh with plump, luscious, plentiful, baskets full of the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.

"It was for FREEDOM that CHRIST (the anointed one, anointed with yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing power of the Holy Spirit) set us FREE; therefore KEEP STANDING FIRM and DO NOT BE SUBJECT AGAIN to a YOKE OF SLAVERY." (Galatians 5:1)

Remember that we started out his series with a TEST.

"TEST YOURSELVES to see IF you are in THE FAITH...EXAMINE YOURSELVES! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is IN YOU--unless indeed you fail the test." (II Corinthians 13:5)

"Rodney...I'm glad God does not grade me on a curve...but on a cross."
(Bruce Coble)

Let it be know...that everything...anything we get from God...or any position, relationship, test...is based on His mercy and grace. Grace is unmerited favor, free gift, divine influence in the heart manifested in the life.

The question is..."How can I maintain this thing called FREEDOM."

Jesus said in John 15:7 "If you abide(continue) in Me...and My words abide (continue) in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done unto you." This statement comes in a teaching about Jesus being the Vine and we are the branches and that apart from Him we can do nothing. It is a teaching about FRUIT PRODUCTION. The answer to your TEST RESULTS...is your relationship with THE VINE. Growth of fruit is based on where you are rooted...and how we...with the help of the Holy Spirit...cultivate the vineyard.

The fruit of the Spirit...is manifested in our lives. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness Gentleness and Self-Control. Each aspect...each characteristic...as they grow in us...replaces those deeds of the flesh, where we so often fail the test.

The deeds of the flesh...are evident. They are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. The warning: Those who PRACTICE such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) The kingdom of God being defined as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17)

Paul laid out the groundwork for PASSING THE TEST. "I have been crucified WITH Christ, and it is no longer I who lives...but CHRIST LIVES IN ME...and the life that I NOW LIVE...I live by FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD...who loved me and delivered Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20). It's all about Him baby, it's all about Him.

"For you were CALLED TO FREEDOM, brethren; only do not turn your freedom INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH...but through LOVE... SERVE ONE ANOTHER."

NOTE: There is a direct link to closing the door on the opportunity for the flesh... by manifesting your faith (that works through love/Gal. 5:6)...by laying down your life and serving others. It's hard to walk in the flesh when you are serving Jesus by serving others.

Paul gives us another key to passing the test..."But I say...WALK BY THE SPIRIT...and you will NOT carry out the DESIRE OF THE FLESH."
Galatians 5:16)

Here's the PROBLEM..."For the FLESH sets its desire against the SPIRIT and the SPIRIT against the FLESH....for these are in OPPOSITION TO ONE ANOTHER...so that you MAY NOT do the things that you PLEASE."
(Galatians5:17) Remember Romans 7 where Paul talks about the conflict of wanna do versus the don't do. His solution in that scenario was THANKS BE TO CHRIST JESUS.

There is something that WE DO. First we have FAITH...not in our faith...but in Jesus...who was the exact representation of the Father. Faith in the D.B.R....and the Galatians 2:20 Principle. But faith without works is dead...so we are involved in the process. "Now those who belong to Christ (that would be you)...have crucified the FLESH with it's passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24) That does not mean that we have to whip up on ourselves and suffer...but it does mean that BY FAITH...we die daily to our deeds of the flesh (I Corinthians 15:31).

"If we live by the Spirit...let us WALK by the SPIRIT. A walk is our life...our patterns...our lifestyle.

When you TEST YOURSELF to see if you are in the faith. When you examine yourself...and find your self lacking...or failing the test...John has some good advice. "...walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to FORGIVE us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:7-10) We are encouraged NOT TO SIN (or be entangled to the deeds of the flesh)...but then quickly points out that IF we do sin...we have an ADVOCATE with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous...and He Himself is the PROPITIATION (substitute/satisfaction) for our sins, and not only ours, but also for those of the whole world." (I John 2:1,2).

Well...thanks for hanging in there for this series on THE TEST. I hope it challenged you to live the life...and at the same time see that you really can't live the life except through Him. "If then you have been raised up with Christ, KEEP SEEKING the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. SET YOUR MIND on the things above, not on the things that are on EARTH. For you have died and your life is HIDDEN WITH CHRIST IN GOD. When Christ, who is our life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory."
(Colossians 3:1-4)

Love and A+ Kisses
Rodney "Graded On The Cross" Boyd