Devotionals

Do You See Your Flesh as Crucified?

by Michael Edwards 
09/19/23
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I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Rom 7:18 BSB

When we believe and confess that Jesus is Lord, we are born again. God see’s our flesh as crucified with Christ; our Spirit circumcised from our inherited sin infected flesh. Then God, being outside of time, sees us in Christ now and every promise He makes to us about our eternity is certain.

God calls us to walk by faith in His promises not by sight in the flesh. We are forgiven and our flesh died one time on that cross. Then each day, when the lusts of the flesh try to tempt and drag us into sin (James 1:14-15), we remind ourselves that our flesh is dead. Denial of the demands of our flesh is the only way to victory in this life. The world on the other hand wants to appease the flesh and its inherited sin nature. We all see the rampant symptoms of encouraging the flesh in this world: greed, excess, envy, selfishness, anger, pride, jealousy, covetousness, fornication, slothfulness and pride….

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Rom 8:8 ESV

I admit that seeing our flesh as dead and denying its desires, is not always easy. I am writing this because of a struggle, my flesh using FOMO to try and justify its desire. Denying our flesh can be like denying a spoiled child their demands. Our flesh wants to act out and throw a fit and like the child will come up with every reason to justify and negotiate what it wants. But, just like that child, it always wants more. The more we give in, the more power we give it to manipulate, control and run the show. We can only regain control by always remembering that our flesh was crucified with Christ, prayer and a steadfast NO. Eventually, our flesh will lose the power to manipulate and control us. Faith and continued denial of the flesh gives control over to our Spirit and the fruits of peace, patience, self-control and love.

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Gal 5:24 ESV

Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross. 

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” Luke 22:20