9 August 2026

THE FIRST ENEMY – THE FLESH

(Spiritual Warfare: SW 16)

There are three enemies the Christian faces daily: the flesh, the world and the devil. We will deal with the first, which is the FLESH.

THE FLESH is the sinful nature, sometimes referred as “the old man” or old Adamic nature manifesting itself in lust: the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes. The former is the intense sinful desire for pleasure, worldly and sensual things resulting in greed or covetousness. The latter is the eye gate which is attracted by “beautiful things” causing the mind and heart to desire possession. Eve looked at the forbidden fruit and thought “it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate” (Gen.3:6). The devil still uses the same trick to lure people into sin and sinful actions.

The weakness of the flesh is seen in that it is easily deceived and tempted by the devil to fall into sin. The flesh is under bondage to Satan and cannot free itself because of its helpless state. Hence our Lord said “The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). Paul testified that he was under such bondage that he despaired of his “deathly” habits:“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice…O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom.7:18-19, 24-25).

What the flesh does is to fill the mind with sinful thoughts and desires. Hence the Word of God concludes: “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires…The mind of sinful man is death… (for) the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God” (Rom.8:5-8). The devil seeks to influence our mind with wrong thoughts and values so that we will pursue what is displeasing to God. Through this he keeps us in sinful bondage.

But when a person repents of his sins and by faith commits his life totally to acknowledge Christ as his Lord, a miraculous transformation takes place in his life: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he becomes a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come” (2 Cor.5:17). He is born again of the Holy Spirit into God’s family and God replaces his old nature with His divine nature. Hence Peter says: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet.1:3-4). In submitting to the Lordship of Christ and control of His Holy Spirit, we will have victory. Hence the promise: “Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh…Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal.5:16,25). That is walking in victory!

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