The flesh is a characteristic of our human nature that can be cruel and mischievous.
It can play games with our minds, causing doubt through fear, confusion through lust, and discouragement through apathy.
However, the flesh can also be overcome by God’s Spirit in those who seek Him with all their heart.
For example, in 2 Corinthians 3:2-3, we are told that “through the power of God’s might” we should break off “fleshly [weapons] from our bodies.”
These weapons include anger or resentment we may hold towards others as well as any sinful desires within us.
Christian living is a process of growing up in the Lord and becoming more like Christ. Thus, we are not to let our old man rule our thoughts, words, and deeds (see Col. 3:5).
However, when we are faced with difficult situations, the flesh can often be an ally of the enemy, allowing us to give up or give in.
In this way, we need to learn how to combat the flesh through prayer. Prayer is the language of heaven (see Eph. 2:18).
It is the manner in which we communicate with the Father and His Spirit.
When we pray, we are communicating to the Lord our most heartfelt desires, along with praise and worship, so that we can fulfill His will and purpose for our lives.
Learning how to pray according to God’s will is one of the most important things a Christian can do. Many Christians fail to realize that our fleshly nature constantly pulls us towards sin, just as gravity pulls physical objects towards the earth.
Thus, when one is not spiritually alert, he or she is easily influenced by this strong force. In order to overcome its power over us, it is necessary for us to resist its pull through prayer. J
esus teaches us to pray “Thy will be done” (see Matt. 6:10). When we pray this way, we are not only resisting the flesh but also asking God to mold us according to his will.
As we continue praying in this manner, our fleshly natures should decrease and begin to bear the fruit of holiness within us (see Gal. 5:22-23).
We must beware of an unbalanced life in which the flesh is allowed to rule our minds because it can lead us into despondency and depression.
For example, if a believer gives in to lustful thoughts he has been resisting for days or weeks, it may cause him to become so discouraged that he quits trying altogether. In addition to allowing the flesh to rule our thoughts, we often allow it to rule our actions. For example, if a man is under the influence of lustful thoughts he has been resisting for days or weeks, it may cause him to become so discouraged that he quits trying altogether. This is because he has lost control of his body and mind. Thus, without prayer and God’s power, it will be almost impossible for him to overcome this fleshly influence and turn his life around. However, through prayer, we can overcome our fleshly natures so that we no longer have difficulty with lustful thoughts or sinful desires within us.
