Every human loves pleasures be it godly or godly.But for
believers in Christ Jesus,we have to discipline ourselves to resist all
urge for ungodly pleasures.
Apostle Paul declared in Colossians 3:1-5,
"IF YE THEN BE RISEN WITH CHRIST,SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE...SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE,NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.FOR YE ARE DEAD,AND YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD...MORTIFY THEREFORE YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE UPON THE EARTH;FORNICATION,UNCLEANNESS,INORDINATE AFFECTION ..."
Hmmm!Was this man spewing rubbish?Nope!!
He said our body members are FORNICATION,UNCLEANNESS,INORDINATE AFFECTION etc.
These are serious issues.They are in our flesh.They are our members(desires).
WHO DOESN'T DESIRE TO HAVE UNLIMITED FUN?
WHO DOESN'T DESIRE A FREE LIFE TO DO WHATEVER PLEASES THE FLESH?
WHO DOESN'T DESIRE TO HAVE MAXIMUM SEXUAL SATISFACTION OUTSIDE THE WILL OF GOD?
We are humans after all and have these weakness be it big or small.Some might shy away from it.But many are struggling with one kind of weakness or the other.
Do I face temptation?Sure I do more than many.I remember a beautiful lady who came to offer me free sex in my office and no one was there.I could have done it and just apply the blood of Jesus to cover up.But I just use wisdom to talk her out of her momentarily insanity.
But Paul told us what to do with these ugly headed members.He said,
"MORTIFY THEREFORE YOUR MEMBERS.."
MORTIFY means to kill,paralyze,deaden,render ineffective etc.That is what you do to these evil members in our bodies.You render them impotent.
Some believe in sanctification as REMOVAL OF ADAMIC NATURE FROM MAN WHEREBY A MAN BECOMES SINLESS.
I believed such in those days also.But I started challenging those believes when I see my leaders getting angry and showing some nasty behaviours.Also, when I started seeing my mind entertaining lustful thoughts.I asked myself then even though I was three years in the Lord,IF THIS ADAMIC NATURE HAD BEEN REMOVED WHERE DID THESE ONES COME FROM?
I have to go back to the Bible to study hard.
I then discovered I need to heed Romans 12:1-2,
"I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE,BRETHREN BY THE MERCIES OF GOD,THAT YE PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE,HOLY ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD,WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE.AND BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD:BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND,THAT YE MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD,AND ACCEPTABLE,AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD"
I then understood I had a lot of work to do by renewing and transforming my mind with The Word of God and godly materials.As a three years old in Christ,I took my Bible serious and invested money in buying books that will help me mortify the members.The following books really helped me then.
PIGS IN THE PARLOUR
HOW TO DEFEAT DEMONS by Ralph Mahoney
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND
SEDUCTION EXPOSED by Gareth or so
PREPARE FOR WAR by Rebekah Brown MD
OCCULT GRANDMASTER NOW IN CHRIST by Nathan Iyke Uzorma
WHY REVIVAL TARRIES by A.W Tozer
BORN TWICE by Kalu Abosi
Books by Oswald J. Smith
Books by Kurt Koch
Books by Heaven U. Heaven
Through the Bible and these books,I was able to mortify those members.Do I slip atimes?Yes.With time I mastered the ARTS OF CONTROLLING THE MIND.
Your body is not born again.Your spirit is.You must learn to padlock those desires by strong discipline and keeping in mind the consequence of such acts.There are many who truly love God but are entangled in the cobweb of sin.Your love lacks knowledge and discipline.Let's hear from the great apostle again,
"BUT I KEEP UNDER MY BODY,AND BRING IT INTO SUBJECTION:LEST THAT BY ANY MEANS,WHEN I HAVE PREACHED TO OTHERS,I MYSELF SHOULD BE A CAST AWAY" 1Cor.9:27
Are you greater than him?The war against sin is a daily exercise.You must subject fleshy desires to God's Word.God says you can't,then you shouldn't.
Did Jesus the perfect Master struggled against sin?Yes,He did.But He knew the consequence of falling into such.
"FOR WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES:BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE,YET WITHOUT SIN" Heb.4:15
He stood His ground against sin.We must to.For every sin,there is a consequence.REPENTANCE DOES NOT COUNCIL THE CONSEQUENCE OF SIN.Be careful.
You can overcome sin as He did.He has given us the power which must be used with complete discipline.
"FOR SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU..."Rom.6:14
Run away from sin.Fill your mind with godly things.Avoid sensual and sexual things.Consecrate yourself unto God.Put this in mind.NO SINNER WILL INHERIT GOD'S KINGDOM,NO MATTER HOW SMALL THAT SIN MAY BE.
Jesus still remains,
THE CHIEF SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE UNIVERSE.
Apostle Paul declared in Colossians 3:1-5,
"IF YE THEN BE RISEN WITH CHRIST,SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE...SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE,NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.FOR YE ARE DEAD,AND YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD...MORTIFY THEREFORE YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE UPON THE EARTH;FORNICATION,UNCLEANNESS,INORDINATE AFFECTION ..."
Hmmm!Was this man spewing rubbish?Nope!!
He said our body members are FORNICATION,UNCLEANNESS,INORDINATE AFFECTION etc.
These are serious issues.They are in our flesh.They are our members(desires).
WHO DOESN'T DESIRE TO HAVE UNLIMITED FUN?
WHO DOESN'T DESIRE A FREE LIFE TO DO WHATEVER PLEASES THE FLESH?
WHO DOESN'T DESIRE TO HAVE MAXIMUM SEXUAL SATISFACTION OUTSIDE THE WILL OF GOD?
We are humans after all and have these weakness be it big or small.Some might shy away from it.But many are struggling with one kind of weakness or the other.
Do I face temptation?Sure I do more than many.I remember a beautiful lady who came to offer me free sex in my office and no one was there.I could have done it and just apply the blood of Jesus to cover up.But I just use wisdom to talk her out of her momentarily insanity.
But Paul told us what to do with these ugly headed members.He said,
"MORTIFY THEREFORE YOUR MEMBERS.."
MORTIFY means to kill,paralyze,deaden,render ineffective etc.That is what you do to these evil members in our bodies.You render them impotent.
Some believe in sanctification as REMOVAL OF ADAMIC NATURE FROM MAN WHEREBY A MAN BECOMES SINLESS.
I believed such in those days also.But I started challenging those believes when I see my leaders getting angry and showing some nasty behaviours.Also, when I started seeing my mind entertaining lustful thoughts.I asked myself then even though I was three years in the Lord,IF THIS ADAMIC NATURE HAD BEEN REMOVED WHERE DID THESE ONES COME FROM?
I have to go back to the Bible to study hard.
I then discovered I need to heed Romans 12:1-2,
"I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE,BRETHREN BY THE MERCIES OF GOD,THAT YE PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE,HOLY ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD,WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE.AND BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD:BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND,THAT YE MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD,AND ACCEPTABLE,AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD"
I then understood I had a lot of work to do by renewing and transforming my mind with The Word of God and godly materials.As a three years old in Christ,I took my Bible serious and invested money in buying books that will help me mortify the members.The following books really helped me then.
PIGS IN THE PARLOUR
HOW TO DEFEAT DEMONS by Ralph Mahoney
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND
SEDUCTION EXPOSED by Gareth or so
PREPARE FOR WAR by Rebekah Brown MD
OCCULT GRANDMASTER NOW IN CHRIST by Nathan Iyke Uzorma
WHY REVIVAL TARRIES by A.W Tozer
BORN TWICE by Kalu Abosi
Books by Oswald J. Smith
Books by Kurt Koch
Books by Heaven U. Heaven
Through the Bible and these books,I was able to mortify those members.Do I slip atimes?Yes.With time I mastered the ARTS OF CONTROLLING THE MIND.
Your body is not born again.Your spirit is.You must learn to padlock those desires by strong discipline and keeping in mind the consequence of such acts.There are many who truly love God but are entangled in the cobweb of sin.Your love lacks knowledge and discipline.Let's hear from the great apostle again,
"BUT I KEEP UNDER MY BODY,AND BRING IT INTO SUBJECTION:LEST THAT BY ANY MEANS,WHEN I HAVE PREACHED TO OTHERS,I MYSELF SHOULD BE A CAST AWAY" 1Cor.9:27
Are you greater than him?The war against sin is a daily exercise.You must subject fleshy desires to God's Word.God says you can't,then you shouldn't.
Did Jesus the perfect Master struggled against sin?Yes,He did.But He knew the consequence of falling into such.
"FOR WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES:BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE,YET WITHOUT SIN" Heb.4:15
He stood His ground against sin.We must to.For every sin,there is a consequence.REPENTANCE DOES NOT COUNCIL THE CONSEQUENCE OF SIN.Be careful.
You can overcome sin as He did.He has given us the power which must be used with complete discipline.
"FOR SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU..."Rom.6:14
Run away from sin.Fill your mind with godly things.Avoid sensual and sexual things.Consecrate yourself unto God.Put this in mind.NO SINNER WILL INHERIT GOD'S KINGDOM,NO MATTER HOW SMALL THAT SIN MAY BE.
Jesus still remains,
THE CHIEF SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE UNIVERSE.