Mortify the Flesh | Healing Springs Church, Basingstoke

Colossians 3:1-10
Romans 6:1-8
Romans 6:9-14

What did Jesus Christ come to save us from?

What is the flesh?

The sinful (carnal) nature
It is ‘mind and body’ without control by God
It is a combination of an unrenewed mind and an undisciplined body
The stronghold of the flesh is the ego (self-gratification, self-esteem, self-righteousness)
The crucifixion of the ego is achieved by a focus on God rather than self (God-gratification, God-esteem and God-righteousness)
Romans 8:5-11

How can a person die to sin?

The flesh is not born-again!
A mortal body is never dead until it is actual dead physically. This means that your body is always capable of being tempted to sin, sickness and oppression
There’s no point praying that your flesh should die unless you actually want to die physically
It is your spirit that died with Christ and was raised to new life with Christ, Romans 6:1-8, Colossians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17
It is your spirit that is born-again!
You cannot ask God to do for you what He told you to do through Him: you have the personal responsibility to mortify (crucify) the flesh (sinful nature)
The only way to mortify (crucify) the flesh is to let your born-again spirit dominate (assume total control) over your ‘mind and body’
You achieve this by ‘knowing, reckoning and yielding’, Romans 6:9-14
You have to know that you died with Christ (in the spirit) and was raised with Christ (in the spirit); you know this by feeding on the Word
You have to reckon ( consider, meditate, believe [identify with] and confess [speak, command] ) yourself dead to sin and alive unto righteousness
You have to yield your members (‘mind and body’) unto God as instruments of righteousness
You have to dominate (assume total control) over your ‘mind and body’
Once you believe the Word, you’ve got to speak it to your ‘mind and body’ continuously. This releases the power to quicken your whole being unto good health and good works, Romans 8:11, 10:10

What does it mean to mortify the flesh?

You (spirit) are to dominate the flesh!
You present it, you subject it, you control it and you dominate it
Don’t let your body dominate you (telling you what to do). Instead you (spirit) dominate it by telling it what it should do
Mortifying the flesh is also known as self-control!
You cannot successfully mortify the flesh (the sinful nature) until you lay down your ego (pride and selfishness) at the cross and begin to yield yourself fully to the Word and the Spirit
Laying down your ego is a continuous process, 1 Corinthians 15:31, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20
You cannot mortify your flesh without the continuous renewal of your mind with the Word
Only the Word of God (truth: sound doctrine based on a balanced knowledge of the Word) can save your soul (putting your mind, will and emotions under control and in excellent state of well-being), James 1:21, John 17:17

How can your spirit assume total control over your body?

How can a person live by faith?

Lay down your ego (the promotion or protection of your self-esteem/self-righteousness/self-gratification) at the cross, Galatians 2:20
Humble your Self before the Lord, James 4:10
Believe with your heart the Word, Romans 10:9-10
Confess with your mouth the Word, Romans 10:9-10
Obey (act in line) with the Word, James 2:14, 26
Yield to the Holy Spirit, Romans 6:13, Galatians 5:16-18
Practice quick repentance: Don’t let sin linger, 1 John 1:8-9
Pray in tongues, Jude 1:20
Pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:16
Walk in Love and persevere in Hope, 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Practice praise and thanksgiving, 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Practice generous giving, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Commit yourself to doing the will of God, in everything
Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness in all things
Don’t live for self; rather live for the glory of God (glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s property), 1 Corinthians 6:20
Your journey towards self-control starts with walking in love, Galatians 5:22-23

2021: A Year of Sanctification