Disciplining the flesh by self control

Call to Prayer

Title: Disciplining the flesh by self control

By: Simon Maina Nuhu

Date: 07.03.2025

²⁷ But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

(1 Corinthians 9:27)

Through the scriptures, we learn that man is of the flesh, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The flesh is the outward man, and is influenced by sin due to the sting of sin acquired after the fall of man in the garden of Eden when man in disobedience ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-24). As a result of this overwhelming influence of sin in the flesh, good no longer exists in the natural flesh of men (Romans 7:18); even though in every carnal man lies the wish to do good, but to deliberately execute that which is good becomes difficult, even impossible because of the power of sin in the flesh. The flesh therefore because of the poison of sin it bears cannot please God, as God is Spirit and Holy (John 4:24, Leviticus 19:2). The flesh can’t meet up with the high spiritual standards of God. So, the flesh is perpetually under the slavery of its master (sin) and always would obey it (Romans 6:20, John 8:34-36).

The spirit of man made alive in Christ is on the other hand, in conformity of obedience to the righteousness of God, and would like to possess a believer. The flesh and the spirit are constantly in fierce contest for dominance over the soul. The Allegory given in Galatians 4:22-31, explains the two women in Abraham’s life; one was Hagar who is a bondwoman (slave), through whom Ishmael was born, and the other is Sarah, the first legitimate wife of Abraham, through whom the promised son Isaac was born. The two women were illustrations of the two covenants (old and new), which tells us that the old covenant was according to the flesh, while the new covenant is according to the spirit, likewise the two Sons Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael persecuting Isaac is also how the flesh frustrates the spirit. The two locations “Mount Sinai and Jerusalem from above” mean that Mount Sinai is earthly, which is of dust as the source of the flesh, while the Jerusalem from above is the source of the spirit. We therefore see that the conflict between the flesh and the spirit is perpetual. In order to live according to the will of God, we need to subject or tame the flesh so that the spirit will gain more expression, and to achieve that, self-control is the tool.

Self-control is the deliberate measure taken to control the excessiveness of the flesh, its lust, and its tendencies. Without self-control, the flesh becomes wild making one extremely unprincipled in the ways of God´s righteousness. There are steps needed to do that, these can be through fasting (Acts 13:2-3, Matthew 6:17-18), intentionally dragging the flesh to the cross for crucifixion (Matthew 16:24, Galatians 2:20; 5:24), always meditating on God’s word (Joshua 1:8, Colossians 3:16, 2 Timothy 2:15), putting on the Lord Jesus (Romans 13:14), mortifying our physical members (Colossians 3:5, Romans 6:19-22), dying daily to the world (1 Corinthians 15:31), exercising the body under subjection and discipline (1 Corinthians 9:27, 2 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 12:5-12).

Prayer point:

Let´s thank God for the word. Let´s also ask Him to help us to persevere.