"Remove And Add - Part 2"

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." Romans 7:18

Yesterday I talked about my battle plan for mortifying my flesh. I call it "21 days to discipline". This morning I want to talk about it again but I want to clarify, lest anyone misunderstands, that this is not some "magic formula". It is not a "one time fix it all". At the end of the 21 days I will still have my flesh to contend with. I am not saying that at the end of the 21 days I won't ever have any problem with my flesh again. That just is not true. As long as we live in these fleshly bodies we will always have to mortify their deeds.

There are no formulas-- no A, B ,Cs and 1, 2, 3s - that take care of your battles with the flesh once and for all. There are no "3 steps to victory". All these are are guidelines to help you develop more discipline in your life.

When we have unruly or disobedient children, we have to chastise them. If we are constant with our correction, it will produce in them submissive and obedient action. But that does not mean they won't ever be disobedient again in the future. Our flesh is like an unruly child that has to be disciplined as well.

These guidelines help us recognize the areas that we are weak in and develop a habit of dealing with them. As we develop this habit through repetition (in this case repeatedly for 21 days), we will immediately deal with the flesh when it tries to rule again at another time, instead of putting it off because of lack of discipline.

The only way to walk in total victory is through submission and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in your life. Victory over the flesh comes by following Him and allowing Him to change you into His image. Disciplining our flesh through mortifying its deeds is all part of that process. So following guidelines is all right if it will develop those disciplines in you, but they don't "quick fix" anything. They just train you in how to deal with the flesh when it tries to rule.

Have a great day. There are no "quick fixes" to mortifying the flesh. It takes daily discipline and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

For further reading:

Matthew 6:33; 16:24
1 Corinthians 15:31

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

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