Fearlessly Courageous
From the Desk of Dennis Piller
8 2 2023
Press in with faith and CRUCIFY the flesh!
What does Crucifying the flesh” mean? Listen to one of Spurgeon’s prayers: “Gracious Father, daily remind me that crucifying the flesh is a slow and painful process only brought about by Your Spirit’s power.”
Every day we must put to death “the acts of the flesh,” such as sexual immorality, hatred, and jealousy—The bible list a host of offenses.
Such sins wage war on our souls and play havoc with our relationships.
Part of the prophecy yesterday said, “Sometimes it hurts to let go of a good thing YOU want for the higher things of the Spirit. Press in with faith. Press in and crucify the flesh.”
What is it that’s keeping you from “Stopping and listening to God?” I know people who are so proud of their walk they start to walk with a certain inner pride… not quite conceited but growing pride is a perfect stroke of Satan. We are walking uprightly and Satan temps us to be a little conceited in the Spirit. Maybe it’s just not feeling compelled to stay in prayer or in his word. Paul often warned about that!
Paul says we are called to liberty. But in Gal 5:13 he says it isn’t a license to feed the hunger of the flesh.
I am praying through what the Lord is asking of me through praying and fasting. I want to know. I want to be in line with Christ and His plans for me. But that means we are not to just kill the flesh. G.E. Watkins lays it out painfully clear: He said:
“ Not pound the flesh, beat, or smash it.
Not kill, murder, or massacre.
BUT CRUCIFY!
Have you pondered the intensity involved in what Paul is saying?
Why did Paul say, “CRUCIFY the flesh?”
Because he wanted us to think about what was done to Jesus, is what must be done to the works of the flesh. Ps. 22:1-7
The crucifixion was a concentrated effort to embarrass, silence, discredit, and eradicate Jesus. That is what Satan wants to do with you and me!
But we spend way too much time living on the edge of sin.
- Many are “close enough” Christians.
1) Not really modest but “close enough.”
2) Not really sober but “close enough.”
3) Not really clean of speech but “close enough.”
4) Close enough that we don’t think that anyone will call us on it.
a. We only tell “white” lies.
b. We say “bless his heart” when we gossip about someone.
c. We only speed when we really “need” to.
d. We’re only really immodest when we’re at the beach”.
I don’t know what “close enough” is holding you back from the breakthrough you have been praying for. Or what that dream or vision has been for you, but I know His word to me says “The deeper waters are RIGHT BEFORE YOU! FAST AND PRAY AND CRUCIFY YOUR FLESH”, so you can get in alignment with His plan for you. Jer 29:11 “Clean out your sanctuary” Surrender it all!
- “But flee from [sinful actions], you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11)
- (1 Corinthians 9:27) “But I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.“
But this isn’t just about this New Something He wants to do with you. It’s more! •(Romans 8:13) “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live”
Romans 6:16. “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness” (This slavery always leads to a destructive lifestyle and deteriorated living. As the prophet Hosea said, “For they sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7).
Susanna Wesley, mother to the great preachers and hymn writers John and Charles Wesley, described sin and the flesh this way: “Whatever weakens your reasoning, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes away your relish for spiritual things, in short—if anything increases the authority and the power of the flesh over the Spirit, that to you becomes sin however good it is in itself.”
His prophecy concludes with: “Surrender everything and let me give you a fresh look – and a fresh vision. Let me give you a clear direction.
Stop and wait on me!”
I know he is stretching us. But I promise the fruit and the joy will be unmistakably… Jesus!
Excerpts from – How to Crucify the Flesh
By G. E. Watkins
