Faith or Flesh?

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:1-11

The Bible talks about the other temptations Satan tries enticing Jesus with, so let’s break it down. Satan said, “If you’ll bow down and worship me I’ll give you all of this.” (Matt 4:9). Has the enemy ever tried to rule your life? Have you ever found yourself not knowing where to go or what to do? Have you ever heard the enemy whisper alluring worldly pleasures to you? Everyone has been tempted, Scripture even says in Romans chapter three verse twenty- three, “For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” It is no new thing that you are tempted, our Lord and Savior was too. He was tempted in his life here on earth just like we are today, but scripture says, “Yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15). Scripture says in Matthew chapter twenty-six verse thirty-nine: “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Scripture proves his spirit was strong, but his flesh was weak. He was saying it’s not his will, but his Fathers will. Our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak. We see in Matthew chapter twenty six verse forty: “And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” We may find ourself asking God to do this in our life or to take us places in your ministry, but who is in control in your life, the spirit or the flesh? My spirit says, “I am ready sign me up”, but my flesh isn’t willing to do the work. I’ve never understood why that is but in Matthew it lays it out perfectly. We find that even his flesh was weak.

The apostle Paul says 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen verse thirty-one: “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” In order to strengthen our spirit over our flesh we must die out daily because if we don’t our spirit will die out. Our flesh would take over acting as captain of our lives. If your flesh leads it will take you down paths a follower of Christ should never trod.

Kill the flesh, let it die out to faith because we must have faith. We must have faith in God. We must believe no matter how big our mountain, he has the answer waiting on the other side. Matthew chapter seventeen verse twenty says, "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” God has given you the power and ability to reach the lost just as the disciples. We have the Authority over any power of darkness if we will call the name of: Jesus. We as the children of God, engrafted into the body of Christ, have the power. When you go through hard times and your flesh tries taking over, turn to God and give him everything. Put your life in the hands of him who formed you!

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10