Spirit Over Flesh
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Introduction
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So then brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8; 5-8,12-17
As children of the Lord we acknowledge that he is our creator and provider and sincerely desire to fulfill the purpose for which he created us. Our Lord has granted each of us the gift of free will by which we can choose to be obedient to the Holy Spirit or to be obedient to our flesh with its needs and desires. A true love of God means that we surrender ourselves to be led by the Spirit of the Lord that dwells in his word and within us. It is only after we have experienced the transformation of the children of God that we can die to self and be re-born to a new life of obedience in the Spirit. As Christians we must all come to experience the transformation which is the re-birth of the spirit so that we are obedient to the Holy Spirit rather than to our flesh and its needs. As we venture through life we often find ourselves at crossroads where we have to make a choice either to be led by the Spirit or by the flesh. This book hopes to open our eyes to the Lords will as it is clearly stated in his word. We will also come to understand some of the tools the Lord has given us to inform us, instruct us, strengthen us and enable us be re-born of the spirit. It is our Lord’s desire that we be united with him each and every day until we meet to part no more at the end of time. Our Lord is our shepherd and as his humble sheep we must answer his call willingly so we experience the transformation of born of flesh to born of spirit. Let us all answer the call of salvation and come receive the grace that is ours on account of our faith in a risen Christ, so that we are empowered to lay down our flesh and live according to the Spirit. As children of God, we must understand why sin can no longer separate us from our salvation because of the grace earned us by Christ’s crucifixion. It is now our faith and not obedience to the Law that earns us the grace freely given by our Lord that grants us our salvation. As children of the light, we have conquered darkness and by the grace of our Lord, sin no longer has power over us. Come, and let us take a walk together for a while as we discover the Spirit, the flesh and the tools available to us as children of God, to win the victory of ‘Spirit over Flesh’, for only then can we truly be children of God. Roman’s 6:14 for sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under the law, but under grace.
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About the Book
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident; sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”.
–– Galatians 5:16-24
This book will enlightens us on how we can lay down our flesh and live according to the Spirit, despite a world that is ever-changing, given to its every whim and intent on fulfilling every desire of the flesh as it presents itself. Come, let us take a walk together for a while as we discover the Spirit, the flesh and the tools available to us as children of God, to win the victory of Spirit over Flesh, for only then can we truly be called children of God.
About the Author
Ovy Adeleye M.D is a pediatrician who lives in Natchitoches, Louisiana. She is married to Olusegun Adeleye M.D a fellow pediatrician and is mother to three wonderful children, Olufunke, Olutunmike and Olutobi. During a recent trip to her home country Nigeria she sustained a spine, femoral and hip fracture in a road traffic accident. Throughout her healing experience she continues to return to encounter Christ first hand at the foot of the cross. This book is as a result of one of those encounters.