Mortify the Flesh

Mortify the Flesh Don't Let the Flesh Occupy What Belongs to the Lord! DON'T LET YOUR HEART FAINT! Learning to Walk by Faith, Mortify the Flesh, and Live for the Glory of Jesus Deuteronomy 20:1–9, 16–18 This message emphasizes the necessity of living by faith rather than allowing fear and the desires of the flesh to govern our lives. As Israel prepared to enter battle and possess the land God had promised, the Lord repeatedly warned them not to faint, fear, tremble, or become terrified. Their confidence was not to rest in their own strength or military ability but in the presence and faithfulness of the God who had delivered them from Egypt. Fear becomes dangerous when we give it greater authority than what God has said. Through the examples of Gideon, Joshua, Caleb, and John Mark, we see that God can strengthen fearful people, restore those who have failed, and accomplish extraordinary things through ordinary servants who trust Him. The message also examines the seven nations of Canaan as illustrations of the tendencies of our fallen nature. These pictures reveal a progression in which fear produces a craving for acceptance, acceptance encourages self-promotion, self-promotion opens the door to compromise, and compromise leads to self-centeredness, selfish ambition, and an earthbound life. Though these associations are illustrative rather than established meanings of every nation's name, they help expose how the flesh attempts to govern our thoughts, relationships, and priorities. Scripture teaches that the flesh cannot be overcome through human determination alone. We must mortify its sinful desires through the power of the Holy Spirit. Rather than making provi