THE SHRINE OF THE FLESH

GALATIANS 5:16-21

INTRODUCTION

The most difficult thing in life is for one to know oneself. The easiest person to deceive is oneself. The worst, fraud in life is to be self-deceived. Many people actively deceive themselves daily. God says “Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction, the one who sows to please the Spirit from Spirit will reap eternal life” Gal.6:7-8).

Self-awareness is very important. “The unexplored life is not worth living” (Socrates). Some people in the church know within themselves that they are not on the path to heaven at all, yet they pretend.

Let Us Learn:-

I.  WHAT IS A SHRINE?

• A shrine is not a strange thing in Africa because, in many communities, there are shrines where people worship every time.
• A shrine could be a tree, forest, stone, river, a room etc. where worship and sacrifice are done.
• God is in the business of disqualifying men and women when they do not meet His standards.
• Each person has a personal shrine which he/she worship every day.
• Some people spend hours in the bathroom every morning trying to worship this shrine.
• We all try to feed this shrine of the flesh at least three times a day.
• This shrine of the flesh complains at every little inconvenience. It hates any form of discomfort.

II.   UNDERSTANDING THE SHRINE OF THE FLESH.

• 90% of what many people carry about are materials used to worship this shrine of the flesh.
• A comb for the hair of the shrine, a mirror to watch the shrine, lipstick to give it some red colour, extra shoes, chains, rings, handbags and briefcases of materials and some food to feed the shrine and a small Bible to read to the shrine.
• If you want an increase of Christ in your life, there must be a decrease in self.
• Madness is to increase your speed where you have already lost your way. Feeding the shrine of the flesh is death.
• You want Kenya to change or others to change, but you are not ready to change yourself.
• God says “Lay aside the shrine called self or God will lay you aside”
• Don’t compare yourself to others or compare yourself to yourself– “The battle is not for the strong, neither the race for the swift, food does not come to the wise, or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned, but time and chance, happen to them all” (Eccl.9:11-12)
• Life is not about how fast you go, but how well you do it. Lay aside the shrine of the flesh and let God use you.
• The Bible says “ I live to die, I die to live, the more I die the more I live” (Phil.3:7, Eph.5:1-7)
• The more the shrine of the flesh dies, the more God rises up in your life.
• Our greatest enemy is not the devil, witches and wizards but the flesh.
• If we die to the flesh, even Satan will flee away.

III. THE FLESH IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS NO MERCY

• The flesh is a harder problem to deal with than the devil.
• We fight four basic enemies

1. Sin – The Bible says “For he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21)
2. The world systems – (John 16:33, I John 2:15-17)
3. The devil – Resist the devil after you have submitted to God and the devil will flee (James 4:7)
4. The shrine called the flesh – Crucify it, die to the flesh.

• We need to deal with selfishness in our lives.
• Selfishness is when we put ourselves first in our lives.
• Selfishness is when the self is on the throne, it breeds indiscipline, boasting, stubbornness, rebellion, covetousness, laziness, restless and procrastination.
• If you don’t pull down this shrine, the Lord disqualifies you from the battlefront and eventually the kingdom of God.

IV.  HOW TO LIVE A LIFE OF MISERY.

• Always be thinking about yourself and your achievements.
• Always be thinking about yourself alone. Do not think of helping others.
• Use words “I” as often as possible.
• Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others.
• Always listen greedily to what they about you
• Always be suspicious.
• Expect to be appreciated for everything you do.
• Be sensitive to any small insult, never forgive others.
• Love yourself above all else- Live for self

CONCLUSION: PRAYER

• Power of the cross, crucify my flesh in the Name of Jesus,
• Every power of the flesh in my destiny, die in the Name of Jesus,
• Any material from my body in the kingdom of darkness, disappear by fire, in the Name of Jesus.
• I now crucify my flesh, I die to self, love God and serve others- In Jesus Name