Spirit verses Flesh - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

The difference between the Truth and lies is the difference between spirit and flesh. The spirit strives to be one with its Creator while the flesh is only concerned about taking care of its needs. The needs of the flesh are much more like addictions. They come from basic needs that humans and animals have, and so form the carnal nature. But when these needs turn into excesses, then they become addictions that the flesh must have or suffer through withdrawal symptoms.

One basic need, such as food, when taken in excess and not in moderation, leads the soul into the sin of gluttony. Another basic need is sex, and when sex runs rampant in the flesh, it brings about the sin of fornication and with it the destruction of the flesh. Every human needs to eat and YHVH created us with a desire for procreation. It is not the need that is the sin, for then YHVH would have caused us to sin, but rather the abuse of the need.

The way we are raised and how we are taught growing up are vitally important because this is where we learn how to appease the desires of the flesh. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) By being taught that we do not have boundaries causes us to indulge ourselves more than we should. Then when how we indulged ourselves no longer fulfills the desires of the flesh, then we must indulge even more. And the pattern continues until the addiction is a death trap.

Every human has a thorn in the flesh. Paul talked about his when he wrote, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of HaSatan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought YHVH thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

Now what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was, we do not know. Some have imagined it to be his eyesight, but that is the tradition of men as well as adding to the Scriptures. Any speculation would be totally extra-Scriptural.
But each of us have a thorn in the flesh. It is the way that HaSatan can have access to your mind which is your soul and cause it to be diverted from the truth and focused on taking care of the needs of the flesh. Our Father and Creator knew that we would have these issues and has provided remedies to these so that we can take care of these needs and not have to worry about constant struggles with the flesh.

Some of this aid comes from the aid of our fellow believers, and this is why the Scriptures tell us to, “Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.” (James 5:16 ASV 1901) By our fellow brothers and sisters in the Messiah knowing exactly what we struggle with, they are able to give help and support to fight off the wiles of the Devil. It is easier to fight HaSatan off when we do have help.

Other struggles are the types that require different approaches to fighting off the Devil depending upon what we struggle with exactly. Sexual temptations require the assistance of a spouse who can help you take care of your needs. Today we see so many people being crushed under the addiction of the flesh to sex. And instead of following the way the Father and Creator designed sex to be taken care of, we force people to deal with sex on their own refusing to follow the Almighty’s stewardship on this point. It is because the truth was deviated from and for this cause, so many have perished under the weight of the sexual addiction.

YHVH’s design was for marriage to take care of the needs of the sexual desire of the flesh. But the sexual desires of the flesh begin with adolescence, and in our “modern civilized” society, we have rendered adolescence as part of childhood. Throughout Scripture, a child became a spiritual adult when they reached adolescence, and as such were now expected to follow and be held accountable to the Law of YHVH. Even as late as a hundred years ago, twelve and thirteen year olds were getting married and having families.

So just as we have become more modern and more civilized, we have gradually pushed back the age of marriage further and further simply because as a culture, we have deemed teenagers as children and as such they are incapable of the mental capacity to think or act as an adult. Even now in modern science and the legal system, doctors and lawyers point out quickly that twenty something’s do not have the ability to think and reason as adults. College coaches and sports writers call the college players kids. While in America the voting age is eighteen, the drinking age is twenty-one, while the age of adulthood by some insurance companies is considered twenty-five.

So because of all of this “civilization”, you have the situation that although their spirit and their flesh are already at war with each other, we as a society are forcing these so called children into committing sin simply to justify our civilized nature as well as science. Yet these so called children are allowed and taught in churches that they have reached the age of accountability and now are expected to give their lives over to the service of the Messiah. By this perversion of the truth, we have caused the seeds of sin to be planted from an early age into our children so that when they do grow up, they suffer simply for believing a lie and not the truth. This perversion has sold our children to HaSatan and he uses this and other perversions to enslave and take as many people to the lake of fire with him as he can. This is a curse that is passed down to the next generation.

By saying that we are more modern and civilized than the people in Scripture, we are in essence saying that we know better than they did on how to live our lives and to raise our children. This haughtiness is another factor of the flesh for it says that it is the one to best control the spirit and not YHVH. The churches have decided that they want to follow YHVH but yet they think they can do things better than He can. By choosing to force people into situations that are ungodly simply because they are the acceptable modern thing to do is to sin.
The flesh’s desire is to see the destruction of the spirit simply so it can make sure that it has total domination over the mind. The sinful nature of the flesh is evident in how it behaves. A person whose mind is controlled by the flesh behaves in a way that is contrary to the person whose mind is controlled by their spirit. Our speech, thoughts, actions, and the things we watch and participate in are all unrighteous when we are controlled by the flesh.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunken-ness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of YHVH. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that the Messiah's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16- 25) “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20)

What are the fruits of the teachings that are taught? Are people suffering with sin since they are now taught that even though YHVH has turned on their biological clock, that they are not able to handle adult matters so they have to suffer and wait? This teaching causes people to commit fornication. When we allow a person who is eleven or twelve or thirteen to become part of the household of faith but deny them the avenues afforded to them that are in the household of faith to avoid sin, then we have set up a double standard. It is a double standard that says that certain members of the household of faith are entitled to some things and others are not.
We are not to treat anyone any differently. If you are a member of the household of faith, then that gives you access to all the rights and privileges that comes with that membership. “My brethren, have not the faith of our Adonai Yeshua HaMashiac, YHVH of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, ‘Sit thou here in a good place;’ and say to the poor, ‘Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:’ are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4)

YHVH is not partial at all; so who are we to deny those of the household of faith the rights and privileges that He affords them? Are we smarter and wiser that He is? Rather, we are commanded to help those who are struggling with sins. The Scripture says, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of the Messiah.” (Galatians 6:1-2) By denying members of the household of faith the ability to use the gift that YHVH has given them is not bearing one another’s burdens but is sitting as judge of another person.

Then the argument is stated that we must abide by the laws of the land. The law of the land of Israel in the Apostles day partially came out of the Sanhedrin. They told the Apostles not to speak or teach in the name of the Messiah. But Peter told them this: “We ought to obey YHVH rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

If the law of the land where you lived told you that you cannot speak or teach in the name of the Messiah, would you say, “Well the Scripture says I have to obey the laws of the land?” This is a perversion of the truth taught since the Roman government and the “Christian faith” merged under Constantine and this allowed the government to force you to do, say, and believe anything they told you because Scripturally you had to submit to the rulers of the land. For almost two thousand years this perversion of the truth has been spoon fed to all the Christians to where it is ingrained and no matter what, they have to obey the rulers of the land, even if the laws are against YHVH’s Laws.

You local, regional, state or territorial, and national governments are not there to take care of your spirit. They are there to be in charge of the physical body and physical needs and situations. The laws they pass are to be obeyed by the flesh and then by so doing, you give yourself over to them. By trying to control the flesh and the desires of the flesh, they pass laws that control what YHVH’s laws control. This too is a battle between the flesh and the spirit.

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