Dominating Your “Old Man”

If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you’re born-again, glory to God! This is the most decisive action we as Christians have made for the rest of our lives.

However, how many of us born-again Christians still struggle with the lusts of the flesh? Countless, and this is true for the leaders and the ordinary members in our churches and communities.

Thank God who always has an answer to every impediment we’re facing. In today’s theme verse, Paul gives a tip on how to dominate our old man (the flesh). I can feel you’re asking how is the old man the flesh?

Just a quick answer just for you. Before you were born-again, you were flesh and leaving by the promptings and knowledge of the flesh. However, when you were born-again, you became spirit (new man) but that notwithstanding, you still have the old or former man (the flesh) and sad to say for a lot of Christians, the flesh still rules through its desires and above all the knowledge that promotes it.

The answer to dominating the flesh is to walk in the Spirit. What does this mean? In a bid to dominate the flesh, we must practice a new knowledge which impoverishes our flesh (human nature which is inherently selfish or self-seeking)

What does it mean to “walk” as mentioned in our opening verse? This doesn’t mean we start trekking in the Spirit 😂. The verb “to Walk” is the Greek word peripateo which means to live (to regulate one’s life, or to conduct one’s self)

What is “Spirit” in this context? Spontaneously we will say “Spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit. This is correct, but we can go deeper. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (the Word). The Holy Spirit has no opinion of Himself but takes from Jesus Christ and reveals to us (John 16:13-15)

Added to this, Jesus says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63 (ESV). The Spirit, therefore, refers to the Words of Jesus Christ (The Word).

Therefore, the key to dominating the lust of the flesh (old man) is to regulate our lives and conduct one’s self according to the Word and yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit which we get at the place of bible study and meditation.

There are tendencies we can’t change because they hail from the blood; they are inherent. However, “…the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

The Word of God is the only knowledge in Heaven and under the heavens which can modify our genes and infuse in us a brand-new character even that of Jesus Christ. Let’s live and practice the Word, and we’ll dominate our old selves and radiate the perfection of Christ.

Let’s Spread the Word