This past week I was in a men's meeting where we've been studying the Gospel of Mark. We were at Chapter 14 that deals mainly with Jesus' last evening with his disciples before His crucifixion. It included the Passover meal, Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, His arrest and trial. This chapter also exposes some very heavy issues regarding the battle between the spirit and the soul (the flesh). There was Jesus' prayer of submission, Judas' betrayal kiss, Peter's sword of defense and his denial and then all of His disciples fled. Each man had a battle that night but only one of them won.
After we read the chapter, some of the men talked about Peter's denial and one of them made the comment that, "We have all denied Jesus at some point in our life, because we are all flesh." The statement is true, but Jesus was also flesh. We must understand that Jesus was both flesh and Spirit and we need to realize that the disciples as well as us are both flesh and of the same Spirit as Christ (Rom. 8:11,26). Peter realized that later on, and that's why there was no denying Christ when it came time for him to face his own cross. So what truth had Peter learned that many of us still need to learn?
Peter came to recognize two truths, first: Satan has already been defeated, and second: we must draw on the Spirit of Christ and not our own strength in our flesh, if we also, like Jesus, are to win the battles that we all face. Let's examine these truths more closely.
Satan fell. He was cast out of heaven and down to earth, but he was still determined to reign someplace and to get even with God. So he wanted the soul of man, and to foil God's plan for mankind. Satan tried to accomplish this through tempting Eve with the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. And as a result of their choice, Adam and Eve also fell, and thus the whole human race as well, because of their first sin of disobedience. Yet, God was and is still in control and nothing surprises Him. He may have had disappointments, but never in His son Jesus, the Second Adam.
In the beginning, God made man a unique creation. He was created different from the angels and the animals that were also created. God made man triune; Spirit, Soul and Body, so that He would be able to share an intimate relationship with man. The Fall changed that; our spirit (which is what communes with God who is spirit) basically died, communication cut. By the death and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, complete and permanent restoration was made possible through our repentance and renewed desire to be obedient. Jesus' High Priest prayer was and is for us to be one with Him and God (John 17:11,20&21). We are no longer tied to the world, but have been set free to once again walk with Him in that same intimacy that Adam had with our Creator in the Garden. Therefore, we are a new creation with Christ's DNA living in us, the power of the Spirit conquering the weakness of the flesh.
Our body may be made up of the same dust of the earth, but our spirit is now the same breath that God breathed into Adam. Jesus Christ is the breath that gives life to our soul, which dwells within our body. The Spirit and the soul make up our eternal nature. It also gives us our intelligence, ability and the personality of each individual person. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a bonus. It gives us his power, boldness and helps us to discern spiritual matters.
Our soul is the seat of our intelligent thoughts, our will and desires, and our emotions. Unfortunately, due to the fall, the triune harmony was broken, thus the soul became more attracted to the flesh nature of man rather than the spirit nature of God. Man was meant to have fellowship with God and the Bible tells us that Adam walked with God in the cool of the day. We don't know if Eve did or didn't, but she was expected to follow her husband and maybe that was one of reasons Eve became satan's target rather than Adam. Why Eve was looking at the fruit we don't know, curiosity maybe? But now Adam was looking, listening and following Eve's leading. Both took their mind and eyes off God's words, the Tree of Life, and were then easily led astray.
Adam and Eve were given free choice, just as satan was. Yet through pride and deception their choices led to disobedience and eventually their separation from the relationship they once enjoyed with their creator and God. Their actions of disobedience had far greater ramifications and consequence than they could have ever imagined. This is still true for each of us today. Since then there has been a continual war in the heavenlies between God and satan; good and evil, an ongoing battle between the spirit and the flesh within mankind.
Jesus Christ was the only one to overcome all satan's numerous temptations and thus defeated him completely. The closest satan ever came to winning the war was in the Garden of Gethsemane, where everything was at stake. When Jesus fell to the ground and prayed, "Father, all things are possible for you, remove this cup from Me; yet not my will, but yours (be done)." That was the greatest three hour spiritual battle in history and Jesus succeeded for our sake. This was Jesus spiritual cross.
Jesus stayed with the Father's plan. He knew his Father's heart and desires, because he spent time with him in prayer regularly. The crucifixion was only a visual replay of what happened that night when Jesus prayed, those three hours, even to the point of sweating drops of blood. His flesh had to yield first in the Garden, so when he hung on the physical cross He could complete the will of His Father to restore fallen mankind.
Jesus was resolved to live by the Spirit of God, and not yielding to the flesh that wants to be safe, comfortable and pain free. He also understood that the future of mankind was at stake. Jesus experienced Gethsemane for all of us. When Jesus stood back up He was ready for the physical battle. And then He came to his sleeping disciples and stated the problem, regarding temptation, that we all face, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
The spiritual battle and the physical battle were over and won when Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" When he hung from that cross for mankind. Victory was complete when Jesus rose from the grave three days later. Yet the battles still continue, but they are won because He made it possible. It was then that God had put satan under our feet and was made him our footstool. We need to believe that and accept it as a fact. Thus we are ultimately in control of satan's position.
Every son and daughter of God must live their part of Gethsemane and The Cross. It is not only for our sake, but for future generations to come—for a thousand generations (Deut. 7:9). Our actions and words effect the future and go beyond time and space. We have a mission, just as Jesus did. And that is to accomplish the will of the Father for the Kingdom of God. As the apostle Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." The power for our lives comes through Him. And our prayers and sacrifices are meant to secure the future through our words of faith and blessings.
Everything Jesus Christ is and has, is at our disposal by faith. He gives us His authority when we live by his Spirit and not our flesh. (Gal. 2:20) By faith we also have the victory, which the rest of the world can not say because they do not have His Spirit in them.
Here are some of the things the Spirit of Christ should be doing in our lives. When we are lead by His spirit, they will come as natural as breathing. Yet to try to do these by human effort will be futile.
The Spirit is focused on Jesus and His life.
The Spirit knows the Truth and studies His word.
The Spirit is one with the Body of Christ.
The Spirit blesses, heals and restores.
The Spirit obeys and submits to God's authority.
The Spirit listens and communicates with the Father.
The Spirit takes up and embraces the cross.
The Spirit is love, grace and mercy.
The Spirit is patient, kind and compassionate.
The Spirit forgives sins and overlooks faults.
The Spirit thinks in term of eternity.
The Spirit is courageous and victorious.
The Spirit is always willing to change and learn.
The Spirit doesn't dwell on the past.
The Spirit seeks that which is eternal.
The Spirit is willing to leave everything for Jesus.
The Spirit denies the flesh its desires.
The Spirit talks about the kingdom of God.
The Spirit eats what gives life to the body.
The Spirit gives often and freely.
The Spirit sacrifices and doesn't complain.
The Spirit believes all the promises of God.
The Spirit is simple and requires less.
The Spirit is faithful and honest.
The Spirit receives the love of God.
"Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desire is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want." (Gal.5:16-17 NRSV)May the Lord bless you as you walk in His Spirit through all your life's journey.
