Lord, Please Deliver Me From Satisfying My Fleshly Appetite

We would never consider breaking into our neighbor’s home and destroying their

property. Why? Because we understand that such an act is a crime with real

consequences. We respect human laws, and we respect what belongs to others. So,

here’s the hard question: If we honor human laws and our neighbor’s property,

why do we sometimes treat God’s property so carelessly? You might ask,

“What do you mean by God’s property?”

As followers of Christ Jesus, we are not our own. Scripture makes this

unmistakably clear when it declares that “Our very bodies are the (property)

temple of the living God.” 1st Corinthians 3:16-17. Because we belong to God,

we carry both a spiritual responsibility and a holy obligation to honor His will in

our worship, our health and in our wellbeing. When we find ourselves satisfying

our fleshly appetite, we are damaging the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is

the very vessel He desires to use for His purpose.

I’d like to take a moment for us to reflect on the following questions as to why we

sometimes treat God’s property/our bodies so carelessly and look at where we

have fallen short in caring for ourselves. While not every question may be

applicable to you, however, please take note of those that are. Furthermore,

please understand that these questions are not to condemn, but to encourage self-

examination.

Why do we live as if we are our own masters, ignoring that we were brought by

God and are meant to be temples of His Holy Spirit? Why do we neglect our

bodies as stewards of our health, causing us to be weak, or leading to preventable

diseases through bad diets, a lack of exercise, or poor lifestyle habits? Why do

we defile the Holy Spirit’s temple by letting sexual immorality, greed and

selfish habits take precedence over God? Why have we become so spiritually

complacent, trading spiritual growth for negativity, worldly entertainment

and sinful indulgence? Why does strife, hate, and racism still exist among us,

allowing our differences to separate us and tear us down, instead of uniting us as

we use our unique spiritual gifts to strengthen and support one another?

Are we living to please ourselves, rationalizing our unhealthy choices, and

trying to convince ourselves that change is beyond our reach? Or are we

honestly surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to break

the strongholds that bind us? The time has come to stop defending our

weaknesses, move beyond excusing our sins, and fully embrace the sacrificial

life God calls us to live—even when obedience is painful or costly. When we

continue to satisfy our fleshly appetite; it is not just a personal matter, but it’s a

rebellion against the One who truly owns us.

It is undeniable that our momentarily physical cravings can be so intense that we

often choose to indulge them rather than resist. Consequently, over time, we

may begin to condition our weakened hearts to excuse our lack of self-control,

blaming the perceived “strength” of the temptation rather than confronting our

own surrender to it. When we confess or claim defeat, not only are we declaring

ourselves powerless, which contradicts our identity as God’s child, but we are also

choosing to ignore that the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit is actively at

work dwelling within us.

Nowhere in the Bible does it command born-again Christians to allow feelings of

defeat to stop us! Instead, we are commanded to declare the reality of God’s

promises! As Christ’s followers, we have the authority to speak over our

strongholds, acting as if they are already changed! Faith, not feelings, must guide

us through every defeat. Therefore, since we are empowered by the Spirit of God,

we must “speak words of faith into existence by calling things that are not as

though they were.” Romans 4:17.

Though our loving Father fully understands our weaknesses, He has already

equipped us with everything we need to overcome them by trusting Him. If we

confess that “we are the living temple of God,” and fail to exercise self-control in

what we say, do, eat or drink, how can we expect God to entrust us with greater

works? Furthermore, if we refuse to fully surrender our ungodly habits to God and

seek His guidance through prayer and His Word, we will never be able to “live

as conquerors” over life’s challenges; instead, we will be held prisoners by them.

Romans 8:37.

When our lifestyle doesn’t reflect God’s heart, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of

thinking that attending church once a week can replace a deep, active, and personal

prayer life and a daily walk with Him. I ask, “How frequently do we ask the Lord

to deliver us from indulging in fleshly desires? How often do we engage God

with true intimacy? I’m not talking about sitting back while listening to our

favorite Christian music, or following along with a pastor’s prayers, or flipping through our Bibles while watching television. I mean genuine, heart to heart focused communion with God.

No matter how hard we try, we cannot grow spiritually or win spiritual battles

when we remain mere spectators, or when our attention is divided between the

things of this world and the things of God. True spiritual growth cannot coexist

with a carnal, day-to-day lifestyle, even if we attend church faithfully each week.

God sees all, and He is holding us accountable, not only for the wrong we commit

(sins of commission), but also for the good we fail to do (sins of omission).

As born-again Christians, when we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ 2 nd

Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10, our works on Earth will be examined and

rewards will also be distributed. When we face Jesus, will we have to shamefully

admit that we had chosen to refuse to overcome the strongholds in our lives and

remain in bondage despite God’s Divine power that was available to set us

free? Will God accept our passive excuse that we were “not strong enough,”

even as we ignored the power that He provided to strengthen us in moments of

weakness? Will He recall the countless times we declared, “I can do all things

through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13, only to choose feeding

our fleshly desires instead of letting Him work mightily in us?

When life’s pressures intensify and we are struggling with fleshly desires, it can

feel like a constant internal tug-of-war. We often find ourselves caught between

what we know is right and what our carnal appetite desires. Without a doubt, we

want to submit to God, yet we are wrestling with the powerful pull of our sinful

nature. When it seems like we are losing the fight against our flesh and are

hindered from bearing true godly fruit Galatians 5:22-23, it’s comforting to know

that victory will come only when we fully yield to the Spirit’s power.

Let’s never forget that since our bodies are living temples of the Holy Spirit, as

His sacred property, we are set apart for His Divine purpose. We have been freed

from the slavery of our physical impulses and able to live a life that reflects His

glory rather than allowing our bodies to decay through worldly desires. Instead

of feeding on worldly desires, to satisfy our spiritual appetite, we must develop

an intense, daily longing and “a hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness”,

which will allow us to experience His true inner peace, joy, and contentment

Matthew 5:6.

By staying grounded in God’s Word, He will enable us to gain the strength to

overcome every stronghold. It is vitally important that we not only remain

steadfast in prayer, but we must also surrender our will to His and “crucify the

flesh” Galatians 5:24, by actively rejecting sin and “walking in the Spirit”

Galatians 5:16. Additionally, we must allow the Holy Spirit to reshape our

thoughts, words and actions. Doing these activities honors and pleases God,

instead of indulging our selfish, sinful nature. Our life’s purpose will become

clear, which is, to live for Christ, and not for ourselves. Philippians 1:21.

When we look at the signs of the time, we realize that time is running out, and

the Rapture is imminent. Since life is short and unpredictable, it is vital that we

surrender our lives completely to God and live every day as if it were our last -

fully dedicated and sold out to Him rather than to our fleshly appetite.

I urge those living according to the flesh to return to Jesus before it’s too late.

While a self-seeking lifestyle may bring temporary Earthly pleasure now, but

it will ultimately lead to profound regret in Heaven. By prioritizing worldly

desires, the carnal Christian will eventually see how much they have forfeited

throughout all of eternity! Therefore, before the Rapture arrives, please repent

and rededicate your life fully to Jesus rather than continuing to live a carnal

lifestyle.