Time to Stop thinking about how to gratify the desires of the flesh
Too often I think about how to gratify the desires of my flesh.
“Kind of a jarring start to this blog post, Scott!”
I know. And while I’m not talking about what you think I might be talking about, I stand by my opening line.
The desires of the flesh abound: lust, gluttony, approval, comfort. I think often about how to gratify these desires. And I’ll bet you do as well.
In the last few days alone, I’ve found myself:
Bingeing on unhealthy food.
Desiring more likes, shares, and comments on social media.
Scrolling through movie choices on Netflix, fighting the temptation to watch something with nudity.
Hitting the snooze button 3-4 times, leading me to miss my morning workout.
Judging others for their apparent laziness while elevating my work ethic.
These are otherwise known as gluttony, approval, lust, laziness, pride.
In Romans 13:14, Paul writes,
“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
One of my goals in 2023 is to memorize 52 new verses—conveniently broken down into one new verse every week. This week’s memory verse is Romans 13:14. As I started to memorize the verse, I realized how much I struggle with thoughts of how to gratify the desires of the flesh. While I usually don’t give in to the desires, I often think about them. And Paul makes it clear that it’s not just giving into the battles. He challenges us to not even think about how to gratify these desires.
In the thinking, we open the door to giving into our temptations. We flirt with danger. The ESV translation says we ought to make no provision for the flesh. We need to starve these desires, and one of the best ways to do this is by not even thinking about it.
Paul gives us a beautiful contrast in Romans 13:13. He writes, “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” I love how he challenges us to behave decently, as in the daytime. When it’s dark at night, it’s easier to get away with sin: people are sleeping and they can’t see us. But in the daytime, almost everyone is awake and everything we do is more easily seen in the light of day.
Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The most effective way to stop thinking about how to gratify the desires of the flesh is to clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ.
What does this really mean? We see a similar idea in Colossians 3:12-14 when Paul tells the readers to “…clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
But again, what does this really mean? The best suggestion I’ve ever heard is to picture yourself in your closet in the morning. As you look at your shirts, pants, scrubs, or shoes, imagine yourself putting on Jesus. Please do put some clothes on, but above all, put on Jesus.
Every day you and I go into battle against sin and against the desires of the flesh. Our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). We need to put on some armor as we step into battle. Acknowledge you’re lost or lacking without Him. Ask Him to help you not even think about gratifying the desires of the flesh.
I need all the help I can get here. I shared with some friends this week how badly I am losing in the eating/food battle right now. I confessed that I’d not been wearing the armor and I’ve not clothed myself with the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m very much a work-in-progress as I pray through and discern how I can put on the Lord Jesus Christ. My prayer is that I would not entertain thoughts about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Your Turn:
What do you do to help cut off thinking about how to gratify the desires of the flesh?