Spirit over Flesh

Spirit Over

Flesh

OVY ADELEYE M.D

This book addresses everyday issues that are encountered by

pre-teens, adolescents and young adults as they attempt to

live a Spirit filled life. It gives us the perspective from God’s

word on how to live as Christians in our ever changing world.

Copyright © 2015 Ovy Adeleye M.D.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-6022-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-6023-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014920432

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/02/2015

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1    Our Creation

Chapter 2    The Re-Birth of the Children of God

Chapter 3    Spirit; Heart, Soul, Mind and Will

Chapter 4    My Body, Temple

Chapter 5    Christ’s Body, his Church

Chapter 6    The Way of the Flesh

Chapter 7    Shame or Guilt

Chapter 8    The Way of the Cross

Chapter 9    Obedience

Chapter 10    Free Will

Chapter 11    God’s Love

Chapter 12    Repentance and Reconciliation

Chapter 13    God’s Mercy

Chapter 14    God’s Word

Chapter 15    The Body and Blood of Christ

Chapter 16    Faith and God’s Grace

Chapter 17    Sins of the Heart; A bad attitude

Chapter 18    Suicide

Chapter 19    Pedophilia

Chapter 20    Adultery, Fornication or Prostitution

Chapter 21    Pornography

Chapter 22    Homosexuality

Chapter 23    Abortion

Chapter 24    Divorce

Chapter 25    Drug Abuse

Chapter 26    Christ’s Crucifixion

Chapter 27    Call to a New Life in the Spirit of Christ

Bible verses will be taken mostly from the English Standard Version of the bible (ESV). Entire proceeds from the sale of this book will contribute to providing literacy and job training skills for widows and youth where no sufficient social structure exists for their development in Nigeria, West Africa. Funds will be donated to the non-profit organization; Foundation for Culture, Youth and Women Empowerment founded by my mother Dr.(Mrs) G.A.E. Makoju.

Special thanks to my Spirit filled sisters, Dr. Jokotade Adeleye and Engr. Onyeche Tifase for their editing, support and encouragement.

Introduction

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So then brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8; 5-8,12-17

As children of the Lord we acknowledge that he is our creator and provider and sincerely desire to fulfill the purpose for which he created us. Our Lord has granted each of us the gift of free will by which we can choose to be obedient to the Holy Spirit or to be obedient to our flesh with its needs and desires. A true love of God means that we surrender ourselves to be led by the Spirit of the Lord that dwells in his word and within us. It is only after we have experienced the transformation of the children of God that we can die to self and be re-born to a new life of obedience in the Spirit. As Christians we must all come to experience the transformation which is the re-birth of the spirit so that we are obedient to the Holy Spirit rather than to our flesh and its needs. As we venture through life we often find ourselves at crossroads where we have to make a choice either to be led by the Spirit or by the flesh. This book hopes to open our eyes to the Lords will as it is clearly stated in his word. We will also come to understand some of the tools the Lord has given us to inform us, instruct us, strengthen us and enable us be re-born of the spirit. It is our Lord’s desire that we be united with him each and every day until we meet to part no more at the end of time. Our Lord is our shepherd and as his humble sheep we must answer his call willingly so we experience the transformation of born of flesh to born of spirit.

Let us all answer the call of salvation and come receive the grace that is ours on account of our faith in a risen Christ, so that we are empowered to lay down our flesh and live according to the Spirit. As children of God, we must understand why sin can no longer separate us from our salvation because of the grace earned us by Christ’s crucifixion. It is now our faith and not obedience to the Law that earns us the grace freely given by our Lord that grants us our salvation. As children of the light, we have conquered darkness and by the grace of our Lord, sin no longer has power over us. Come, and let us take a walk together for a while as we discover the Spirit, the flesh and the tools available to us as children of God, to win the victory of ‘Spirit over Flesh’, for only then can we truly be children of God.

Roman’s 6:14 for sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under the law, but under grace.

CHAPTER ONE

Our Creation

Our bodies are made in God’s image, this means that we are like God for he made us to be like him.

Genesis 1: 27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Man is made up of body, soul and spirit. The body is the physical form or flesh, this is the form that we can touch, see and feel. It is our responsibility as individuals to provide all that is necessary to maintain our physical well-being including good nutrition, clothing, shelter and adequate exercise. As children of the spirit we must give up the flesh to death so that we may rise to a new life in the Spirit of Christ.

Man also has a spirit, The Lord breathed into the nostrils of the man He formed (Adam) and he became a living being (Genesis 2:7). The spirit is life in the breath that the Lord gave Adam at the beginning of creation. This life in the breath called spirit is what gives life to the physical flesh. The spirit form in which we exist is not physical; it cannot be seen, touched or felt. The spirit form is the form in which we exist that is like God, this is the form that affords dignity and respect to all man. The Lord created us in his own image, meaning that we are Spirit as our Lord is Spirit, our Lord out of the love he has for us has also given us free will as his children. It is by our own free will that we choose to be called children of God, as children of God this book explores the transformation that empowers us to make the choice of the way of the spirit over the way of the flesh as a fulfillment of our desire to be obedient to our heavenly father. The mere fact that the Lord saw it fit to create each of us as a being, in his own image, surely is reason enough to confirm the love that our Lord has for each and every one of us. This is why all creation, from the time conceived to the time of death, as long as we possess the spirit that gives life is loved by God and worthy of love by all men. It is very important that we understand the dignity of all God’s creation and the love that God has for all his creation.

Matthew 5:43-48: You have heard that it was said, ‘you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.

It is clear that our Lord loves all people, sinner or righteous, just or unjust, able or disabled, evil or good. It is this love that our Lord has for us that caused him to give up his son Jesus Christ as a willing sacrifice, so that we may be saved and reborn to a new life in Christ, for only then can we live in the Spirit and inherit his kingdom.

Romans 5; 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

We also like Christ, must love all of God’s creation without an expectation of reciprocation, for this is what makes us children of God.

Much like the physical form of us is made up of many parts, so also the spirit form in which we exist has its various parts. As we nourish, groom and nurture the physical being, so also we must nourish groom and nurture the spirit. Unfortunately, we often overlook nourishment of the spirit, which can lead to illness, disease and death of the spirit.

Genesis 2: 7 - Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living creature.

The spirit within us, which is the ‘life in the breath’ that gives us life, exists within us from the time of our creation and never experiences a permanent death. As soon as we are conceived, the flesh begins to form, the spirit within us is also formed at our conception, though a mother’s breath and blood sustain a child till birth. Once a child is born and takes his first breath of life, he is no longer dependent on his mother for life and sustenance. The miracle of conception much like the miracle of the church shows how we can be separate yet one in spirit, mother, father and child much like the holy trinity, three separate beings yet one in the spirit of the conceived child, we cannot help but marvel at the wonder of God’s creation. The physical form in which we exist must experience a final death in the physical world, but our faith as Christians is that we continue to experience life in the hereafter as spirit after our physical death.

The spirit form which exists within us from the time of our conception has inherited the stain of original sin from the disobedience our first father Adam. Our spirit therefore has to be washed clean and experience a re-birth that renews it and causes it to be subject to the Holy Spirit, this is termed being ‘born again’. As Christians who possess a spirit that has been born again, we remain aware at all times that our regenerated spirit can fall from grace if we fail to live a life of faith. Once we experience a re-birth of the spirit, the Lord provides us the grace so that we may strive to live in complete obedience to his word. Much like the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles at Pentecost, so should all Christ’s followers desire to receive the Holy Spirit into their hearts to enable them fulfill the purpose for which they are created. As we receive the Holy Spirit our desire is that our spirit is transformed and brought to a new birth. We recognize the re-birth of the spirit form or ‘being born again’ as the transformation of our spirit by the grace granted us on account of our faith in a resurrected Christ.

God’s word informs us severally that to inherit eternal life as a Christian, it is a pre-requisite that our spirit form experience a re-birth.

John 3:3 - Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God".

John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

CHAPTER TWO

The Re-Birth of the Children of God

The body can have several kinds of birth, this birth is synonymous with baptism. Baptism comes from the Greek word baptizien which means immerse. It is only after we have been ‘immersed in’ or baptized that we can emerge as ‘born of’. After we are born of