Day 35: 40 Days Fasting & Prayer

CRUCIFYING THE FLESH

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24)

Engaging in prayer and fasting is needed to confront the desires of the flesh. We must crucify the flesh, as its inclinations are inherently selfish and do not bring glory to God.

The flesh always seeks its way, and anything done with the energy of the flesh is selfish. As believers, we are alive in the Spirit, and God expects us to walk in the Spirit rather than relying on our senses. Unbelievers rely on their senses and emotions to direct their actions, but as believers, our guidance comes from the Spirit of God. This is expressed in the statement, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." The proof of our sonship is when we are led by the Holy Spirit.

The flesh consistently opposes the things of God, and the things of God are inherently against the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:17). In order to faithfully serve Christ and fulfil God's purpose, it is essential to practice the daily crucifixion of the flesh, as Paul underscores in Galatians with the words, "I die daily. (1 Corinthians 15:31)" The Christian walk is a daily commitment, regardless of when one accepts Christ, requiring a continuous effort to walk with God.

Giving your life to Christ years ago doesn't exempt you from daily responsibilities. Each day is a new opportunity for a Christian walk, and walking with God requires daily dying to the flesh. The flesh tends to exhibit various negative emotions and cravings, including jealousy, anger, backbiting, and a desire for worldly pleasures, all of which do not glorify God.

Romans 6:6 says, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

We must die daily to sin. Our old man is already dead with Christ, but we must enforce the victory of Christ over ourselves.

In Romans 6:6, it is mentioned that crucifying the flesh is a major requirement to avoid becoming slaves to sin. Even though God has freed believers from sin and the deeds of the flesh, not crucifying oneself may result in returning to slavery to emotions, cravings, and corrupt practices. Therefore, it is important to pray fervently for the crucifixion of the flesh.

Crucifying the flesh can be accomplished through

Confession. The power of life and death is in the tongue. Proverbs 18:21. Daily affirmations like "I am crucified with Christ" releases the power needed to overcome sinful cravings. Recognising the authority of your word is important when it comes to crucifying the flesh.
Engaging in spiritual activities such as fellowship with the Word of God, prayer, fasting, and meditation on scriptures helps in crucifying the flesh. These spiritual exercises contribute to walking in the spirit and focusing on spiritual things.

A weakness in your prayer life may indicate that the flesh is gaining strength over the spirit.

I pray for you today that God will grant you the grace to walk in the Spirit and bear the fruits of the Spirit in Jesus' name.

Repeat every prayer missile till it comes from your heart. Only then move on to the next prayer missile. (Repeat it, personalise it, do this with each prayer point for a minimum 1 minute)

1. In the name of Jesus, I put to death every work of the flesh that is hindering my spiritual growth. In Jesus' name. (Romans 8:13)

2. In the name of Jesus, I bring an end to manipulations and attacks in my dreams. In Jesus' name. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

3. In the name of Jesus, I crucify every emotion of anger, lust for sex, desire for fame, and yearning for ungodly things in Jesus' name. (Galatians 5:24)

4. Power of God, flow through my body. Power of God, flow through my spirit. Power of God, flow through my soul in Jesus' name. (Ephesians 3:16)

5. In the name of Jesus, I crucify every activity of sin in my life in the name of Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:6)

6. I decree and declare that sin shall not have dominion over me. (Romans 6:14)

7. Every habit is broken. Every destructive habit is uprooted and destroyed from my life in the name of Jesus Christ. (John 8:36)

8. In the name of Jesus Christ, I overcome every spirit of lukewarmness and prayerlessness in my life in Jesus' name. (Revelation 3:16)

9. I put to death every lust, corruption, and weakness that hinders my spiritual growth in Jesus' name. (Colossians 3:5)

10. Oh Lord, grant me the power to speak with control and to manage my emotions in the name of Jesus Christ. (James 1:26)

Day 35: 40 Days Fasting & Prayer

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