Drench the Flesh

Sometimes I have really good days. Days when I am walking in the Spirit and not languishing in the flesh. Days when I sense that the Lord is beaming with pride when He considers me. He could even brag about me as He did Job. Days when I am committed to trudging the narrow scraggy path that leads to life and shunning the wide road that leads to destruction. Days when my will easily gravitates towards God’s will.

On such days, I don’t easily get ticked off by a matatu driver who decides to school me on the road. As they poke holes in my driving skills, opining that I must have obtained my driving license illegally, I merely smile and mutter a soft prayer for them. See, on these good days, I easily rein in my emotions even when provoked.

On these blessed good days, I don’t easily cave into offense when I am catch my husband not listening to me intently. When he blurts out “ehe…” as if expecting more of the story that I just wound up. Instead of huffing and puffing, I merely bite my tongue and force a smile. Because I am having a really good day and Jesus has taken the wheel.

On these good days, I ooze with patience towards my children. “Lost your cardigan in school? That’s awful but it’s not the end of the world – just make sure to forage for it among the lost items in school! “The cherry on top? My good days ooze with productivity. On these days I chow down my frogs bright and early, procrastination has nothing on me. My focus is as steady as a rock. 

There’s a Pattern

These good days don’t just fall on my lap – there’s a pattern I have observed. Whenever I start my days in prayer, soaked up in God’s sweet presence, I am more likely to have a jolly good day. I am more likely to walk in the Spirit. This doesn’t mean that I won’t be lured to give in to offense, impatience, complaining, anger, etc. I will be tempted the whole nine yards. But having been in God’s presence gives me tenacity to resist the flurry of temptations. It insulates me from straying away from His will. It keeps me grounded.

“Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mathew 26: 40-41)

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus urged Peter, James, and John to insulate themselves from yielding to temptation through prayer. They would be tempted to deny Him. In fact, He had earlier warned them that they would all be made to stumble because of Him. Peter had vehemently refuted Jesus’ words, promising that even if all the others turned back on Christ, he would be the last man standing.

Jesus explained that though their spirits were willing to hang in tight, their flesh was frail. Their best bet at withstanding temptation was prayer. Prayer would zap strength into their weak flesh and fortify them against temptation. It’s the same with us, drenching our flesh in God’s presence through prayer and fellowship with Him does not leave us the same. We ooze godliness and exude spiritual strength. We have the mettle to withstand temptation.

We Access Grace to Conquer Sin

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

Paul urges believers to stride into God’s throne of grace boldly in order to access grace and mercy. As we commune with God in prayer and reading His word, He gives us access to His grace. Copious amounts of grace and mercy to buffer us in time of need. 

Paul describes this grace to Titus. He refers to it as the grace that not only brings salvation but also teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12). When we access this grace, we build the spine to live righteous lives.

Prayer is Potent

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16b )

Barging into a room full of smoke will leave your clothes smelling of smoke. Any given item reeks of the very substance it’s drenched in. When we soak ourselves in prayer, we are bound to exude the potency it carries. Prayer is a potent weapon that God gave us. Jesus prayed fervently and was able to establish God’s kingdom on earth. When we move around with an aura of prayer, temptations lose their grip on us.

Anxiety Gets the Boot

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 6-7)

Sometimes the temptation at hand may be that we are fretting about our lives. We could be contending with an illness, financial strain, broken relationships, a wayward child, or a job loss. Or perhaps our shortcomings are taunting us, making us feel downright incompetent. Paul prescribes prayer as a potent antidote to anxiety. As we make our requests known to God, we trade our anxieties for His peace. Our hearts and minds are insulated from worry and we revel in peace that surpasses understanding.

Pray at All Times

We are called to pray at all times. Jesus taught that men ought always to pray and not give up  (Luke 18:1). Prayer topples over the kingdom of darkness and establishes God’s purposes in our lives. It also reveals to us the heart of God. Prayer is the lifeline of a believer. We are however not to approach prayer legalistically, as if we must pray to win God’s approval. Rather, we are to enjoy prayer as a way of fostering intimacy with God.

Whatever you do, drench that flesh in prayer!