Crucifying Your Desires | Galatians 5:24

Have you truly killed those passions and desires?

I want to shout out to all my brothers from Family Community Church in San Jose, California. We had a great time yesterday, and I pray this time of restoration was a blessing for you.

Also, remember to go to the website and grab the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal today so you are ready to go when we begin!

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. — Galatians 5:24

The word that stands out to me in this text is the word crucified because crucifixion is violent.

Crucifixion is still one of the most brutal forms of execution in all of history. If you have ever seen Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ," you might remember how chilling and brutal this scene was.

Crucifixion involves nailing a victim to a wooden cross, leading to a slow death from asphyxiation, exhaustion, and shock. The excruciating pain arises from both the piercing of nails and the prolonged agony as the body struggles to breathe while suspended. Victims must push on the nails in their feet and pull on those in their wrists to inhale, intensifying the torment. Crucifixion was always public, heightening the psychological suffering. This combination of physical agony, prolonged torment, and public shame makes it a fierce and disturbing form of execution.

Now, apply this imagery in the way Paul does here. He says if we belong to Jesus, we have (past tense) crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

And herein lies the core problem with believers who struggle with repetitive patterns of sin. They attempt to change by altering their behaviors. And there is nothing wrong with altering behaviors if you also nail, crucify, kill, and drain the very life from the source of those behaviors, which is your old fleshly passions and desires.

Thus, we are left with a very pointed question. What desire is still living that you need to kill? Is it a sexual desire? A drive for retribution? Is it a passion for wealth and success? A desire for control? Whatever it is, you better be killing it, or it will be killing you.

#CrucifyDesires
#KillSin
#SpiritualTransformation

ASK THIS:

1. Reflect on a desire or passion in your life that you know is contrary to God's will. What steps can you take today to begin crucifying that desire and aligning your heart with God's purposes?
2. Think about a repetitive pattern of sin you struggle with. How can you go beyond merely modifying your behavior to truly crucifying the root of that sin, allowing God's transformative power to bring lasting change in your life?

DO THIS: Kill one old desire that needs to be killed.

PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to truly understand the depth of what it means to crucify my fleshly desires, and empower me to take decisive action in aligning my heart with Your will. Grant me the strength and courage to put to death those passions that hinder my walk with You, so that I may experience the fullness of freedom and life in Christ. Amen.

PLAY THIS: The Passion of Christ (Crucifixion Scene)