READ: Colossians 3:1-11
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18, NIV
One day, whilst fasting, I collapsed to the ground wondering if I could get up again. I called on the Lord to save my life. I didn’t want to die. But the Lord simply reminded me that He had not asked me to take myself through those hardships. I was fasting in that way because it had been my tradition for many years to give my body severe treatment. Each year, as I treated my body harshly I felt more powerful and more righteous. But the Bible is very clear that severe treatment of the body does not make you righteous and does not even help you to overcome the flesh.
“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch! … These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence” (Colossians 2:21,23, NASB).
We love to do things that make us feel righteous. “For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3, NASB).
Paul tells us how to overcome our fleshly desires without maltreating our bodies. This is a great key to overcoming in this life. Overcoming your fleshly impulses will happen as you set your affection on things above and seek things that are above and not things that are on this earth (Colossians 3:1-3).