POSSESS YOUR BODY

1Thessalonians 4:3-5 NET
For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God.

Dear Believer,

God has given us rights as citizens of His Kingdom, but that is not all. He has given us responsibilities too. The problem is, too many Believers only want to claim their Kingdom rights. As far as the responsibilities are concerned, they want none of them.

There are things that only God can do in our lives, and there are things He won’t do for us. When we know the difference, we are on our way to maturity.

The passage above shows us the will of God concerning sexual immorality as far as the believer is concerned.

Abstain! That is His will.

It says each of us must KNOW HOW TO POSSESS HIS BODY in holiness and honor. That is to say it is up to you to learn to discipline your body and be in control of it instead of letting it control you.

Possess, or control your body in holiness and honor. Sexual immorality is filthy and dishonorable. It corrupts the temple of the Holy Spirit which your body is.

1Corinthians 6:18-20 KJV
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

You can see that the later part of the passage says we must glorify God (or worship God) in our body. Too many professing believers think worship is just singing and praising God. Some think you only worship God ‘in spirit.’

No. Worship includes using your body honorably and in holiness. The fact that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit has massive implications and must be taken very seriously.

Paul the Apostle didn’t just say all this; he experienced it and he even put it down for us in a beautiful way.

1Corinthians 9:27 UST
I discipline my body and I make it obey my commands. I do not want to preach the good news to others and then lose my reward because I failed to fulfill what he commanded me to do.

If you don’t learn to make your body obey your command, it will hinder you from obeying what the Lord commands you to do.

Be Lord over your body. Do not let your body rule over you. It can be a very terrible master. This isn’t only in matters of sexual immorality but in all other areas of life as well. For instance, some Believes cannot even get their body to stay without food for a single day!

Now is the time to take charge of your body!

Have a great day!

Your friend,
Deon.