The Lion's Roar

21 Days of Dying
The Crucified Life
Copyright 2016 © Misty Holmes Dorsey

Overcoming Your Belly/Appetite (continued) DAY 17

“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 6:18 (KJV)

When overcoming the belly, it is important to hang around those who are likeminded, such as, believers who want the things of God for themselves and others.

When we serve our bellies, there is a spiritual indictment against us because we are walking in offence and division because we put our bellies before God. Our bellies do not have a brain or senses, and we must learn not to listen to our bellies when they begin to speak.

We are to pursue the things of God and not our appetite. However, our bellies want us to chase after things that will cause us to be spiritually broken and in bondage. We are to hear what the Holy Spirit tells us and turn down our plates.

We are to separate the flesh (world) from the spirit. The way we sustain the flesh is that we must give it food. Food will keep the flesh world strong. When our flesh is disciplined then our spirit man becomes strong.

After your flesh bites down on what it wants, it will begin to bite down on you. When crucifying our flesh, we must learn how to dismantle our mouth. Let not your mouth have a recourse. Your mouth and eyes can deceive you as well as others.

Genesis 3:1-24 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened,

21 Days of Dying
The Crucified Life
Copyright 2016 © Misty Holmes Dorsey

and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming

21 Days of Dying
The Crucified Life
Copyright 2016 © Misty Holmes Dorsey

sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. When we begin to overcome our bellies, we obtain a place with God.

The belly loves to satisfy our appetite. Your belly and your tongue have an affection for one another. Do not allow what you put in your mouth to bite down on you and deceive you. Thus, causing your spirit man to die. Your tongue loves to deal and relate to an un-regenerated mind. It will intimidate you and manipulate you.

The belly has a ministry on its own. It will pull on your tongue to speak and taste what it desires. Our bellies can be deceptive as it causes us to connect to what we see, hear, and desire without processing or counting the cost. We will begin to taste before we even see what we are eating.

The belly is evil. It is the seat of carnal affections. Therefore, we must overcome our bellies if we want to live a crucified life.

We must not worship or entertain our bellies. We want the deep things of God but they do not come without discipline. Our bellies can begin to speak to us and we won’t even recognize it. The belly must be brought under subjection. If not, one will sin and cause problems.

Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

We must learn how to turn off the stove, the sink, the dishwasher, and the television. We must learn how to live in the aroma of prayer.

Genesis 25:29-34 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

21 Days of Dying
The Crucified Life
Copyright 2016 © Misty Holmes Dorsey

If we do not control our bellies, it will cause us to sell our birthrights and forfeit our inheritance.

Reflections:
Make a decision that crucifying your flesh is worth it. Allow God to talk to you about your appetite and why your belly wants to control your actions. Find Scriptures to shut that path down. Then rehearse those Scriptures and allow the Word to of God to renew your appetite, mind, and will.