Human Oppression
The conflict is real, ladies and gentlemen. It has been raging practically since before time began. The conflict was engaged when a woman and a man decided that they would follow the lead of a serpent instead of continuing in the statutes of a loving Creator. The conflict began when sin entered into the realm of the holy through a door called “human”. The conflict is real, constant and unrelenting.
Because of our sin the spirit and the flesh are in constant conflict within every human being who walks the earth.
To be clear, I am not referring to Satan’s guile and temptation. I am talking about the battle between flesh and spirit that occurs in every being who puts on the suit of flesh and walks upon this earth. The conflict that has raged in the head and heart of billions throughout the long history of mankind on this planet. Even today, the battle will drive billions of people to their knees in hopes of the spirit conquering the flesh just one time!
The consequences of this conflict are real - really real! They are eternal. The flesh will go the way of everything that is made from sin. It will decay and fade away. But the spirit is eternal and it is made of that which is holy, except when corrupted by the flesh. The holy will remain and that which is corrupted will be destroyed. Eternity makes no place for the unholy. Therefore, the conclusion of the conflict is either the sloughing off of the corruptible flesh to live in the eternal presence of the Holy One or the destruction of that which was intended to be eternal along with the flesh, one to the grave and the other to damnation.
The conflict is real. Men have spoken of it for generations upon generations. Mothers have prayed against it since the birth of children. Teachers have taught about it. Preachers have preached about it. The apostle Paul: “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” A.W Tozer: “The inner life must overcome the flesh or the flesh will overcome and destroy the inner life.” Peter, the disciple of Christ,: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “When all is said and done, the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every available weapon against the flesh.” Again Paul: “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Martin Luther: “No flesh, not even that of the true believer, is so completely under the influence of the Spirit that it will not bite or devour, or at least neglect, the commandment of love.” King David of Israel: “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts.” Jesus Christ himself, when talking with Nicodemus about the necessity of being born again, stated: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
Let’s take a look at David’s idea of “human oppression”. When we think of oppression we commonly think of outside forces oppressing us, but there is an oppression from within, or rather from a companion so closely aligned that it feels like within. The human oppression David is speaking of is not from tyrants or enemies attempting to rule over him. He asked for redemption from the human oppression that intended to keep him from obeying God. That would be his own fleshly tendencies toward sin. David prayed that God would keep his flesh from lording over his spirit. I feel ya, brother!
So what’s the good word here? Once we know we are in conflict, once we identify the enemy, we can deal with it. If you don’t know you're in a fight, you will neither defend nor attack. Your flesh will not quit fighting. You, that is your spirit, must fight just as long and just as hard. Starve your flesh. Make it weak. Do not feed it trash off the internet, Netflix, news media, social media or any other outlet through which the world offers your flesh nutrition. The supply lines must be cut.
Feed your spirit! As the Apostle Paul admonished in Colossians 3,”set your minds on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” We need to take on a spirit of goodness, kindness, compassion, humility and patience. We must forgive and be willing to be forgiven, and most of all love! Feed your spirit daily with God’s word and give worship and thanks to the God, Who gave you life.