The one great fear of the flesh is it being dragged, kicking and screaming, to the Cross. It will subtly submit to any and all propositions, except taking a trip to Calvary. At the very mention of “The place of the skull,” it shutters and draws back at the thought of climbing that dreaded hill of execution. The flesh seeks to be coddled, not crucified!
But if the child of God is to truly “Belong to Christ,” there must of necessity be such a visit. Paul tells us “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” As the song writer so aptly put it, “Must Jesus bear the cross alone, And all the world go free? No, there’s a cross for everyone, And there’s a cross for me.”
Agag of old is a type of our flesh, and just as he came to Samuel “delicately,” so our “old man,” as Agag, will daily come to us thinking “the bitterness of death is past.” But we must emulate the old prophet’s actions, if we are to be victorious, “Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord.” There can be no quarter; if you give self an inch, he’ll take a mile. If you really want to please God, then take Sword in hand and start hacking.
“The flesh will brazenly follow its victim into the very sanctuary and kneel along with him while he communes with God” (A.W.Tozer)
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