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We must understand the works of our inmost parts. Where do our five senses draw their life and energy ? From our soul. It is our soul that gives life and energy to our five senses; and when our senses become aroused , they in turn stimulate our desires.
How can we speak of a total victory over the five senses and over the passions and desire that become aroused through them ?
If our body were dead , we would not be able to feel, and we certainly would have no desire. When the body would be disconnected from the soul, our feelings and our senses draw their power from the soul will be cut off.
All through the age, Christians have sought to find many ways to overcome their desires. Perhaps the most common approach has been discipline and self-denial. But no matter how severe our self-denial may be , it will never completely conquer our senses.
No , self-denial is not the answer.!
Even when it appears to have worked, what self-denial has done is to change only the outward expression of those desires.
When we deal with the externals, what we are really doing is driving our soul further outward from our spirit. The more our soul is focused on these outward things, the further is removed from its center and from its resting place! The result of this type of self-denial is the opposite of what we sought. Unfortunately , this is what always happens to a believer when our life is lived out on the surface.
If we dwell on the desires of our outward nature - paying attention to them - they, in turn , become more and more active. Instead of being more, subdued , they gain more power. We can conclude from all this that although self-denial may truely weaken the body, it can never take away the keeness of our senses.
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Then what is our hope?
There is only one way to conquer our five senses, and that is by inward recollection. Or, to put it another way, the only way to conquer our five senses is by turning our soul completely inward to our spirit, there to posses a present God. Our soul must turn all of its attention and energies within, and not without! Within to Christ, not without to the senses. When our soul is turned within , it actually become seperated from our external senses; and once our five senses are seperated from our soul, they receive no more attention. Their life supply is cut off!
They become powerless.
Now our soul has learned at this point to turn within and draw near to the presence of God. The soul becomes further and further seperated from the self. We may experience being powerfully drawn within - to seek God in our spirit - and discover that the outer man becomes very weak.
Our main concern, is therefore , is the presence of Jesus Christ. Our main concern lies in dwelling continuously upon the God who is within us. Then , without particularly thinking of self - denial or "putting away the deeds of the flesh," God will cause us to experience a natural subduing of the flesh. We can be sure of this: The Christian who have faithfully abandoned himself to the Lord will soon discover that he also laid hold of God who will not rest until He has subdued everything. Our Lord will put to death all that remains to be put to death in our life.
What , then , is required of us? All we need to do is to remain steadfast in giving our utmost attention to God. He will do all things perfectly. The truth is, not everyone is capable of severe outward self - denial , but everyone is capable of turning within and abandoning Himself wholly to God.
It is true that what we see and what you hear are continually supplying our busy imagination with new subjects. They keep our thoughts jumping from one subject to another. Therefore, there is a place for discipline concerning what we see and hear. We need to be at peace ; God will teach us about all this. All we need to do is follow His Spirit.
Two great advantages will come to us if we proceed in this way. First of all, by withdrawing from outward objects, we will constantly draw nearer to God.
The closer we are to God, the more we receive His nature.
The more we receive His nature , the more we will draw upon His sustaining power.
Secondly, the nearer we draw to the Lord, the further we are removed from sin. So we see , by simply turn within to our spirit, we begin to acquire the habit of being near to the Lord and far from all else.
If any time, we find our desires stirred up, those senses can best be deadened by the gentle retreat inward to the present God. Any other way of opposing our restless senses will merely stimulate them further.
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