Scripture References:

1 COR 6:12-13; 18-20

PHILLIPIANS 3:17-21

MATTHEW 4:1-4–

LUKE 24:41-43

HOW TO SUBMIT WHAT THE ENEMY TRIES TO EXPLOIT

1. Appetite Is a Gift but a Terrible God.. God created hunger, desire, and appetite as good gifts. The problem isn’t that we have appetites; it’s when our appetites begin impulsively directing our lives instead of serving God’s purposes. Paul's warning to Philippians is that some people make their appetite their god, allowing cravings and impulses to become their highest authority. Every person serves something, and one of the easiest idols to miss is the one we carry around in our own body. A submitted life asks, “Am I leading my appetites, or are my appetites leading me?”.

2. What You Feed Grows, What You Starve Weakens. In Matthew 4, Jesus shows us that spiritual strength is forged through physical restraint. The temptation wasn’t merely about bread—it was about whether physical desire would dictate His decisions. Every appetite becomes stronger when constantly indulged and will always weaken when it is only occasionally denied. Fasting is not punishment, nor is it a way to earn God’s favor; it is training our craving to submit. Every time we tell our flesh “not now,” we are teaching our spirit to say “yes” to God.

3. Your Body Is a Tool for Worship, Not an Object to Worship. Paul reminds the Corinthians that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and were purchased at a great price. The Christian response is neither neglect of the body nor obsession with it, but faithful stewardship. Our culture swings between indulgence and image worship, but Scripture calls us to something better. We care for our bodies not because they define our worth or affirm existence, but because they belong to God. The goal is not a perfect physique; the goal is a life that glorifies God in both spirit and body.