"They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts"
(Galatians 5:24)
Introduction
In Hebrew and Greek the Scriptures use sixteen words to express 'desire' as a noun, and twenty-six for the verb.
Sanctification reaches even to this area of the soul of man. Though God began the work the moment we submitted our lives to Christ, we are all too aware that our desires get the better of us at times. Wesley recognised this when he said, "My will seems fixed, yet wide my passions rove."
Roving Passions
Our fleshly desires can be very strong, strong enough to bring the soul into captivity again. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5:1.) .The sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit is given to cleanse us from ungodly passions and desires, and when they do invade the soul, to overcome them.
Desire nothing but God
"Desire nothing but God" wrote John Wesley. Do we put such advice into practice in our daily lives? Do we not rather yearn for the things of this world, ease, comfort and pleasure?
Our one desire should be the Lord Himself. As He draws near to us and asks, "What shall I do for thee?", let our reply be, "Lord, give us the fulness of Thy Spirit." There should be no stronger desire in our hearts than this.
The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:13, "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Are our desires so fixed upon God? The Psalmist cried, " My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed" (Psalm 57:7.) The prophet Isaiah wrote, " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isaiah 26:3.)
Conclusion
This fixing and establishing of our desires wholly on God is possible through the ministration of th Holy Spirit. In fact God uses a much more meaningful word that 'fixed,' He speaks of crucifixion ... "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24.) This is the nature of true sanctification - the cleansing of dross from the desires of the soul, in other words, our worldly and carnal desires can be nailed to the cross too.