Satan vs the Flesh

[B-A-C]

In the New Testament the word "flesh" is used over 110 times. Now a few of these times, it's in the context of marriage... with verses like...

Matt 19:5; and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'?

The two shall become one flesh. OK. But most of the time it's talking about your self ego. Your will, your pride, your tendency to sin.

Matt 26:41; "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Your Spirit and flesh are often at war with each other.

Rom 8:3; For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
Rom 8:4; so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Rom 8:5; For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6; For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Rom 8:7; because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
Rom 8:8; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9; However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
Rom 8:12; So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—
Rom 8:13; for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

There are over 80 verses like this.

1Cor 5:5; I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
2Cor 10:3; For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
2Cor 10:4; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

Now I'm not going to post them all here, but hopefully this is enough to get the idea, that the Bible talks about "the flesh" (sinful self will) quite a bit.
In fact, I find it interesting that "the flesh" is mentioned more times than "Satan".

The word "devil" for example is only in the New testament, 32 times. The word "Satan" 33 times. Adversary once. Accuser once.
The flesh is mentioned almost twice as often as Satan is. I wonder why that is?

In the 70's we had a popular comedian on television, he was always saying "The devil made me do it". Well first, if you're Christian and the Holy Spirit dwells in you, the devil can't make you do anything.
Now he can influence you, and tempt you, and he tries to do so frequently. But the devil can't make you sin. He has no power over you except what you give him.

My point here is... we are perfectly capable of sinning on our own, without Satan's influence. Our "flesh" (our self will) is often at war with our Spirit, this is when we sin. This is when we do
what "we want" to do. Not what God (the Spirit) wants us to do. We can't blame everything we do on Satan. Really we can't blame anything on him.
In Revelation, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire at some point in the future. ( Rev 20:10; ) But even after this happens, there will be people who sin. ( Rev 22:15; )
They won't have Satan to tempt or influence them, but their flesh will still sin.

 

[Waggles]

James 1:12 Blessed the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which He promised to them that love him.
13 Let no one say when tempted [that], I am tempted from God; for God is unversed in evils, and he himself tempteth no one:
14 but each is tempted, being drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin full grown bringeth forth death.

 

[Waggles]

G4561 σάρξ sarx
Thayer Definition:
1) flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood) of both man and beasts
2) the body
2a) the body of a man
2b) used of natural or physical origin, generation or relationship
2b1) born of natural generation
2c) the sensuous nature of man, “the animal nature”
2c1) without any suggestion of depravity
2c2) the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin
2c3) the physical nature of man as subject to suffering
3) a living creature (because possessed of a body of flesh) whether man or beast
4) the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God

 

[B-A-C]

Gal 5:16; But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Gal 5:17; For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

2Pet 2:10; and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,
1Jn 2:16; For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

 

[Waggles]

Not by human might but by my Spirit -
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. Even as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine; thus neither ye, unless ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: Who abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.

'nothing' - now that is a pretty sad indictment against the flesh.

 

[B-A-C]

Rom 8:5; For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6; For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Rom 8:7; because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
Rom 8:8; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9; However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Gal 5:16; But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Gal 5:17; For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Gal 5:18; But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Gal 5:19; Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Gal 5:20; idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
Gal 5:21; envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.