But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. — 1 CORINTHIANS 9:27

As a Christian, learn to let the new man on the inside dominate your outward man. The outward man is not a new man. The body has not been born again. The body will keep on wanting to do the things it has always done — things that are wrong. Paul’s body did! This great apostle wouldn’t have had to keep his body under if it were not wanting to do things that were wrong. So don’t be surprised when your body wants to do wrong things.

We have the flesh to contend with in this world. The devil works through the flesh. Because we experience trials and temptations in the flesh, the devil tells Christians, “You must not even be saved! If you were saved, you wouldn’t want to do that!” Satan will insinuate it’s “you” who wants to do wrong, when really “you” the man on the inside — the new man — doesn’t want to do wrong.

Do you need to break a habit? Conquer an old temptation? Walk in victory over the flesh? Do what Paul did. Say what Paul said. Paul said, “I don’t let my body rule me.” Who is “I”? “I” is the man on the inside. Paul called his body “it,” and he called himself, the man on the inside, “I.” Paul said, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection . . . .” Into subjection to what? To the inward man!

Confession: I keep my body under. I don’t let my body rule me. “I” bring my body into subjection to “me.”