The Body (Part 2): Training the Temple

In Part 1, we established the order: The Body communicates, the Soul interprets, and the Spirit leads. We looked at the Dashboard framework, the idea that physical gives us information, but is not the Driver.

Today, we’re getting tactical. We aren’t just 'living' in a body; we are stewarding our temple. To do that effectively, we have to move beyond reacting to our symptoms and start training our physical frame to align with our Spirit.

The Body vs. The Flesh: Know the Difference

One of the biggest points of confusion for believers is the difference between the Body and the Flesh.

• The Body is your physical frame, or the temple God gave you.
• The Flesh (or sin nature) is the carnal drive to satisfy self apart from God.

When your body is in pain, it’s a physical reality. When that pain demands you become bitter, fearful, or prayerless, that’s the Flesh trying to take the wheel. Our goal isn't to punish the body; it's to quiet the flesh so the Spirit can be heard.

The Living Sacrifice (Romans 12:1)

We have often read Romans 12:1 about being a "living sacrifice," but we forget that a sacrifice has to stay on the altar.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

Presenting your body as a sacrifice doesn't mean ignoring your pain; it means submitting your pain to God's purpose. It’s saying, "Lord, my knee hurts, or this diagnosis is scary, but I am submitting this physical thing to Your Spirit today." You are taking the "front line" of your life and putting it under His command.

Discipline: Positioning, Not Performance

I want to be very clear: Physical discipline is not about "earning" your healing or being "good enough" for God to move. Discipline is about positioning.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27:

"I discipline my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."

Why did Paul "bring" his body into submission? Because a loud, undisciplined body amplifies the flesh. When we lack discipline, whether in what we eat, how we rest, or things like fasting, the body’s "voice" gets louder than the Spirit’s.

Discipline quiets the noise. It increases your spiritual sensitivity so that even when the body is in pain, your Spirit remains sharp.

Read the rest at: https://litwithprayer.substack.com/p/the-body-part-2-training-the-temple