How to Kill the Flesh 
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 8:13 KJV)
If we do not kill the flesh, it will kill us. Romans 8:13 states this fact clearly. We can either kill the flesh and live in the Spirit or let the flesh live and be killed by it. What makes this even more problematic is that we must make this choice every day. It is not a one-time decision. But here’s the good news: once the flesh dies, you will enjoy eternal life until it overflows!
But first, let us clarify what is meant by “the flesh.” Though this is one of the most important terms regarding our daily lives in the New Testament, it is also one of the most confusing and difficult for many. The reason is simple: many Christians almost always think the flesh means the physical, fleshly body. Yes, it sometimes does, but in this verse and others, it simply means our humanity, that is, us, without the influence of the Holy Spirit. It refers to how we think and feel and how it controls our lives and bodies.
I have described this fully in another article. Some Christians find it difficult to accept the fact that there are two natures in the Christian. We are not in heaven yet. Even the most holy among us can do very odd things if they allow the flesh to take control at any time.
It should now be apparent why killing the flesh is a nightmare for many of us. How do you kill yourself? Scripture tells us it is very simple to understand. It is resolving to do what God wants, not what we want. After the decision to accept Jesus as your Lord, the second most important decision in your life is to deny yourself and decide to obey God rather than follow how you feel, think, or desire.
No ordinary human being in their right mind will do this. Many Christians do not like to hear this, and many preachers shy away from preaching this. When was the last time you read something or heard a sermon about dying to the flesh? It is not a very popular topic for both the preacher and the listener, yet it is the one thing you can do to bring you the greatest happiness in God.
And here is the secret to dying in the flesh—we need help to die, and God knows it. It will take the Holy Spirit to make us want to die to ourselves and to give us the power to do so. In practice, however, we kill the flesh when we decide to follow what the Lord says rather than what we want to do.
For example, the last thing we might want to do is forgive that friend who hurt us deeply. We do not want to do it, yet we know God wants us to do that. We kill the flesh when we willingly decide to follow what the Spirit wants us to do rather than what we (our humanity, the flesh) want to do.
So, as Paul says, mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit so that you will live the life of the Spirit.
Meditate
Is your flesh still alive or dead in practice? Who is controlling you, the flesh or the Spirit?
Apply the Word
Do you know that if our flesh is alive, it will kill our joy, peace, relationships, ministry, etc.? To kill the flesh, we need the Holy Spirit to do so for our own benefit. As you go about today, die daily to yourself and let the Lord Jesus live, and you will bear abundant fruit.
Pray
Ask the Father to help you truly see your need to die. Ask Him to make us willing and give us the ability to do so.
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