7.57 To “STAND” – The battleground is the mind
During the past week, I had the opportunity to talk to several friends and their loved ones who are bound by the addiction of smoking. My heart went out to them because I knew that Jesus had died on the cross for them to set them free from this bondage which harms. We only need to believe and let the power of the Spirit work in them. Smoking is just one of the many examples of sinful desires.
The sinful desires are in the flesh (Romans 7:18). It is called sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3). This is accentuated in the case of an addiction to nicotine or drugs. The flesh is subject to intense craving. But the Bible says that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with (Romans 6:6).
So why then are we still subject to sinful desires of the flesh then? The Bible does not say that we will no longer be tempted. We will still be subject to desires of the flesh. But the Bible says that we should no longer be slaves of sin (Romans 6:6). Why is this so? This is because we are now born again and we have a new nature in us. Our spirit has come alive and the Holy Spirit lives in us.
How do we reconcile this? Sin is in the flesh. We are born again of the Spirit (John 3:6). We can still experience temptations in the flesh but we are no longer slaves to sin. The answer is in the mind.
The mind stands in between the spirit and the flesh. When our spirit man was not alive in Christ, the mind could only follow the desires and influence of the flesh. The mind and self-will has no power over sin. Paul says, “For what I will to do, I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (Romans 7:15) Paul was speaking of his experience when he was under the law – before he was born again. His efforts were futile.
But now that our spirit is alive, we experience His power when our mind follows the desires and influence of the Holy Spirit. Our real nature is no longer the flesh but the Spirit. It is just that we need to set our mind on the Spirit and to let Him reign.
(Romans 8:3-5)
He [Jesus] CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh SET THEIR MINDS on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Who is the one who is in the Spirit? Is it a hard condition to fulfill? The Bible makes it so easy. The Bible declares that you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Today, if you have received Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit, you are in the Spirit. You just need to believe it. This is the obedience of faith in the New Covenant that delivered us.
(Romans 6: 17-18)
But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became salves of righteousness.
When you allow your mind to put on the new man, you will end up as a slave of righteousness. The law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Walk in the life of the Spirit and shake off that habit that brings death.
The sinful desires are in the flesh (Romans 7:18). It is called sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3). This is accentuated in the case of an addiction to nicotine or drugs. The flesh is subject to intense craving. But the Bible says that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with (Romans 6:6).
So why then are we still subject to sinful desires of the flesh then? The Bible does not say that we will no longer be tempted. We will still be subject to desires of the flesh. But the Bible says that we should no longer be slaves of sin (Romans 6:6). Why is this so? This is because we are now born again and we have a new nature in us. Our spirit has come alive and the Holy Spirit lives in us.
How do we reconcile this? Sin is in the flesh. We are born again of the Spirit (John 3:6). We can still experience temptations in the flesh but we are no longer slaves to sin. The answer is in the mind.
The mind stands in between the spirit and the flesh. When our spirit man was not alive in Christ, the mind could only follow the desires and influence of the flesh. The mind and self-will has no power over sin. Paul says, “For what I will to do, I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (Romans 7:15) Paul was speaking of his experience when he was under the law – before he was born again. His efforts were futile.
But now that our spirit is alive, we experience His power when our mind follows the desires and influence of the Holy Spirit. Our real nature is no longer the flesh but the Spirit. It is just that we need to set our mind on the Spirit and to let Him reign.
(Romans 8:3-5)
He [Jesus] CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh SET THEIR MINDS on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Who is the one who is in the Spirit? Is it a hard condition to fulfill? The Bible makes it so easy. The Bible declares that you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Today, if you have received Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit, you are in the Spirit. You just need to believe it. This is the obedience of faith in the New Covenant that delivered us.
(Romans 6: 17-18)
But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became salves of righteousness.
When you allow your mind to put on the new man, you will end up as a slave of righteousness. The law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Walk in the life of the Spirit and shake off that habit that brings death.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 2:14 AM
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