Christians Is the Flesh Stronger Than the Spirit?
Posted: Thursday, October 01, 2009
by Douglas Cartwright
Living Words Coaching and Training
As a coach I realise that clients sometimes give the answer they think I want to hear rather than the answer they need to hear. So if I am coaching a Christian I might ask: Do you believe that the influence of the flesh is stronger than that of the Holy Spirit?
And, of course, they would say no because that is the answer they are expected to give. But it doesn't help them if secretly they are living lives of defeat-after-defeat because they do believe that:
- They can't resist
- Theyll have to give in to sin eventually
- The flesh is too strong
- They feel defeated
I want to address a couple of issues here that I hope will help. I'm writing this as much for me as for anyone reading.
Firstly, God has already given us our victory over sin whether or not we feel it. Its is important to know and even more important to believe. I will address each in turn:
Read these scriptures:
Firstly, God knows the end result of every action we have taken before we take it.
Isaiah 46: 9-10 9
Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.
He has already given us a victory over sin through Jesus Christ:
1 John 5:5
Who i s i t that overcome s the world ? Only he who believes that Jesus i s the Son of God.
He knows exactly what you need to overcome the sin:
Mathew 6:8
for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
And he has already provided for it both internally
1 John 4:4
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
and externally
1 Corinthians 10: 1313
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
The million dollar (or pound or yen!) question is:
Do you believe it?
Dont respond with what you think you should say.
Do you really believe it?
The internal struggle can sometimes be hindered by a set of beliefs we have generated for ourselves that take the forms of obligations and impossibilities. Again, you may resist thinking of them this way but stick with me:
I have to give in
I can't resist
Eventually the flesh will win and I must submit
Part of personal growth as a human being and especially as a Christian is telling oneself the truth. If these are beliefs that you have, you must fight them. Passionately. With anger and the determination to hunt them down and exterminate them.
Do I really have to?
Says who?
What does my BIBLE say?
What do I choose to believe?
Am I willing to call God himself a liar?
Am I willing to make his Word of null effect?
Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine and recently it was brought to my attention the way he said again and again that he did nothing that the Father had not told him to do. His authority came from the Father. His power came from the father. He was completely dependent on the Lord.
What can we learn from this? (What can I learn from this?)
That Jesus got His power directly from the father. And he was tested in every way, and he shared in our humanity so he knows what we suffer.
We can't use the excuse that Oh, he was God. He was a man as well. And if He needed to rely on God that much, what about us?
As Paul said in Romans 7: 24: What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death ?
Thanks be to Godthrough Jesus Christ our Lord!
Heres the bottom line guys. We can get used to feeling defeated but we seldom think to question the thinking behind the defeats. We may find that our minds are casting sins illusion over us and what are in fact experiencing are echoes of sin from a past, from a creature that we no longer are.
I hope this article gives you some food for thought.
God bless
Douglas Cartwright
If you want help making changes to your attitude and beliefs so that you can be more effective in your expression of the Christian life, then go to www.livingwords.net
If you want to read NOW an excellent book on managing your emotions in a Christ-like way go to http://www.livingwords.net/services/actualisation-resources/emotions-sometimes-i-have-them-sometimes-they-have-me
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