How to beat the flesh

I was reading Romans chapter 6-8 today and in church we've been teaching and hearing others teach on living by the Spirit.  I am meditating on this very thing a lot at them moment.
We know that the flesh was crucified with Christ (Rom 6:6), and we are new creations, but we are still prone to this battle of flesh v spirit.  Paul the Apostle said how his desire and will often seemed to be in opposition to his actions... So how can we beat the flesh?

The truth is that the battle is to be fought in our minds. The flesh was crucified, put to death, and buried with Christ Jesus, but as a friend reminded me recently,  we can't beat flesh with flesh!  Will power or desire are not enough to change our behaviour; we have to start from the inside out.
Romans' 12:1-2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and Ephesians tells us that we are to be renewed in the Spirit of our minds.

Ephesians 4:23 (NLT)Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

We have to change our thinking and that can only be done as we allow the Spirit to live through us.   As we let God's thoughts become our own. You can't make it happen by yourself, but as we live by the Spirit, the bible says that we will not fulfil the lusts of the flesh - we will think differently, believe differently and consequently, act differently.

Jesus completely modelled a human life, lead by the Spirit. It is entirely possible through the cross that we can do the same, but we must be willing to lay down our thoughts and let the Holy Spirit change our hearts.

Living by the Spirit is not impossible, but it requires us to be humble, to read God's word and to be living sacrifices (that is to lay ourselves down). But when we do....wow!!  The fruit of living in the Spirit - peace, power, wisdom, grace for others, patience in tribulation, joy, miracles, provision, health....

Something to think on, right?

Have a great week.




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