The Battle With Self

Hello Readers,

Today I want to touch on a very important subject. Every Christians struggles with this whether they understand it or are willing to admit it. I want to talk about what it means and where the struggle really comes from.

As a born again Christian we no longer have claim on our physical body. Scripture says that we are dead to sin and alive to Christ. The apostle stated that it is no longer he that lives but Christ that lives in Him. This is a bold statement and sometimes we wonder how he could say something like that and what it even means. Well this is what it means.

The moment you truly gave up all sin and understood who God was you repented and placed all your faith in Jesus Christ. You were born again. You were filled with the Spirit of Christ Jesus. Now that means that you died. Yes you died. Now the battle is not between you and the devil which many believe it is. The battle is with Christ Jesus and your flesh. How do you know this? If you read and study Romans 6-8 chapter 7 is clear on this internal battle. Many would try and have you believe that chapter 7 is not for born again Christians that is foolishness. An unbeliever has no spiritual mind nor can he understand the things of the Spirit and yet the apostle Paul clearly says with my MIND I desire to obey the law he even says he delights in the law of the Lord in the inward man, but he is a slave to sin. The apostle Paul says who will deliver me from this body of sin and death. In chapter 8 he clearly goes on to say Jesus Christ.

What does this mean? This means as a Christian we may bounce from chapter 6-8 many times in life. Not being born again twice but we are born again we look to Christ, we fall into sin or yield to temptation, we look to Christ again to find freedom, back to 6, then 7, then 8, then 6, 7, 8 and the cycle continues for some time. Now Jesus commands us to stay in chapter 8. He says walk in Holiness. Without it no one will follow the Lord. Be ye perfect as your father in heaven is perfect. He means it. When he told the adulterous woman to go and sin no more do you think He was joking? Of course not.

How do we stay in chapter 8? We must give up our right to our own body. However difficult this may sound we must identify ourselves with the death of Christ. We died with Him that he might live through us. We must get our eyes off of ourselves and our own worthlessness and look to Him. As we do this the desire to sin will fade away and disappear. This is super important and here is why.

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

If you desire to sin when the temptation comes you will give in because desire is there, if desire then sin, then death. You cannot get around this. If Jesus does not kill the desire in you then you are not of God. Now remember this can be a battle and often is because we don't know the Word of God and are not meditating on it and talking to God. This is not a joke. If you continue in desire of sin you will be lost forever eventually sin will lead to death.

Look to Jesus He alone is the author and finisher of our faith. Remember you died with Him a long time ago or recently for you new believers. Sin no longer has dominion over you. Let Jesus so change you that you have no desire to sin. As a matter of fact ask Him to put His Fear in you so much so that you hate sin with a passion.

May God richly bless you with this message and may He keep you blameless until that great day.

Sincerely,

Your Brother in Christ James Peters Sr.