Part One saw Adam in the garden fellowshipping with God’s Holy Spirit daily. This empowered his human spirit to rule his soul, and in turn to rule his body. Adam was a ‘living-soul’ before his disobedience to his God.
Part Two saw Adam outside the garden with sorrow coming from many directions, including Cain killing Abel. He saw his own personality change. He had to fight his flesh to obey his soul in doing what is good, while his human spirit had lost the power of God’s Spirit along with desire to worship as before. Worship was a struggle, unlike in the garden.
His spirit became dead to the things of God. His soul became stronger demanding its own way, while his body of flesh also demanded that it receive whatever it desired first. Divine Order had been turned upside down by deception of the evil one.
Adam was not alone. The great Apostle Paul shares with us his struggle with the flesh and carnal soul in Romans chapter seven. All humans have the sin of Adam in their genetics. It is easy for humans to sin. Sin leads to more sin and hardens the conscience into a Judas.
Paul says the only way for victory over the flesh is through Jesus Christ living in us.
- First we need to realize that we are all in the same boat as Paul. There is no good that dwells in our flesh. (Romans 7:18)
- Second we need to know that when we believed, God transfused His Holy Nature into our sinful nature. He did this by the Power of the Blood which covers all repented sin.
- In II Peter 1:4, Peter says Christ has allowed us as believers to partake of Divine Nature. The New Birth gives us a New Nature. Believers now have two natures; one old, one new.
- Thirdly we need to understand that we have to do our part.
Spirit and Truth-
That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of Spirit is spirit. Those in the flesh cannot please God per Romans 8:8.
“God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
The Holy Spirit baptism enables the human spirit to rule to soul.
This is accomplished through obeying the conviction of the Holy Spirit as to what is right and wrong. It is accomplished through reading and meditating on the Word of God daily. It is accomplished by having conversations with God throughout the day and night.
- Our daily bread is now the Word of God which is filled with Holy Spirit and Life.
- Our daily water is now the refreshing times of the Holy Spirit as it washes and cleanses us by reading the Words of God. (Ephesians 5:26) (Acts 3:19) (John 7:38)
- God’s Word is our spiritual soap, but it will not do us any good if we leave the soap in the soap dish.
Faith-
“He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
- Faith that God hears you, and that He forgives you each time you ask Him to do so
- Faith that He washes you clean with His Word as living water, and visits your spirit with refreshment in due times
- Faith that you are His child, His son, and that He allows circumstances in this life to discipline you; not for evil, but for good-all are to draw us closer to Him-all are to burn up the chaff and dross in our soul
- Faith that He is faithful to forgive as our High Priest as we confess our sins
- Faith that He will always be with you as your Good Shepherd no matter where are spiritually
We must reckon-
Galatians 5:24-25 says, “But they who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and its lusts. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Verse 16 says, “Walk by the Spirit and you shall by no means fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
The flesh in these verses are the Old Nature.
Romans 6:11 says, “So also ye, reckon yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Reckon means to conclude after calculation. Reckoning is an exercise of the will and of our faith.
We must believe, we must have faith daily that God has crucified our flesh and all its sin on the cross with Him at Calvary.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
By persisting day after day in faith that our flesh is crucified and buried with Christ in baptism, we will day by day overcome the demands of the carnal soul and the corrupt fleshly desires. This is walking by the Spirit with Him convicting us what pleases and what displeases Him.
Jesus instructed us to “watch” and pray.
Watching is being alert and on guard. When we are expecting a package delivered to our door, we are watching. When we know there have been home invasions on our street, we are watching. The least little thing can trigger us into action.
When we open our mouths, when we take steps with our feet, when we take actions, we when think thoughts, when we feel feelings; we need to slow down, stop, look and listen. Does it agree with the character of Christ? Does it agree with the Word of God? Does it fulfill Philippians 4:8? Is it of the old nature or the new nature?
We calculate each thought, word and deed by comparing it to Christ and then we conclude which way we yield our will. We exercise our will to choose that which pleases Christ and lifts up those around us. The more we exercise the body, the stronger the muscles become. Paul says, we can exercise godliness to profit us in this life and in the one to come. (I Timothy 4:8)
We have to ask for submission-
Jesus had to pray three times for the cup to pass from Him. His flesh, His soul fought Him to the point of great drops of blood falling from His sweat. (How many times have we prayed till we sweated?)
Then Jesus surrendered His will to the will of His Father. “Not my will, but thine be done.”
Too many things we do in our own strength.
Jesus says that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. We desire the will of God until it starts to cost us, then the old nature steps in saying, “Wait a minute!”
The flesh is always there. The soul always desires the carnal. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit in your human spirit that you are able to fellowship and worship God.
- You have to have faith that your flesh is dead to Christ and guard against it having its way.
- You have to submit your will as Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer.
- You have to believe daily that His Holy Spirit will give you strength to do all things for Him.
- When you walk in the Spirit, you have trust that the Spirit will lead you as promised.
As you obey, you will find peace, liberty, anointing, and guidance for each step you take. Psalm 37:23 and 133:19 speak about our steps being ordered by God. Steps ordained by God will always bring peace that He is right there with you each step of the way.
We are two natures, but soon Christ will return for His Bride and we will once again be one nature as our Spiritual Adam and receive a body fashioned like His glorious body. a Body of Spirit for no flesh can enter into His Holy Presence!