If i am walking in the Spirit; why am i still contending with the "lust of the flesh" ? ?

Don,

It's because we were given the Holy Spirit at the moment of our salvation but the old flesh nature still resides within us.

Paul explains it in Romans 7:15-25.

Here's a little story that also explains it.

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He said, 'My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: 'Which wolf wins?'

The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'

That's why we need a steady intake of God's word to strengthen our spirit natures to battle against the flesh nature. We have to remember that the flesh nature has always been with us and is a full grown bully but when we receive the new spirit nature it's like a baby that needs to be fed and nurtured to be able to fight the constant battle that is going on within us. Otherwise we'll be defeated every time we are tempted.

Another thing that helps to is truly believe that we died with Christ when we were saved. We need to really visual ourselves as dead because we are ... it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. Dead people cannot respond to any stimuli therefore they cannot sin.

I pray this will be enlightening to some.

Because we are dwell in the flesh, we will continually face temptations. As long as we live on this Earth, in a mortal body, we will deal with the "lust of the flesh". You are correct that the "lust of the flesh" is not just sexual. This is the sinful desire to do what pleases our flesh, and not the perfect will of God. However, this does not mean that we have to yield to it. I suggest you read this great Bible study called ...

"Victory Over Sin"

http://faithworksministries.org/victory.html

Hope this helps.

Elder Greg

(((SFCU)))

This is because our new natures are residing in our old fleshly bodies, and these two are at war with one another. The old nature is dead, but the new nature still has to battle the old “tent” in which it dwells. Evil and sin are still present, but the believer now sees them in a new perspective, and they no longer control him as they once did. In Christ, we can now choose to resist sin, whereas the old nature could not. Now we have the choice whether to feed the new nature through the Word, prayer and obedience, or to feed the flesh by neglecting those things and engaging in sin.

The text in Galatians is an admonition, like "Husbands, love your wives like Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it" - Christ laid down his life for the Church - I STRIVE for that same attitude towards my wife, but there is no point where I could ever say "I've arrived, I've 100% fulfilled the command to love my wife..." - it's an admonition - something to strive for.

Buffet your body, your flesh daily - don't "feed the wolf," so to speak - don't "feed" lustful desires. Pray daily, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you, to give you strength... practice not looking at women as objects in the sense of sexual, physical attraction, but as souls, as humans.

But remember, if we say we have no sin, we are liars - but we don't PRACTICE sin daily without repentance or conviction. Unrepentant non-believers are not feeling guilty/convicted about checking out women, believe me.

Because we are human (and have a "sin nature"), not perfected yet, and sanctification is a process. Justification/salvation is immediate and by grace but sanctification takes time and submission to the work of the Holy Spirit from the inside out.

x

Following after the Spirit (fruits of love, joy, peace, etc...) is maturing in Christ. Maturity comes with experiential knowledge. We learn to die to the lusts of the flesh. Die daily to the old man & the sin nature the devil tempts us in.

When we are born of His Spirit, we become a spiritual soul. But we are still in the old corruptible body that was conceived in sin & has sin nature. So the body will die. The wages of sin is death. But we look forward to resurrection day complete, when this corruptible body will put on an incorruptible renewed everlasting body. (Like Jesus raised up in.)

In response. OK. Experiential spiritual knowledge. As the sentence following tries to explain. The devil tempts our flesh to do something destructive, like slander others or get drunk, etc... We experience this spiritually & recognize the tempter & our flesh lusts. But we also recognize the Holy Spirit directing us to follow after the good fruits of the Holy Spirit. We experience this in our spiritual soul. Then we choose to die to the lust of the flesh & choose to follow after the spirit. This is spiritual experiential knowledge then. The Holy Spirit doesn't force us to. But we do get Godly discipline when we disobey Gods personal direction. The Holy Spirit convicts us with a written Word or promise of God. Like if the devil tempted us to self destruction by wispering thoughts like you are worthless, etc... We then start believing the devils lies over the truth revealed in Gods Word. Then that is doubting Gods promises & is a sin. For without faith, it is impossible to please God. For those who come to God must believe God Is (Who God says He Is) and is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him. The Holy Spirit has brought this to my mind when I doubted because of verbal abuse or demonic wispers.

The lust of the flesh is when the devil tempts your flesh to do something destructive. The lust of the eyes is when the devil or circumstances puts another woman or man or pornography before your eyes... The pride of life is the devil tempting you to think that your life is more important than others that you are cuter, richer or smarter & you criticize other condemning them. I am not sure exactly what the pride of life is. But that we are boasting in our self abilities.

In response to Rescueds answer. The answer is good, but I don't agree with it completely. There is a bit of a heresy in it. Because two wolves aren't within us. The devil is outside of our body & tempts our flesh. But the Holy Spirit has sealed our spiritual souls & is within us. And the nature of Gods Spirit is within us. But the devil outside who can't cling to us, does tempt our flesh. Can touch our flesh if we let him. What I disagree with is that the Holy Spirit is a wolf too. The Holy Spirit is God. The wolves are the false prophets in sheeps clothing. And they have bad fruits, like heresies, false doctrines, etc. that lead to doubting Gods love & promises.

I don't know. What do you define as "walking in the Spirit"? Have you been Holy Spirit baptized?

Since I was infilled with the Holy Spirit I have found it much easier to conquer the "lusts of the flesh". My thoughts are so different than they were before. My focus is constantly on God and if it strays it is quickly corrected.

Email me if you need to discuss it.

God's peace to you brother.

There are three parts to us - spirit, soul and body, just as He is triune - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The thing is - where the Father, the Son (Word) and Spirit agree as one, we can be divided within ourselves - just another little package deal to thank Adam for. I'll explain it like this: Have you ever done anything contrary to what your head or heart were telling you to do? Of course you have. We all have. That struggle with flesh and conscience can occur even before the new birth.

My point is this: Not to glorify the flesh, but to say that the new birth begins in our spirit first. We are justified by the blood of Jesus, translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light....our spirits born of His Spirit just as Jesus explained to Nicodemus.

But this leaves our soul (mind, will emotions) which has to be renewed and a body of sin still to be contended with. Together, our soul and body comprise what the Bible calls "flesh".

As our minds are renewed and the mind of Christ is formed in us, our soul becomes sanctified, and we mature and grow in Him and begin to demonstrate the work that was accomplished in our spirits.

And as the spirit and soul gain ascendency through the working of His Word and Holy Spirit within, then the physical flesh will begin to line up as well. However, we will not see that physical part of us fully saved until Jesus returns for His church - what Paul calls the glorification of our bodies in 1 Corinthians 15.

So salvation occurs in three parts just as we are comprised of three:

The new birth - justification - salvation for our spirit

Maturing of the believer - sanctification - salvation for our souls

Resurrection of the physical body to be glorified as Christ's body was - glorification - salvation for our bodies, yet to be revealed in the age to come.

As we spend time with Him in prayer, in communication through His Holy Word, in thanksgiving and praise...and just getting still before Him to listen to His voice and leading, we are being sanctified. As we grow through this process, eventually the three parts of us - spirit and flesh - begin to agree as one, as He is one.

You are exactly right in your response to r_i-m_i_l. I so appreciate what you said - "our will is lost in His will". Couldn't have said it any better....

Be blessed today!

I don't understand why christianity is so obsessed with the "lust of the flesh." Animals do it all the time. Why would God impose rules on something completely natural?

God knows that we are mere mortals and sinners and that we will make many mistakes and never achieve perfection in this life. Jesus died so our sins can be forgiven.