Double-mindedness: Flesh VS Spirit
Okay, so I'm realizing that the topic of "resolving internal conflict" is a big one. There are many different reasons for our double-mindedness. Today we will start with a major one for all Christians: the war between the flesh and the Spirit.
I was a young adult when I first learned what it means to "walk in the Spirit". I had been a Christian for 10 years of so at that point but was often living a very frustrated existence of double-mindedness. It was similar to Paul's description in Romans 7:19: "For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing." I really had good intentions but would find myself slipping into thoughts and behaviours that were selfish and destructive. I hated this!
Thankfully, some saint shared the Bible passage Galatians 5:16-18 with me.
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law."
Once I realized that there was a war going on in me between the flesh (sinful nature) and the Spirit, I began to be able to resolve some of my internal conflict. How? By faith. Consciously choosing to rely on God's Spirit and follow His leading instead of listening to the desires (and demands) of the sinful nature.
But the pull of sin is powerful and sometimes we think it is impossible to not listen to its voice. I clearly remember a talk I heard on Romans 6:1-14 that gave me courage to take my stand against my evil inclinations. The verses that stuck out were Romans 6:11-13:
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your motal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness."
I realized at that time two things that has stuck with me 20+ year:
1) That I have already died to sin through my union with Christ and need to acknowledge it is so. Sin can't control me for I am dead to it.
2) On a very practical note: It is with my body that that I sin or do righteous acts. These hands, eyes, tongue, feet, etc are instruments of either wickedness or righteousness. I have freedom regarding what I do with my body and I can choose to give myself to God.
So when I'm double-minded, experiencing the war between the flesh and the Spirit, I pray - acknowledging that when Jesus died so did my sin so now I am dead to sin, I offer myself to God, and I ask the Holy Spirit to fill me and give me the power to live the righteous life He has made me for. Then I act, in faith, sure that God's way is what I want.
I was a young adult when I first learned what it means to "walk in the Spirit". I had been a Christian for 10 years of so at that point but was often living a very frustrated existence of double-mindedness. It was similar to Paul's description in Romans 7:19: "For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing." I really had good intentions but would find myself slipping into thoughts and behaviours that were selfish and destructive. I hated this!
Thankfully, some saint shared the Bible passage Galatians 5:16-18 with me.
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law."
Once I realized that there was a war going on in me between the flesh (sinful nature) and the Spirit, I began to be able to resolve some of my internal conflict. How? By faith. Consciously choosing to rely on God's Spirit and follow His leading instead of listening to the desires (and demands) of the sinful nature.
But the pull of sin is powerful and sometimes we think it is impossible to not listen to its voice. I clearly remember a talk I heard on Romans 6:1-14 that gave me courage to take my stand against my evil inclinations. The verses that stuck out were Romans 6:11-13:
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your motal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness."
I realized at that time two things that has stuck with me 20+ year:
1) That I have already died to sin through my union with Christ and need to acknowledge it is so. Sin can't control me for I am dead to it.
2) On a very practical note: It is with my body that that I sin or do righteous acts. These hands, eyes, tongue, feet, etc are instruments of either wickedness or righteousness. I have freedom regarding what I do with my body and I can choose to give myself to God.
So when I'm double-minded, experiencing the war between the flesh and the Spirit, I pray - acknowledging that when Jesus died so did my sin so now I am dead to sin, I offer myself to God, and I ask the Holy Spirit to fill me and give me the power to live the righteous life He has made me for. Then I act, in faith, sure that God's way is what I want.
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