~When we first come to Christ there is a fight between our flesh and our spirit. Our flesh wants to go one way and our spirit the other to follow Christ. Paul in the new testament struggled with the flesh in Romans 7 he says in verse 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Paul’s struggle is a deep personal struggle, with sin and with his own flesh. It is a war within. It is a war which results from his conversion, a war which did not exist until he was saved. But there is hope and Paul did get the victory but only through Christ. If you have any kind of addiction you can’t change on your own. Jesus will deliver and heal you and transform you. It is a process and it isn’t going to happen overnight. I struggled for quite a while as well near the beginning. If you recognize where you are at and you want to change, don’t beat yourself up when you can’t, because only through Christ you can. I remember when I first went back to church I was desperate to overcome my every weakness and I’d always go to the altar and weep before the Lord for help. I knew at the time I needed more than the way I was living, and I was helpless to do it on my own. In fact, I went through Steps to Freedom in Christ by Neil Anderson. They were prayers I prayed to deliver me from things I was into over the years. A lady from the church took me through the steps and I was set free it was amazing. From that moment on it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders and everything around me was beautiful and my spiritual eyes awakened to a whole new relationship with Jesus I never knew before. There were strongholds in my life that were holding me back. If you are feeling dragged down it would be good to go through the Steps to Freedom in Christ. There is hope and His light will shine at the end of the tunnel for you and don’t let the devil tell you otherwise because he is a liar. Jesus will set you free and give you victory. Phil. 4:13 You can do all things through Christ who will strengthen you.
(c) PassionateHeart LFH
Author June Hodgins 