Not by laws, Not by rules. Not by religion, Not by focusing on self. Not by working out a performance based system.
By TRUSTING IN GOD.
And by walking in the spirit man... When we trust God in our flesh.. it can be a very defeatist thing. There is a mind of the flesh and a mind of the Spirit. Learning about the differences was major for me. What motivates us when we deal with our day to day lives with our selves and others? As well as different situations that happen to us in life?
If we are driving down the road in our car praising the Lord and all of the sudden we get cut off by a Bozo... what happens?
Even still with me I can have the reflex of wanting to zap the guy like they do on StarWars when they push the button with their thumb and blow up the enemy. That is my flesh and I've been learning to see it by the spirit. I used to condemn myself but found the Holy Spirit never condemns because I'm a new creation in Christ.
My flesh is not the new creation so it will not do as I want. I have to master "IT" And that is done by the new man empowered by the Holy Spirit working in me.
Coming to cc is a study in this. How often do we get zapped by other people's misunderstandings or mean words? How often do we feel a need to zap back? That is most definitely the flesh. But we have to yield to the Spirit in us. Our born again spirit man yields to the Holy Spirit. Not the flesh., the flesh will not yield. To try to bend our flesh in the power of our flesh causes stress and anguish., guilt and shame. Bending the flesh doesn't cause genuine change. It only forces something that cannot be forced. Jesus already defeated and killed the power of the flesh.
The flesh will figure out ways to zap people back without looking like it's zapping people back. The flesh is deceitful in every way. We learn to discern ourselves by our motivations whether they are of the flesh or of the Spirit. If my motivation is anger, impatience and annoyance it's not coming from the Spirit., it's from my flesh and I cannot allow myself to be lead away by it.
When I am acting from my new creation., I CAN and WILL submit to the Holy Spirit's leading without stress. I then get the peaceable fruits of righteousness flowing again. I don't get that when the flesh is leading. When we are doing it in our flesh we have momentary success that must be maintained by our will power which eventually will fade in and out as we deal with other issues in life.
Again, it tells us how to know the differences from what the flesh does vs what the spirit does. Also., we need His infilling to do this daily. Be ye being filled. He will train us to be steadfast and balanced not sporadic and double minded.
Gal.5:13-26
[SUP]13 [/SUP]For you, brethren, were [indeed] called to freedom; only [do not let your] freedom be an incentive to your flesh
and an opportunity
or excuse [for [SUP][
a][/SUP]selfishness], but through love you should serve one another.
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14 [/SUP]For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is [SUP][
b][/SUP]complied with in the one precept, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.
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15 [/SUP]But if you bite and devour one another [in partisan strife], be careful that you [and your whole fellowship] are not consumed by one another.
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16 [/SUP]But I say, walk
and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to
and controlled
and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings
and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
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17 [/SUP]For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free
but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.
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18 [/SUP]But if you are guided (led) by the [Holy] Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.
[SUP]
19 [/SUP]Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,
[SUP]
20 [/SUP]Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),
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21 [/SUP]Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
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22 [/SUP]But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
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23 [/SUP]Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [[SUP][
c][/SUP]that can bring a charge].
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24 [/SUP]And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites
and desires.
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25 [/SUP]If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit [SUP][
d][/SUP]we have our life in God, let us go forward [SUP][
e][/SUP]walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]
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26 [/SUP]Let us not become vainglorious
and self-conceited, competitive
and challenging
and provoking
and irritating to one another, envying
and being jealous of one another.