The enemy within (overcoming self)
The apostle Paul perceived the reality there is an internal battle within every last one of us; each believer has an "enemy within" that we should fight. This long lasting battle between the flesh and the Spirit will seethe until our demise. Romans 7:21– 23 tends to the enemy within: "So I discover this law at work: Although I need to do good, evil is in that spot with me.
For in my inner being I delight in God's law; yet I see another law at work in me, taking up arms against the law of my mind and making me a detainee of the law of wrongdoing at work within me." Paul comprehended that his fleshly nature could never adjust to God's will. Regardless of the amount he should need to obey God inside and out, he was fighting the "evil . . . in that spot with me," the enemy within.
Jesus likewise talked about the enemy within, in various terms. Tending to His drowsy teaches in Gethsemane, Jesus rebuked them to implore and gave a reason they should ask: "The spirit is eager, yet the flesh is frail" (Mark 14:38). There's no real way to overlook it—we are bound to a fleshly, selfish nature as long as we are in this natural presence. It is the enemy within that would shield us from doing what we should.
Competitors in preparing know firsthand the battle against the enemy within, and numerous competitors talk about the cause all their own problems acting naturally. To be a fruitful competitor, one must overcome mental obstructions, self-question, and the straightforward want to take the easy way.
Paul more likely than not been a games aficionado, for he utilizes correlations with games and how competitors train their bodies to convey them under control in order to win the prize (see 1 Corinthians 9:24– 27 and 2 Timothy 2:5). We as children of the light should do likewise, precluding the undesirable desires from securing the flesh keeping in mind the end goal to gain a spiritual advantage.
Our preparation is substantially more imperative than that of Olympic competitors, even, for the stakes are significantly higher in the spiritual realm. "Everybody who contends in the games goes into strict preparing. They do it to get a crown that won't last, however we do it to get a crown that will keep going forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25). As we rehearse self-control, the fleshly hungers become weaker, and, as we sustain the spirit, the things of the Spirit within us will run the show.
Jesus stated, "You are debased by what comes from your heart," that is, the thing that comes from within (Mark 7:15, NLT). Also, we realize that "the demonstrations of the flesh are self-evident: sexual immorality, impurity and intemperance; worshipful admiration and witchcraft; disdain, disunity, desire, attacks of anger, selfish aspiration, discords, groups and begrudge; inebriation, blow-outs, and so forth. I warn you, as I did previously, that the individuals who live like this won't acquire the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19– 21). Our flesh will raise its monstrous head in a wide range of ways; some ways are more deceitful than others, and it's good to know ourselves so we can look for this "enemy within."
The book The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien has an entry in which the at odds and pathetic Gollum has a discourse with himself (Book IV, section 2). He skips from dreadful to vile, rotating from defenseless against angry, as he battles to fight the enemy within himself. That section can fill in as a representation of the devotee's day by day engagement with the flesh. "The flesh wants what is in opposition to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is in opposition to the flesh. They are in strife with each other, so you are not to do whatever you need" (Galatians 5:17).
How might we overcome the enemy within? Scripture says we should deny ourselves; indeed, every one of the individuals who want to take after Christ must take up their cross (Luke 9:23; 14:27). We should figure out how to state "no" to the wants of our fallen nature. "[The effortlessness of God] shows us to state 'No' to profaneness and common interests, and to live self-controlled, upright and virtuous lives in this present age" (Titus 2:12).
To effectively fight the enemy within, we should comprehend the genuine energy of Christ's demise: "'He himself bore our transgressions' in his body on the cross, so we may bite the dust to sins and live for honorableness" (1 Peter 2:24). In view of the passing of Christ, we see ourselves as dead to sin and alive to God: "Our old self was killed with him" (Romans 6:6; cf. verse 11).
What's more, to overcome the enemy within, we should respect the Holy Spirit: "Stroll by the Spirit, and you won't satisfy the wants of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). The ability to win does not come from within us, as we are simply containers of earth; rather, "this all-outperforming power is from God" (2 Corinthians 4:7). As Paul battled the enemy within himself, he kept his eyes on his Savior: "What a pitiful man I am! Who will save me from this body is liable to death? Much obliged be to God, who conveys me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24– 25).
The only barrier to our success is us; fear of the unknown, doubt, worry or laziness.
The Holy Spirit also plays a major role here.
If we fully yield our hearts to Him, we would conquer the enemy within.
Thank you for your contribution and continuous support of sc-n Apostle Abiye.
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John 7:24 Jesus says that we are to, “…judge with righteous judgment.” He also taught that we are not to cast our pearls before the swine… that presupposes that in order to know swine, we have to make some sort of judgment. So when we look at just one passage and build an entire belief system off of it, we are most likely going to end up with a skewed belief system. We have to let Scripture interpret Scripture. When Jesus says, “Judge not lest ye be judged” we can know from other Scripture and from the context of that passage itself, that Jesus was not saying that Christians could not judge anything… in-fact just a few verses down in Matthew 7:15 He says that we will know false teachers by their fruit. Again this presupposes a judgment. So what does Jesus mean when He says, “Judge not lest ye be judged”? Well I think the context bears out as well as the teaching in other parts of Scripture that we are not to judge motives. We can judge actions and behavior, but not motives. If someone does something that you don’t think they should do, or maybe they didn’t do something that you thought they should, don’t presume to know why. Say for example, we see a man whose intoxicated; we know he has engaged in the sin of drunkenness, but we don’t know the motive that drove him to it. That’s why 1st Corinthians 10:12 says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands, take heed, less he fall.”
One of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is self control,people with self-control master their moods, they do not let their moods master them.
When I read the Bible, I fill myself with God’s wisdom. It is the weapon He has given me; words to use against Satan’s deceit like Jesus did, words that show me what to do, words of comfort. I must do exactly what I read. Then I am wielding the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. I totally expose Satan’s lies and deceit and overcome all the sinful tendencies in my flesh. Living according to these words makes me invincible.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful message. Jesus likewise talked about the enemy within, in various terms. Tending to His drowsy teaches in Gethsemane, Jesus rebuked them to implore and gave a reason they should ask: "The spirit is eager, yet the flesh is frail" (Mark 14:38). There's no real way to overlook it—we are bound to a fleshly, selfish nature as long as we are in this natural presence. It is the enemy within that would shield us from doing what we should. Competitors in preparing know firsthand the battle against the enemy within, and numerous competitors talk about the cause all their own problems acting naturally. To be a fruitful competitor, one must overcome mental obstructions, self-question, and the straightforward want to take the easy way. Our preparation is substantially more imperative than that of Olympic competitors, even, for the stakes are significantly higher in the spiritual realm. "Everybody who contends in the games goes into strict preparing. They do it to get a crown that won't last, however we do it to get a crown that will keep going forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25). As we rehearse self-control, the fleshly hungers become weaker, and, as we sustain the spirit, the things of the Spirit within us will run the show. To effectively fight the enemy within, we should comprehend the genuine energy of Christ's demise: "'He himself bore our transgressions' in his body on the cross, so we may bite the dust to sins and live for honorableness". In view of the passing of Christ, we see ourselves as dead to sin and alive to God: "Our old self was killed with him.
Hi @abiye! Good message, without a doubt God spoke to me through this message, although we have an internal struggle thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit that helps us in our weakness, Blessings
It is tremendous the battle we face every day, but the hands of Grcaia del Pdre are what show us. You know brother @abiye during the time I've been getting to know the Lord and learning from Him, I have understood that it is not the strength of the batlla or of the wise the victory but of the Spirit of Jehovah that makes us strong in our weaklings. He will glorify himself more and more in your life, beloved brother and in each one of you in @sc-g and @sc-n
Well said, the Holyspirit is the personality that can only help us not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh if we always allow him, thru fellowship and constant study of God's word.
Thanks for sharing apostle @abiye.
Kind regards.
Many times we blame the enemy (Satan and his followers), when it is wrong in our lives and we get stumbling, in many of those situations we are ourselves that have setbacks and allow us to advanceOur most atrocious enemy, the only one who can defeat us, lives in our interior. The rest, what threatens us from outside, is just that, a threat that harasses us and can torture us. great publication good to share, thanks