We may not want to admit it, but our biggest enemy is often
our own sinful nature.
"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that
ye cannot do the things that ye would." - Galatians 5:17
When we repented of our sins, we crucified the sinful nature
that was destroying us. We buried it in baptism in Jesus name, and were then
resurrected to a new life in Jesus when we received the gift of His Holy Ghost.
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve
sin." - Romans 6:6
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by
baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." -
Romans 6:3-4
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38
Because we are still with a human nature, we need to be
alert to keep that old nature from trying to resurrect itself in our life.
"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the
old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in
the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness." - Ephesians 4:22-24
"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath,
malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to
another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put
on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him:" - Colossians 3:8-10
One thing to watch for is bitterness. We can be living a
victorious life, when something reminds us of a past bad experience…
"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake
hath forgiven you." - Ephesians 4:31-32 KJV
We keep the victory when we immediately turn this thought
over to Jesus, asking Him to forgive others or ourselves in the situation, and
praying for those that were involved, asking for God's mercy on them.
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ;" - 2 Corinthians 10:5
"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if
any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do
ye." - Colossians 3:13
Stephen completely forgave those that murdered him by asking
God to erase his murder from their account.
"And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice,
Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell
asleep." - Acts 7:60
(The people killed Stephen by stoning after His testimony of
Jesus. “Asleep” means he died living for Jesus and is asleep in the grave until
the resurrection.)
The next step is for us to ask the Lord to take it from our
minds and forget about it.
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but
this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching
forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13-14
If we don’t do this, the alternative is to go down that side
road, off the path of Jesus, and to focus on how we were hurt or offended and
how wrong that person was, putting down a deep root of bitterness that defiles
many.
"Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of
God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be
defiled;" - Hebrews 12:15
We must watch and pray and stay on the path of victory!
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." - Matthew 26:41
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me." - Philippians 4:13 KJV
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