War against the soul

Decisions. We have to make constant decisions throughout our lives.  Daily decisions. We choose whether or not to 'feed' the old man or the new man.  When we are born again in Christ there is NO magical transformation that takes away all our flesh ruled tendencies. The deceitful lusts that war against the us will do just that… WAR.

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul

Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph 4:22-24.

Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 13:14.

We have to choose to put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  We have to choose to put off the former ways.  We have to choose to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. 

Choices, so many choices. Our old nature doesn't disappear, as much as we want it to. We are in a war, a real war even if it's not a war in the flesh alone but in spirit as well. The war of our mind… no wonder we have to be RENEWED in the spirit of our minds.  Our minds NEED constant renewing! Our minds are under constant assault! We need to put off the old man! We need to put off the corruption in us! The lusts in us are deceitful, trying to convince us that they are GOOD. We talked a little about this the other day.  The calling of evil, good and good, evil.  The deceit in us is overwhelming so we must cling to CHRIST! We must CHOOSE to abstain from anything that would keep us from Christ!  We have to CHOOSE CHRIST constantly throughout our day. 

It is a choice and we CAN'T forget it! We can't let ourselves be so caught up in our selves we fail to see Christ in everything! When we shut Christ out because we don't *feel* Him, or we are too caught up in anger, or wrong doing, or even doing good selfishly, we are not putting on Christ.

So often it is revealed to me as I'm in the throes of flesh passions that war against the spirit that I am NOT putting on Christ, and what I need to do is STOP right then and put on Christ, not let the deceitful flesh lusts rule in me.

It's true, this is what I need to do and CAN do only by the grace and mercy, the love of my Savior, through the Holy Spirit that He has sent to me.

This is TRUTH!

We have to choose Christ and Christ's way, not our own, not Satan's way.

Please Father, please renew the spirit of our minds! We need this renewal CONSTANTLY, daily! 

You are our RIGHTEOUSNESS! You are our HOLINESS! You are our SAVIOR! Please, save us from ourselves and all that would keep us from being Yours! Please!

All by Your love and grace, your mercy, by Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, always!