Is there a Battle?
Many Christians that are seeking the Lord on a regularly, ask Him to help them to die to self. Is this a proper request? Could there be a misnomer in this request? To these questions and possibly many others – they are substantiated. There are several passages that come to mind, and the hope here is to help each reader focus not so much on the prayer part, but to the action that one must take in order to became dead to self. Going back to basics may help the motivation to want to die to self.
1. The True Opponent
The flesh is one of the worst enemies that a Christian can have in their life. The flesh wants to continue to grow, mature, and take control of things. Paul states in Romans 7.18:
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
Though this chapter may be confusing to many Bible readers, the truth of the matter is that Paul, just like today’s Christians have a true opponent.
In any type of warfare the best strategy is to find the weakness of the enemy and exploit it to gain the victory. The only way that a Christian is going to have victory over the flesh is not to “feed” it. The best strategy for the flesh is not to provide for it. Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
Each Christian understands or should understand their own flesh and when and what it desires. It is like going down a childhood neighborhood and remembering how things felt. Christians need to be aware of the trip hazards in their life, and understand that they may be going the wrong direction. Ephesians 5:15 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,”
2. The True Warfare
The desire to die to self, there is a battle raging within each and every Christian. This battle of Spiritual and Non-Spiritual things is only in the hearts of Christians that are in the fight. Paul states in Romans 7.23
“But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
For every blood bought born again sold out believer there should be a war going on! The war is between the flesh and the Spirit, or the fleshly desires and the spiritual desires. If a Christian does not have conflict of interest there may be a heart issue. It is the belief of this writer that if a Christian in not engaging the enemy then they are entertaining the enemy!
3. The Way to Victory
In every battle there are those that live and those that die. It is the writer estimation that taste of victory comes when the Christian can recognize the battle, provide for the Spirit and live. In the daily battles between the flesh and the Spirit – sometimes the flesh wins and sometimes the Spirit wins – but in totality of the war the victory belongs to Christ. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15.56-57
“The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
No matter how brutal the battle rages or how it seems the battle is going, we need to surrender ourselves to the Commander and Chief of the Lord’s Army. In 2 Timothy 2, there is a prescription on the characteristics of what a soldier may be like.
a. He is strong in the Lord (v1-2) e. He is sound in faith (v13-19)
b. He is single minded (v3-4) f. He is sanctified (v20-23)
c. He is disciplined (v5-10) g. He is a servant (v24-16)
d. He is secured (v11-12)
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