Spiritual Armor and the Bible

[James M]

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

"12": For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Eph 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

I'm a contexts type person, and the Whole Armour is the Question. Ive noticed there is no back plate, so please Submit to God first and foremost so we can resist the Wiles Of Satan, when we turn and run we could be exposing ourselves.

The Word is The Truth

James M

[James M]

I like to learn more about strongholds in our life and how to recognize them, I came to this website and thought it gives us alot to think of, some things we forget...but we can't forget that no matter how hard the enemy tries to take controle its the Lord who will have the last word!

http://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Spiritualwar.htm

The most knowledge I have learned about Strongholds was in reading "Free indeed!" by Tom Marshall, it quotes Williams "Do you know that when you habitually offer yourselves to anyone for obedience to him, you are slaves to that one whom you are in the habit of obeying, whether it is slavery of sin whose end is death , or to obedience whose end is right- doing?" In otherwords, that which one obeys one give authority. In Christianity, we obey God,... or we obey Satan ,... no middle ground.

I recognize strongholds as things that a contrary to the Word of God, and usually I am reminded of that by a little small voice, and later if I had the salt to disobey that voice feel pretty badly, Convection.

I will definately check out the site you supplied

You Brother In Christ

James M

[TJR]

The Bible is a living word and when we read it we protect ourselves from the evil forces around us. Not just reading it but knowing and believing it in our heart will dispell the negative forces that want to bring us down. Here is a prayer written by a man named Chet Leone.

I thank you Father, in the name of Jesus, for your armor. I thank you for the belt of truth(Eph 6:14), and I gird myself with your truth that.. Greater is he who is in me than who is in the world(1 Jn 4:4). And I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13), because the Lord is the strength of my life (Ps 27:1), and in Him who is the source of my strength, I have strength for everything(Phil 4:13) For he gives strength to the faint and for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youth stagger and fall, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with eagles wings. They shall run and not grow weary, walk and not faint (Isa 40: 29-31).God is my refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. Therefore, I will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea(Ps 46:1-2); for God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind(2Tim 1:7). And in the name of Jesus I bind the spirit of fear:I loose myself from it, and cast it from me. And I ask you to loose upon me Lord, your spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore, I am anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication and with thanksgiving, I let my request be made known unto God; and the peace of God which passes all understanding guards my heart and mind through Christ Jesus(Phil 4:6-7)

For Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, O Lord; I say, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand (Ps 31:14-15). My family is in you hand. My work, my affairs,my finanaces, my business and my ministry are in your hand.For my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And God is able to make all grace abound toward me , that I always, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work(2 Cor:9-8). In the name of Jesus, I bind all lack of want from my finanaces. I loose my finances and cast all lack and want from them in Jesus name. My health is your hand; for by His stripes I am healed (Isa 53:5). Send forth your word and heal me and deliver me from my destructions (Ps 107:20).I ask you Fathe, in the name of Jesus to deliver me from (name of condition), and from all sickness, disease, injury and premature death.

I thank you Father, for the breastplate of righteousness(Eph 6:14). For God made Him who knew not sin, to be sin, that I mightbecome the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21). Satan has no place in me, no power over me... I am the righteousness of God, in Christ.

I thank you Father, for the footgear of the gospel of peace (Eph 6:15)... the "good news" that justified by fait, I have peace with God through Christ (Rom 5:1). I am a friend of God's (Jn 15:15). God is for me; and if God be for me, who can be against me? (Rom 8:31). Annoint me Lord, to stand in this "good news", to walk in it and to take it to others that they too may have peace with God through Christ.

Thank you Father , for the shield of faith, whereby I quench all the fiery darts of the evil one (Eph 6:16), because I trust the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding. In all way, I acknowledge Him, and He directs my path(Prov 3:5-6). For as I would come to God, I believe that he is, and is my rewarder as I dilligently seek him(Heb 11:6)

Thank you Father, for the helmet of salvation (Eph 6:17). I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, and that I am saved.For with my heart I believe and am justified, and with my mouth I confess and am saved (Rom 10:9-10). And I thank you for so great a salvation(Heb 2:3) through which I have eternal life (Jn 3:15-16), and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever(Ps 23:6), And through this salvation I also have abundant life (Jn 10:10) which includes healing (Isa 53:5), health (3 Jn 2) and wholeness of body, soul and spirit (1 Thes 5:23). I thank you Father, for all that I have, all that I am and all that I hope to be, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom I live and move and have my being (Act 17:28) Praise His holy name.

Thank you Father, for the sword of the spirit, the word of God (Eph 6:17), and with that word I resist you Satan and command you to flee from me(Jas 4:7) as I confess what the word of God says the blood of Jesus Christ does for me.I overcome you by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony(Rev12:11), because through the blood of Jesus, I am deliveredout of the hand of the devil (Ps 107:2). Through the blood of Jesus , all my sins are forgiven (Eph 1:7). The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son continually cleanses me from all sin (1 Jn 1:7). Through the blood of Jesus, I am justified , made righteous, just as if I never sinned (Rom 5:9). Through the blood of Jesus, I am sanctified, made holy, set apart to God

(Heb 13:12). My Body is a templeof the Holy Spirit, redeemed, cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. For I am not my own, but am bought at a price. And I glorify God in my body and in my spirit, which are God's. Satan has no place in me, and no power over me through the blood of Jesus according to the word of God.

In the name of Jesus, I bindall evil principalities and powers, rulers in the world of darkness and evil spiritsin the regions above (Mat 18:18, Eph 6:12),on the earth, above the earth and below the earth (Phil 2:10). In the name of Jesus, Ibind you from my body, from my soul and from my spirit. In the name of Jesus, I bind you from my work, my affairs, my business and my ministries. In the name of Jesus, I bind you from my time, my finances,my family and all our possessions. In the name of Jesus, I bind you from (name all family members). In the name of Jesu, I bind you from their bodies , their souls and their spirits; and from all their affairs and activities.

Father I ask you, in the name of Jesus, to put a hedge of protection (Job 1:10), a shield of safty (Ps 3:3) and a wall of fire around me and ( name family members) (Zech 2:5) that Satan and his demons cannot penetrate from without but can only pass through as they are cast out from within. And I ask you Father, to send your mighty angels to minister unto and for us as heirs of salvation(Heb 1:14), in Jesus name Amen.

This is one of my favorite prayers and I just wanted to share it in this study since it was on the armour of God.

Edited August 29, 2009 by TJR

[mjrhealth]

Is God really in control, no He is not, not unless we give Him control. If we Gave God control from the beginning the world would not be in this mess its in right now, for some really dumb, unexplainable rason, we seem to keep handing the reins to satan and let hin run for a while then scream out to God to fix it all. Oh yes in the end God will win, the outcome is set in stone, but as to wheter you will make it through or not, depends on how much you are willing to hand over to God, to give Him control over your life.

In His Love

[OneLight]

I may see it differently than some of the others here, but I believe our battle is exclusively with our flesh. When Jesus describes in John 14:20 how "surrounded" we are by Him, I seem to understand that when Paul later says "I die daily" he is talking about crucifying our "flesh" daily. My "flesh" told me for a long time that no, Jesus had put me up against the devil himself to fight him on my own. But I finally got still enough to hear the Holy Spirit telling me that the "flesh" is an accomplished liar, having learned from the father of lies. It's therefore a comfort for me to know that Jesus's victory over satan is final and eternal, and the only enemy I have to fight is myself. That's a fight I CAN win--as any of us in Christ Jesus can--because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. And in this case, I believe that corresponds to my "flesh".

Sure makes things a lot easier.

Hello Doowopjock,

I just wanted to make the comment that Paul is not referring to us dying to ourselves, we do not die to ourselves daily, we do not crucify ourselves in any way.

We must never forget that the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ was done at the Cross. There, our old man was crucified with Him...Our Old Man WAS Crucified WITH HIM.

It was all done by the Lord, we are commanded to simply believe what He has already done for us.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Are you ever tempted in the flesh?

[OneLight]

I may see it differently than some of the others here, but I believe our battle is exclusively with our flesh. When Jesus describes in John 14:20 how "surrounded" we are by Him, I seem to understand that when Paul later says "I die daily" he is talking about crucifying our "flesh" daily. My "flesh" told me for a long time that no, Jesus had put me up against the devil himself to fight him on my own. But I finally got still enough to hear the Holy Spirit telling me that the "flesh" is an accomplished liar, having learned from the father of lies. It's therefore a comfort for me to know that Jesus's victory over satan is final and eternal, and the only enemy I have to fight is myself. That's a fight I CAN win--as any of us in Christ Jesus can--because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. And in this case, I believe that corresponds to my "flesh".

Sure makes things a lot easier.

Hello Doowopjock,

I just wanted to make the comment that Paul is not referring to us dying to ourselves, we do not die to ourselves daily, we do not crucify ourselves in any way.

We must never forget that the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ was done at the Cross. There, our old man was crucified with Him...Our Old Man WAS Crucified WITH HIM.

It was all done by the Lord, we are commanded to simply believe what He has already done for us.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Are you ever tempted in the flesh?

Before I answer you, I feel I need to make myself clear because of your question, I think you misunderstand me.

According to the Word Of God our old man DIED with the Lord Jesus Christ, furthermore, Scripture tells us:

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. The word recon means, count on it as FACT. Something done ALREADY by the Lord Jesus Christ, for me, for us all. I must trust that Word. I must...I must Trust what God tells me, else I am lost.

Am I ever tempted in the flesh, yes, but NOT like I was. The compulsion is gone. I am tempted at times, but I can take it or leave it, I decide now. I decide now to obey God or to obey the temptation, I decide now.

And I choose God, ultimately I choose Him.

He truly gives us back our humanity, the same humanity Adam and Eve had BEFORE the fall.

However, though we have put the Old Man Off, he has died with the Lord Jesus Christ, we STILL have to get the old man out of the house so to speak. Do you know what I mean?

Please let me know if I confuse you.

Even though I agree with scripture that you have brought to the table, I also realize that we have to choose in every decision we make who we will serve, so the old man does peek his head up now and again.

Romans 8:13

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Sounds to me like a daily battle.

I was just checking to see if your meant that we will never be tempted again by the flesh.

[jesussaves]

o.k guys, I really wasn't going to do any replying tonight but looks like maybe some need to understand strongholds and how to have power over them. I can tell you what I know both from experience and study.

A stronghold is something that has us mentally and spiritually bound. The devil and his demons can throw those tempting darts our way, but we need to be careful not to let them take root in our thought life else they get hold of us and we find ourselves in a much worse battle. The Lord has promised to make a way of escape for us, but we must believe that promise and act upon it.

Our flesh can also rise up and yes it certainly can give us problems, but we need to crucify the flesh. Acknowledge we are not our own, we are bought with a price and the Lord has told us to be holy. We need to know what the Bible says!

I am going to use pornography as an example here because it has been the subject of concern many times among people who post. If satan throws a dart of temptation at someone such as spam or constant bombardments of half dressed people on the tube or internet or even throws a thought at you out of the blue, and you don't immediately run from it plus replace any wrong thinking with the word of God, a psalm or promise...etc., and you let your thought life get out of Spirit control, even though the Holy Spirit is right there you sending alert signals...you can develope a stronghold in your mind. The power to break strongholds is through the blood, prayer and meditating on the word.

Another strong hold can be wrong teaching. Perhaps you have learned something and it is hard to replace that with the truth. Vain philosophy's of man is a zinger.

The devil knows our weakness, the key, I have learned, is to stay prayed up, read up, testified up, edified by our heavenly language often and recognize when our enemy is trying sneak in. I have had to pray the armor over myself many times, and pray the word out loud...strong holds have to go as does that snake. One of these days we will be in glory and there will be no more devil and flesh and world :-) till then keep on keeping on...we got a race to run!

We've been made more than conqurors and over comers in this life. We've been made victorious through the blood of Jesus Christ!

[OneLight]

I may see it differently than some of the others here, but I believe our battle is exclusively with our flesh. When Jesus describes in John 14:20 how "surrounded" we are by Him, I seem to understand that when Paul later says "I die daily" he is talking about crucifying our "flesh" daily. My "flesh" told me for a long time that no, Jesus had put me up against the devil himself to fight him on my own. But I finally got still enough to hear the Holy Spirit telling me that the "flesh" is an accomplished liar, having learned from the father of lies. It's therefore a comfort for me to know that Jesus's victory over satan is final and eternal, and the only enemy I have to fight is myself. That's a fight I CAN win--as any of us in Christ Jesus can--because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. And in this case, I believe that corresponds to my "flesh".

Sure makes things a lot easier.

Hello Doowopjock,

I just wanted to make the comment that Paul is not referring to us dying to ourselves, we do not die to ourselves daily, we do not crucify ourselves in any way.

We must never forget that the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ was done at the Cross. There, our old man was crucified with Him...Our Old Man WAS Crucified WITH HIM.

It was all done by the Lord, we are commanded to simply believe what He has already done for us.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Are you ever tempted in the flesh?

Before I answer you, I feel I need to make myself clear because of your question, I think you misunderstand me.

According to the Word Of God our old man DIED with the Lord Jesus Christ, furthermore, Scripture tells us:

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. The word recon means, count on it as FACT. Something done ALREADY by the Lord Jesus Christ, for me, for us all. I must trust that Word. I must...I must Trust what God tells me, else I am lost.

Am I ever tempted in the flesh, yes, but NOT like I was. The compulsion is gone. I am tempted at times, but I can take it or leave it, I decide now. I decide now to obey God or to obey the temptation, I decide now.

And I choose God, ultimately I choose Him.

He truly gives us back our humanity, the same humanity Adam and Eve had BEFORE the fall.

However, though we have put the Old Man Off, he has died with the Lord Jesus Christ, we STILL have to get the old man out of the house so to speak. Do you know what I mean?

Please let me know if I confuse you.

Even though I agree with scripture that you have brought to the table, I also realize that we have to choose in every decision we make who we will serve, so the old man does peek his head up now and again.

Romans 8:13

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Sounds to me like a daily battle.

I was just checking to see if your meant that we will never be tempted again by the flesh.

Well, no, the old man is dead, dead people cannot peak their head up now and again, they are dead. So that fact must tell us something. We either believe, have faith in what God tells us about this, that our old man is dead, or we come up with our own way. Our own idea of how things ought to be and how they ought to work out.

So many of us tell ourselves, I don't feel dead, how can that be? God must mean (not what He has clearly told me but rather) that I am to die to myself daily, I must crucify myself daily. I must feel dead as I know it, no matter what His Word says, it must mean what I think it means. No.

Take Him at His Word, He does not hide Himself, He is our Father. He will not let us down, He NEVER lies to us, He would NEVER mislead us, Trust Him.

As far as being tempted again, do you remember how our Lord asked more than once in the Garden of Gethsemane if the cup may pass from Him, why do you think He asked our Father that question?

Of course we will be tempted, just as our Lord was tempted until the end. Oh but look what He did! And He is there for us, here for us, beside us, He is our ADVOCATE...it is absolutely unbelievable what He HAS DONE for us! Then and now.

Dig a bit deeper in scripture, my friend. Christ died once and for all for our sins, but we still need to go to Him every time we sin and ask for forgiveness and then repent of our sins. Sins come from the old man nature, not the new man in Christ. All of the NT is about turning ourselves to Christ in all that we are, even the OT states the same, so to say that the old man has died once and for all is not completely correct. IF we walk with Christ in everything we do, IF we are perfect in every way, IF we never sin again, then yes, the old man has died, but we fall short in every case. Scripture is full of people being called to turn ourselves over to Him completely. Temptation is of the old man, for the nature of the new man would not include temptations.

As I said before, I do understand what you are saying, but we are not puppets and our old nature is still there, for we are not Christ and we can not be perfect. It is not until we are with Him that we will be made whole again. We are to strive with everything we have, including what God has given us, to fight against the old man.

[OneLight]

I may see it differently than some of the others here, but I believe our battle is exclusively with our flesh. When Jesus describes in John 14:20 how "surrounded" we are by Him, I seem to understand that when Paul later says "I die daily" he is talking about crucifying our "flesh" daily. My "flesh" told me for a long time that no, Jesus had put me up against the devil himself to fight him on my own. But I finally got still enough to hear the Holy Spirit telling me that the "flesh" is an accomplished liar, having learned from the father of lies. It's therefore a comfort for me to know that Jesus's victory over satan is final and eternal, and the only enemy I have to fight is myself. That's a fight I CAN win--as any of us in Christ Jesus can--because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. And in this case, I believe that corresponds to my "flesh".

Sure makes things a lot easier.

Hello Doowopjock,

I just wanted to make the comment that Paul is not referring to us dying to ourselves, we do not die to ourselves daily, we do not crucify ourselves in any way.

We must never forget that the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ was done at the Cross. There, our old man was crucified with Him...Our Old Man WAS Crucified WITH HIM.

It was all done by the Lord, we are commanded to simply believe what He has already done for us.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Are you ever tempted in the flesh?

Before I answer you, I feel I need to make myself clear because of your question, I think you misunderstand me.

According to the Word Of God our old man DIED with the Lord Jesus Christ, furthermore, Scripture tells us:

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. The word recon means, count on it as FACT. Something done ALREADY by the Lord Jesus Christ, for me, for us all. I must trust that Word. I must...I must Trust what God tells me, else I am lost.

Am I ever tempted in the flesh, yes, but NOT like I was. The compulsion is gone. I am tempted at times, but I can take it or leave it, I decide now. I decide now to obey God or to obey the temptation, I decide now.

And I choose God, ultimately I choose Him.

He truly gives us back our humanity, the same humanity Adam and Eve had BEFORE the fall.

However, though we have put the Old Man Off, he has died with the Lord Jesus Christ, we STILL have to get the old man out of the house so to speak. Do you know what I mean?

Please let me know if I confuse you.

Even though I agree with scripture that you have brought to the table, I also realize that we have to choose in every decision we make who we will serve, so the old man does peek his head up now and again.

Romans 8:13

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Sounds to me like a daily battle.

I was just checking to see if your meant that we will never be tempted again by the flesh.

Well, no, the old man is dead, dead people cannot peak their head up now and again, they are dead. So that fact must tell us something. We either believe, have faith in what God tells us about this, that our old man is dead, or we come up with our own way. Our own idea of how things ought to be and how they ought to work out.

So many of us tell ourselves, I don't feel dead, how can that be? God must mean (not what He has clearly told me but rather) that I am to die to myself daily, I must crucify myself daily. I must feel dead as I know it, no matter what His Word says, it must mean what I think it means. No.

Take Him at His Word, He does not hide Himself, He is our Father. He will not let us down, He NEVER lies to us, He would NEVER mislead us, Trust Him.

As far as being tempted again, do you remember how our Lord asked more than once in the Garden of Gethsemane if the cup may pass from Him, why do you think He asked our Father that question?

Of course we will be tempted, just as our Lord was tempted until the end. Oh but look what He did! And He is there for us, here for us, beside us, He is our ADVOCATE...it is absolutely unbelievable what He HAS DONE for us! Then and now.

Dig a bit deeper in scripture, my friend. Christ died once and for all for our sins, but we still need to go to Him every time we sin and ask for forgiveness and then repent of our sins. Sins come from the old man nature, not the new man in Christ. All of the NT is about turning ourselves to Christ in all that we are, even the OT states the same, so to say that the old man has died once and for all is not completely correct. IF we walk with Christ in everything we do, IF we are perfect in every way, IF we never sin again, then yes, the old man has died, but we fall short in every case. Scripture is full of people being called to turn ourselves over to Him completely. Temptation is of the old man, for the nature of the new man would not include temptations.

As I said before, I do understand what you are saying, but we are not puppets and our old nature is still there, for we are not Christ and we can not be perfect. It is not until we are with Him that we will be made whole again. We are to strive with everything we have, including what God has given us, to fight against the old man.

I am not sure which Scripture you are referring to, would you please point them out for me?

I agree, we must go to Him and confess our sins daily. But after we are Born Again, those sins arise from the sin in our very flesh, our own decisions and always when we fail to Walk in the Spirit.

I didn't say our old man has died once for all, God says that in His Word, and He is always correct. He clearly says, "Our old man WAS crucified with Christ."

As a favorite theologian once said, one of the hardest commandments we are given is to believe that our old man WAS crucified and to recon ourselves dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. But that is exactly what God tells us to believe.

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Blessings Becca,

I think we are agreeing to many of the same things, except there is a bit of difference. Our old man did die with Christ, for if it did not, we would still have our old sin's, yet His paid the price; therefore, the old man (sins) died. Still, we battle the flesh every day in our walk. Our flesh, and it's desires, are still very much alive today and we need to turn to Him for guidance and strength, otherwise, why would we need scripture or the Holly Spirit anymore?

I believe that many people have a hard time believing that their sins have been forgiven them because of how Satan continues to remind us of them. We also have a very hard time forgiving ourselves, which for me is the hardest thing to do.

To show you scripture that tells us that we are to still battle the flesh would fill a couple of pages, but I will point you to the book of Romans, which you quoted from. If we did not have to battle with the "old man", then Paul would of never wrote about it, not would any of the other authors.

[OneLight]

Hello OneLight,

Yes I agree, however, in Romans 7 Paul speaks of the battle with "sin that dwells in us" in our very flesh, our unredeemed bodies, and not the old man who was crucified with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessings Becca!

The quotes were getting a little long, so I just quoted this.

I disagree. Our sins have been forgiven and the yoke of bondage that once was there was removed, but we are still tempted by the very same sins and the very same natural man. I can tell you for a fact that the addictions I once had, even though I am set free, still tempt me. It is done by the remnant of the old man, memories, triggered by a sound, a smell or something else, but it is still there. Unless my memories are wiped away, they will remain. The addiction is no longer there (old man dying), but if I am not careful, I can find myself right back to where I was before.

When Christ died, He died for the forgiveness of our sins. Upon salvation, our past is removed from His site, as far as the East is from the West. to be remembered no more by Him. Yet, we still remember and are still tempted by the same ol' same ol' from time to time. The Holy Spirit then works in us convicting us of what is sin and through Him, we change by the renewing of our heart and mind. This is a process. It is not done instantaneously.

God Bless,

Alan