Because You Can't Fix Yourself ... Part II

We have a sin nature. Even if you are born-again. When Paul the Apostle said that you have become a new creature in Christ, he was speaking about the spirit man inside of you ... your newly awakened free self will ... not the body of flesh you dwell in. Flesh is carnal, it relates to physical needs, strong feelings of wanting to have something to fulfill these physical desires whether they are sinful desires or not.

It's been said that the greatest desire man has is food when hungry. Do you know what the difference is between an honest man and a thief? About three meals. Man is born with a nature of self preservation. Watch a couple of two year old toddlers at play. They always want what the other one has. They will take it from the other one and say ... mine. That's one of the first words they learn.

So how do we fix this problem ... or can we? There is only one way, and I have spoken of this often. Nicholas Herman, a seventeenth century Carmelite monk from French Lorraine gives the answer, although doing this completely as he suggests will also take the Holy Spirit's help. But then again, that's what the Holy Spirit is given for ... to help us walk the walk.

He says ... "We must empty the heart of all other things, because God will only possess the heart alone; and as He cannot possess it alone unless it is empty of all other things ... and neither can He do in it what He pleases, unless it is left vacant to Him."

Is this old monk right? Is he saying you can't keep anything but God in your heart? If he is, then I have failed to do that. My wife is in my heart. My two daughters are also in there. I have four grandchildren that reside pretty deep in there too. I believe that's where the Lord wants me to keep them ... deep in my heart.

You see ... God made them. He gave them to me. He can love them ... in my heart. I think what we are supposed to empty our hearts of, are the carnal, fleshly desires. Paul tells us what type of things should be in our hearts and minds.

Philippians 4:8 ... "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Thinking on these type of things will keep your mind off the carnal lusts and desires of the flesh. Well, I should have added the word ... help. Keeping your mind on good things will only help ... it won't do it all. But it's a start.

Paul gives us some very good advice in ...

Galatians 5:16-17 ... "But I say, walk and live habitually in the Holy Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Holy Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other[continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do." (Amplified)

When Paul says ... "what you desire to do" ... he is speaking about your self will and your spirit man, the real you ... which really wants to follow the leading of the Lord rather than following the carnal natural fleshly appetites of fallen man.

Paul continues his instruction with two results we will gain from allowing God's Spirit to help fix what's wrong with our fleshly nature.

Galatians 5:22-23 ... "the fruit of the Holy Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is ... self-control and self-restraint." (Amplified ... edited)

Knowing the truth about who we are, the state we "barely saved sinners" are in, (1st Peter 4:18 ... "if the righteous scarcely be saved ...") Paul issues a warning to believers in ...

Galatians 6:1 ... "If any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual should ... restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also."

None of us are immune from falling back into fleshly sin. Here is some more advice from Nicholas Herman, the old French monk ...

"We should seek to learn the sins that do most easily beset us and the times and occasions, when we do most often fall. We ought, once for all, put our whole trust in God, and make a total surrender of ourselves to Him, receiving the abundance of His grace, without which we can do nothing but sin. One does not become holy all at once. Yet, think not that I counsel you to disregard completely and forever the outward things that are around us. That is impossible."

That's why it says in Proverbs 4:23 ... "Keep and guard your heart ... above all that you guard ..." (Amplified)

The Apostle Paul sums up the real truth for us when he says in Galatians 6:5 ... "For every person will have to bear ... his own load of oppressive faults." (Amplified ... edited)

No, you will never get rid of your fallen flesh. But, with the Lord's help you can rule over your own body. Is Jesus your Lord? Then He has set you free ... not from the desires of the flesh ... but from being controlled by the flesh.

Galatians 2:20 ... "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God ..."

Let Jesus fix ... what you can't fix yourself.