Quote:
Originally Posted by mizpeh
Dave,
On a practical level how does one go about "...GET THE VICTORY OVER IT THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST!"?
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Hi Mizpeh,
Great question. I'd like to start off with some verses:
"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." (
1 Cor 6:12)
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (
Rom 6:16)
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (
Gal 5:24)
"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, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (
Gal 2:20)
"But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (
1 Cor 9:27)
This is but a sampling to convey the general idea of NT teaching: we are not to be in subjection to the affections and lusts of our flesh, but rather, these should be in subjection to the will of the Spirit which resides in us.
If one finds themselves in subjection- or outright bondage- to the will of the flesh, then the will of the flesh must be weakened and crucified, and the will of the Spirit must be allowed to grow stronger in us. This can only be accomplished through prayer and fasting. That does not mean we cannot receive immediate "deliverance" at the altar, whereby the grip of the flesh is broken. But after this, the will of the flesh must be kept in subjection, and this takes place through prayer and fasting. Not simply prayer alone, but prayer and fasting. Not a one-time fast, but as a regular habit in the life of the believer.
Thank God there is real hope for those (believers and non-believers alike) who are at this moment bound by sin and the flesh. The power of Jesus' name is greater than any chain by which Satan may have them bound. But we must also allow the process of sanctification to begin and continue in us. Sanctification is the process whereby the Holy Ghost conforms us to the image of Jesus Christ.
For each believer, there are some Goliaths which are slain in us immediately upon infilling, but there may be others which are slain over time. I've seen alcoholics who- after infilling- never touched another drop ever. They had no desire whatsoever to return to the bottle. Then I've seen some who were initially delivered, but the desire remained in such a way that they had to practice exactly what I refer to above: a pattern of prayer and fasting.
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