Struggling with the Flesh (Help Appreciated)

Jayfrost123 said:

it usually starts when I involve myself in a worldly activity

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I spent many years with my Television in the closet. In fact my son grew up not even watching TV. I did not want to involve myself with "worldly activity" that would take me away from God. I do not want to give the demons an opportunity to hinder me in any way. Job 32:1 says: "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman." He did not allow himself the opportunity to be lead astray so that he would depart from God. I like to read books and watch teachings on YouTube helps me to stay in the annotating of God. We need to live Holy Sanctified lives set apart from the things what would grieve the Holy Spirit. We need all of the fruit of the spirit to be working in us. Galatians 5: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." We need to meditate on these things: "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8). I use to have this on the inside of the lid for my tool box so I could mediate on this every day.

I know deep down I'm saved

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So if you make it into Heaven by the skin on your teeth you are going to be happy with that? Jesus talks about treasures in Heaven that can never be taken away from us.

Matthew 6 20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We are told to rejoice and be glad because: "great is your reward in heaven". If there are things we can to do be rewarded then that seems like a good idea to me to make a productive use of our time.

As they says no one is a fool "who gives what he cannot keep - to gain what he cannot lose."

Jayfrost123 said:

they're people you don't want to displease because they were your friend before you became born again.

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Whatever we give up for the sake of the Kingdom we will receive a 100 fold return. Matthew 19:29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."

In the last few years quite a few of my friends have died and now I see a lot of my friends that are being overcome with sickness and disease. There was a time I was hanging around the bars and in that short period of time I saw 5 people die.

I do not see what the use is of you trying to hold onto to those that are lost and perishing, you will not be able to keep them from destroying themselves.

Jayfrost123 said:

I just need some advice on how to walk in the Spirit and how to have supernatural victory. I'd greatly appreciate any feedback I can get. Also, can true born again Salvation ever be lost?

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I want to thank you for your post as you've inadvertently hit upon one of the biggest problems in the modern church. We've just come through a century or so of a very emotion based, transactional gospel. IE, go to a crusade, hear the gospel, feel like that God is calling you, pray a prayer one time in your life which makes you think you've done business with God to secure your eternal destiny, and go back whence you came.

Given this, is it any wonder that new (or old) Christians struggle? While we will not be perfect in this life, we are called to be disciplined in this life...and by turning our backs on 2000 years of church history and the lessons of those who came before us we have set ourselves up to fail.

Even Paul struggled with his thorn in the flesh. But if you want to conform yourself to his image, practice spiritual discipline. Pray regularly using a prayer book. Fast. Go to church regularly. If there are certain people or situations around you that cause you to sin, avoid them.

Take a look at this:

The Ladder of Divine Ascent and Moral Improvement - Glory to God for All Things

Jayfrost123 said:

Hi there, I would greatly appreciate any support on this matter.

I've been a born again Bible believing Christian for 3 months. I've had supernatural experiences from God, unshakable faith, spiritual fruits of God and so forth. I'm certain that I have salvation and the Holy Spirit. I've fully trusted in the blood of Christ.

I have 2 natures, Flesh nature + Spirit nature (no surprise) but as time goes on the flesh dominates over the Spirit and it usually starts when I involve myself in a worldly activity or act out in a lousy way, subconsciously giving in to sinful friends, etc. I would say in the totality of my 3 months, I've experienced 40% in the Spirit and 60% in the Flesh.

My issue is, and what I'm seeking advice for, is how to stop walking in the flesh and start walking in the Spirit. When I'm in a period of fleshly walk, I experience major unbelief, spiritual dryness, lustful temptations that are so irresistible and generally everything before I came to Christ... it's as if God isn't real at all.

But I know deep down I'm saved because of the new Spirit nature inside of me as a result of being born again and the experiences I've had. After a period of fleshly living (a week or two) the Spirit would then come out and dominate the flesh for a while and I'd experience the exact contrary to the flesh: Spiritual fruits, fellowship with God, 0 lusts, joys, etc.

I feel like I've been living 2 lives for the past 3 months. Half spirit, doing God's will, and half in the flesh, gratifying this dead corpse that will yield nothing but sorrow and death.

I know this new nature inside will never be taken away, but I don't want to walk my whole life in unbelief and in the flesh and fade further and further away from God. I'm scared this will happen, and then I start to doubt my entire salvation. There's been times when I've just cried out and had a spiritual crisis thinking I'm going to hell.

I just need some advice on how to walk in the Spirit and how to have supernatural victory. I'd greatly appreciate any feedback I can get. Also, can true born again Salvation ever be lost?

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Sorry for the lateness of my response. Paul wrote to the Galatians very clearly: walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. So the question must be answered: how do you walk in the Spirit? It is simpler than we naturally think. It's living in a way that assumes God is with you, since He promised it. There are many ways to describe this, such as listening for the voice of God, always considering God in all matters, etc. But the next thing to overcome is spiritual immaturity. In my experience, we put far too much stress on ourselves to be perfect, and fail to allow God to work on us over the long haul. The bottom line is: faith and patience = perseverance.

So, the process is like this: let yourself grow spiritually, and don't be like the 2-year old that wants to do what the 20 year old brother does. Be the child of God that you are. Peter wrote "as newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word that you may grow thereby."
1. Read something from the Bible daily - we need this for spiritual sustenance.
2. Do substantial Bible study weekly - when we get familiar with the doctrines of Christ and the apostles, we become more stable.
3. Pray for someone daily - the consequence is the habit of considering others.
4. Weekly fasting for getting the flesh under control.
5. Attend worship services weekly in addition to your daily private worship.
6. Fellowship with Christians often, even if you have to make new friends.
7. Join a support group where you can confess your sins on a weekly basis with people who accept you without judgment. The idea is to recognize your addictions and overcome them. You can find such a group here: Celebrate Recovery Homepage
8. Memorize scripture weekly.

There may be other things to do. It is good that you recognize your small backslidings, and want to live in a better way, since I'm sure you know Jesus said "let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven." And as Proverbs says "Look straight ahead and stay on the path. Do not look to the right or the left." Just keep walking the walk as I mentioned in 1-8 above. Since no one is perfect and you have a defender in heaven, stop obsessing over your sins. Just confess quickly and forsake them, believing that God is with you every step. He is the sanctifier.
TD

Jayfrost123 said:

I just need some advice on how to walk in the Spirit and how to have supernatural victory. I'd greatly appreciate any feedback I can get. Also, can true born again Salvation ever be lost?

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Hi, just want to share what works for me.

#1 - I hold on tight on this quote from Julian of Norwich:
“If there is anywhere on earth a lover of God who is always kept safe, I know nothing of it, for it was not shown to me. But this was shown: that in falling and rising again we are always kept in that same precious love.”

From this I realize that it is OK to fall. I used to feel embarrass, shame, unworthy, etc. It's OK, keep going back to Him. I experienced a deep forgiveness and that's a milestone.

#2 - I found that "to let go" is the way to go. I try not to achieve things, otherwise the holiness that He granted felt like my achievement. It should be all about Him, not what we want to achieve. All I did is to let go, be still, and let God transform me. Don't worry with the outcome, just focus on the journey, spending time with Him, and growing your love of Him.

May it be useful for you.

In Him.

I've been having the same issues. I'll feel spiritually embodied for a few days at a time, then go another few days engulfed in our physical reality. I'll be enticed by physical pleasure, mainly. I think one of my biggest spiritual victories was quitting marijuana, which I indulged in for a couple years after I turned 18. My life seemingly fell apart after that. Dropping out of college, struggling to find a career path, not being involved with family, etc.. So I completely understand how you are feeling and I too need help with this.