“Yahweh said to me, ‘Behold, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you. Begin to possess, that you may inherit his land.’ ” (Deut. 2:31).
The flesh can say no to cigarettes and alcohol and reform external behaviors so they fall within the local community’s standards. But you can’t see the rebellion against God in the flesh. It took God to point out to the Israelites Sihon as the enemy to remove from the land. We wage an inner battle, and a Christian can fight this war only with the Spirit’s leading. You may know this leading through a nudge in the Word or an event that brings questions to your mind.
God told the Israelites to leave alone certain peoples and fight certain others. The Spirit must lead until you are convinced as Paul the apostle learned, that no good thing is in the flesh. The law of sin in the flesh constantly wars against God and will not go quietly.
God already made you a new creation. You are not to try to change yourself, but do what the Lord is revealing to you. This is the primary activity and mindset of the new creation. Now everything is about God, not you.
He has revealed this sinful part if you, an area of the land that not ruled by Christ. He has shown you where He wants to work next. Follow Him and overcome.
If you do what He says, you are living in faith. The just shall live by faith. The just shall obey by faith. The just shall overcome by faith. The just will please God by faith.
He who has been set free is free indeed. Freed from sin’s grip, you will serve God abundantly and give Him glory beyond what you can imagine. The veil will drop so you can enjoy eternal life. The fears will dissolve so you can reason with clarity. The weight will be unhitched so you can run with joy.
But the Spirit must lead. Stay in the Word and prayer. Remain in Christ. Stay humble and teachable. Stay in the place where you can hear the Lord. Acknowledge the enemy of your soul. Engage it in battle. We are no longer to live the rest of lives for the flesh to indulge our desires, but for the will of God.
