Flesh vs Soul

[ray321]

I'm at war with my flesh. My body is in rebellion. I know God loves me but what do I do about this body that continues to be tempted time and time again. My spirit is willing but my flesh is weak. I know this very well. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me about bringing the body into subjection. I fasted everyday for a year. Here I am again with my body in the same state of rebellion as it was before I first began that year of fasting. I don't have the self control that I would like to have. To be truthful I hate myself sometimes. I am against myself which confuses me. I want to do good but sometimes I end up doing what is not. I feel so guilty afterward. I hate my ways with a passion. I believe it was Paul that said "to die is gain". Does this mean Christians should long for death of the body? Does this mean that the Bible advocates self hate? Am I to live my life longing to die? Are my feelings about myself normal. Does anybody else feel like I do. I just feel so tired of the same cycle of sinning and asking for forgiveness. I feel like I'm not growing spiritually. How can I guard myself against myself.

[nChrist]

Hello Brother Ray,

I see that you are new, so WELCOME!!

Brother, all Christians war against the flesh for their entire lives to one degree or another.

Philippians 1:20 KJV  According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Philippians 1:21 KJV  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:22 KJV  But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
Philippians 1:23 KJV  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Philippians 1:24 KJV  Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Philippians 1:25 KJV  And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
Philippians 1:26 KJV  That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Brother, Paul was comparing his JOY of going home to JESUS with his duty to preach and share the Gospel. I quoted part of the Scriptures in context above so you could see the meaning better. All Christians look forward to spending eternity with JESUS, but we have work HE wants us to do in this short life first. That's what Paul was talking about.

No, the Bible does not teach self-hate. All of God's children are supposed to feel guilty when we sin or do wrong, so feeling guilty is normal. We are all guilty!, but JESUS will forgive our sins. His Blood on the Cross was more than sufficient for all. NO Christian is perfect, and all Christians sin, so we all have a need for forgiveness. It is impossible for us to be perfect in this life without sin, and that's one of the main reasons why JESUS died on the Cross for us. We can pray for forgiveness, and we should. We can also pray that God helps us to yield to HIS Will and Purpose in our lives, and we all should. We should all try, but we should always remember the most important thing:  Let God work in and through us, and pray, and pray some more.

Brother Ray, I don't know about all the trials you are facing in your life right now, but I do know that all of us face trials in this life of one type or another. Many of us on Christians Unite pray for each other on a daily basis, and I will start praying for you. It is part of a Christian's joy to pray for others. Many here have trials with health, family, relationships, money, and all kinds of other problems. My trial is long-term health problems, and I would appreciate you praying for me.

Brother, I sincerely hope that you enjoy Christians Unite. You will meet a lot of sweet Christians here who will also pray for you. Please consider making a post in the prayer request section so more will see it. I honestly think that prayer is one of your biggest answers right now. Many will pray for you here.

In the meantime, my biggest suggestion would be for you to lay your problems at the feet of JESUS and pray. You are trying and feeling guilty, but you already belong to JESUS and the price has already been paid for your sins. One of my brothers here who I love dearly has a favorite saying, "Let GOD try."

In the meantime - KEEP LOOKING UP!

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NASB  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

[Shammu]

Hello Ray, and welcome to Christians Unite forums.

This is a battle all Christians fight, myself included.

If the Christian life looks too hard, we must remember that we are not called to live it by ourselves. We must live it by the Spirit of God. The command of love is not a new legalistic burden laid on our back, it is what happens freely when we walk by the Spirit. People who try to love without relying on God's Spirit always wind up trying to fill their own emptiness rather than sharing their fullness. And so love ceases to be love. Love is not easy for us. But the good news is that it is not primarily our work but God's. We must simply learn to "walk by the Spirit."

The Spirit is not a leader like the pace car in the "Daytona 500." He is a leader like a locomotive on a train. We do not follow in our strength. We are led by his power. So "walk by the Spirit" means stay hooked up to the divine source of power and go wherever he leads.

If our Christian walk is to be a walk of love and joy and peace, then "walk by the Spirit" must mean "bear the fruit of the Spirit." But again, the Spirit's work is emphasized, not ours. He bears the fruit. Perhaps Paul got this image from Jesus. John 15:4,5: "Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit." So "walk by the Spirit" means "abide in the vine." Keep yourself securely united to the living Christ. Don't cut yourself off from the flow of the Spirit.

The flesh is the ego which feels an emptiness and uses the resources in its own power to try to fill it. Flesh is the "I" who tries to satisfy me with anything but God's mercy. Galatians 5:24 "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."  Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."  The life I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." The flesh is the ego which feels an emptiness but loathes the idea of satisfying it by faith, i.e., by depending on the mercy of God in Christ. Instead, the flesh prefers to use the legalistic or licentious resources in its own power to fill its emptiness. Romans 8:7 "The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law." The basic mark of the flesh is that it is unsubmissive. It does not want to submit to God's absolute authority or rely on God's absolute mercy. Flesh says, like the old T.V. commercial, "I'd rather do it myself."

Resting in the hands, of Jesus.
Bob

Galatians 3:23 "Now before faith came, we were confined under the law."