One of the biggest challenges of living in this world is that each one of us has a traitor working against us on the inside, what the Bible calls our flesh. Here, the flesh refers to that inner desire for rebellion against God—the treacherous part of each one of us that wants to sin, even though we know sin leads to death. When the world and the devil come knocking, it's our flesh that wants to open the door and let them right in.
God has given us the weapons we need in order to live victoriously this side of heaven.
But praise God! He has given us three weapons to defeat these three enemies. First, He gave us a renewed nature to battle against our old, sinful nature. Second, He gave us His living and active Word, which is sharper than a double-edged sword (see Hebrews 4:12). Finally, He gave us the Holy Spirit, His own perfect presence at work inside us. The Spirit convicts us of sin, reminds us of the Truth, and empowers us to follow Christ's example.
The Corinthian believers had a variety of sinful struggles, but they really all boiled down to one trouble: They let their flesh run wild. Brothers and sisters, it does not have to be this way. We are not helpless in our battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. God has given us the weapons we need in order to live victoriously this side of heaven. But we must hold fast to them and fight.
Prayer: Father, thank You for giving me sure victory in Christ. Help me to keep living for You, armed with a new nature, Your Word, and Your Spirit. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
"What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us" (1 Corinthians 2:12).
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