“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
Romans 8:5 (NKJV)
• A number of believers live according to the flesh, though they claim to be born again.
- To live according to the flesh or walk according to the flesh is to allow your flesh, the sinful nature, dominate you, that is, you live to gratify or please your flesh.
- However, to live according to the Spirit is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit on the inside of your spirit, the inward man. You live to please the Holy Spirit.
• If you set your mind on fleshly things, you cannot please God (Romans 8:8).
- If you allow your flesh to control you, it leads to death; but if you are controlled by the Holy Spirit who dwells in your spirit—you experience life and peace (Romans 8:6).
- Carnal, fleshly, mind is enmity against God, it does not submit to the law of God, and it never will (Romans 8:7).
• As a believer, you have the choice to make, either to allow your flesh to dominate you, or to be dominated by your spirit.
- Human being is a spirit, has a soul, and lives in a body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
- When you gave your life to Christ or accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour; your spirit, that is, the inward man, became a new creation—your spirit is regenerated (1 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5).
- With that, your soul, that is, your mind the seat of thought; and your body, the flesh; were not changed—they remained the same.
- If a believer who claim to be born again does not work on his soul and body—the evidence of new birth would not be seen in him or her (Romans 12:1,2; James 1:21).
• The Bible admonishes us to put to death sinful things, earthly things, lurking within us. You deprive of power the evil longings of your flesh, the earthly body (Colossians 3:5).
“So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centered instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God].”
Colossians 3:5 (Amp.)
- A number of believers would not want to do anything about their flesh; thus, they keep living like the ungodly, and their lives do not please God.
“So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Romans 8:8 (NKJV) - Also, a believer who does not work on his or her MIND would not live to please God. Such would live in enmity against God (Romans 8:7).
• Every believer has a responsibility to renew their minds that their thoughts may be in line with God’s wills and plans for their lives (Ephesians 4:23).
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
- You renew your mind by reading, studying, and pondering on the Word of God; it changes your thoughts, and you begin to think like God, see things in God’s point of view (James 1:21).
- When you put to death the evil longings of the flesh, and you renew your mind; then you will be able to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
• To walk according to the Spirit is to put your mind and your flesh under the control of your inward man, your spirit man (Galatians 5:16-17).
- Your spirit is a recreated being, a new creation, he wants to do God’s will, please God; but this cannot be done without the cooperation of your mind and the body (Romans 7:22,23).
- If your flesh is tamed, controlled, and your mind is renewed; then your spirit can take over the rule of both the mind and the body—through the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in your spirit, the inward man.
- “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
- And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
- But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
Romans 8:9-11 (NKJV)
• If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in your spirit, inward man (John 3:5,6).
- Then again you need a step further for the fullness of the operation of the Holy Spirit in you, it is called, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It occurs with evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 1:5,8; 2:1-4; 19:1-6).
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit is subsequent to being born again.
- “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God [they had been born again], they sent Peter and John to them,
- who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
- For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized [in water] in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 8:14-16 (NKJV)
• You receive the fullness of the Person of the Holy Spirit in you, as you invite Him to dwell in you.
- Holy Spirit is a gift to believers in Christ Jesus (John 14:16,17).
- Baptism of the Holy Spirit can be received through the laying on of hands by another believer, or you pray by yourself and receive by faith (Acts 8:14-17; 9:17; 19:1-6).
- I did receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit by myself; I have read in Kenneth E. Hagin’s book who also said he received the baptism by himself; a brother also shared that he received the baptism by himself when he prayed after he read Benny Hinn’s book, Good Morning Holy Spirit. You also can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit as you pray to receive by faith.
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your HEAVENLY FATHER give the HOLY SPIRIT to those who ASK HIM!"
Luke 11:13 (NKJV)
• If you desire to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and you are already born again: open your mouth and confess that you receive the Holy Spirit by faith—then begin to speak in tongues as you are given utterance (Acts 2:3,4).
• You will not fail in Jesus’ name.
Peace!