How to Win the Battle Within

By Peter Salemi

www.British-Israel.ca

When a man or woman becomes a Christian, there is a battle within, a struggle to do well, even though the old habits seem to creep up, and many times take over. The Bible speaks of this battle within, and this battle can be won-in this life, and will be eradicated completely by Jesus at the resurrection.

Romans 7

The Apostle Paul sinned even after his conversion. Many don’t want to believe it but he did. So did the other Apostles. John wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9). They had their struggles just like we have our struggles. Even though one becomes converted the effects of sin live on.

Notice what the Apostle Paul says of himself, and I will quote from the Moffatt Translation a more modern English version that is more understandable than the King James, “I cannot understand my own actions; I do not act as I want to act; on the contrary, I do what I detest.

“Now, when I act against my wishes, that means I agree that the Law is right.

“That being so, it is not I [that is his inward man, see Rom 7:22, 25] who do the deed but sin that dwells within me.

“For in me (that is, in my flesh) no good dwells, I know; the wish is there, but not the power of doing what is right.

“I cannot be good as I want to be, and I do wrong against my wishes.

“Well, if I act against my wishes, it is not I who do the deed but sin that dwells within me.

“So this is my experience of the Law: I want to do what is right, but wrong is all I can manage;” (Rom 7:15-21). All of us struggle like this! We want to do “good” but instead we do what we “detest.” We want to obey God but instead sin. Why is that?

Notice what the Apostle Paul says, “For in me (that is, in my flesh) no good dwells” It is encoded in our flesh our Human nature to sin. The major problem most people have is that the serve the flesh, and their fleshly appetites and give into them. Many people do not realize that the body is supposed to serve the mind, not the other way around! Paul wrote, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:” (Rom 7:22). The mind, the spirit is what is in charge. Jesus said, “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38). But all give into the flesh. Paul said, “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Rom 7:25). Therein lays the dilemma with our inner struggle, whom do you subject yourself to? Paul says, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Gal 5:17). All have two choices, to be either to give in to sin, or choose righteousness (Rom 6:13).

Rule over your Mind

Which way of living will you choose to rule your mind? God will always give people the choice, “…I have set before you life [the law of God] and death [the law of sin], blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” (Deut 30:19).

Will you choose to give in to your human nature-the flesh, or your mind where the Spirit of God dwells (Rom 8:16)? Solomon said, “…and he who rules his spirit [mind] is better than he who takes a city” (Prov 16:32 MKJV). To control one’s own mind is a greater accomplishment than to conquer a city. For the conquest of ourselves, and our own unruly passions, requires more true conduct, and regular management. Will you take control of your inner thoughts and appetites and be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Or subject yourself to no control, and letting your human nature dictate what you do?

If you are a Christian and you made that choice to rule your spirit to serve righteousness; what can you do to “continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;” (John 8:31)?

Feed the “New Man”

In the New Testament we continually read of the Old man and the New Man.

The Old Man is the old sinful man, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts…Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” (Eph 4:22; Col 3:9). This “…old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed [“rendered powerless” (ISV; TS2009) “useless, “(LSV; YLT)], that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Rom 6:6). Another version has “the body of sin would no longer dominate us,” (NET).  These old ways, are powerless, useless, no longer dominating our lives anymore when we repent and become baptised and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) so we don’t serve sin any longer.

After baptism, and the person is begotten of the Holy Spirit, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph 4:24). This new man becomes a “servant of Righteousness.” “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 

“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” (Rom 6:12-13). 

How do we win this struggle over the old man and destroy our old deeds that seem to crop up and take over and conquer us? The Bible shows that we feed the new man and starve the old man, so eventually the old man withers and dies. When that happens, the internal lusts (intense desires) will no longer exist and the external temptations will no longer be a factor, and this struggle between your two natures, the new man will win. Think of it, if two men were about to fight, and one is in the gym everyday lifting weights exercising eating right and becoming stronger, and the other is starving and not eating, he is not exercising-who is going to win the fight?

The Apostle Paul wrote, “but if our outward man is being brought to decay, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”(2 Cor 4:16 AFV; see also ARV ASV). The Contemporary English Version has that the outward man is “gradually dying”

Yet, “inward man is being renewed day by day” The new man is continually fed and becoming stronger. Jesus said quoting the Old Testament, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4). “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:” (Rom 7:22). It is the word of God that the new man-the inward man Christians must continually feed, and starve the old man till the old man shrivels up and dies. Christians must stop giving into their old lusts and desires, if Christians do not, like a fire that is continually fed, it grows stronger and stronger, and the old man will win the battle. Stop feeding that fire and “Quench not the Spirit.”(1Thess 5:19); feed the new man, do not quench the fire of the spirit of God.

The Apostle Paul wrote to “put off” the old man. The Cambridge Bible writes, “the ‘taking off’ and ‘putting on’ here may be explained as meaning, practically, ‘you broke connexion (of guilt and helplessness) with the First Adam [human nature], and formed connexion (of acceptance and of life) with the Second [divine nature].” (emphasis theirs and mine). The union with the old man is broken, and it is no longer fed and will wither and die-keep that connection broken! Back to Romans 6:6, another version says, “that our old self was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our sinful nature might be deprived of its power, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin;” (Weymouth NT). If we deprive any temptation, old habits and appetites of our attention, and focus on righteousness and continue to choose Good over evil, the power of our human nature will wither and die. So Christians must break that connection, “put off” the old ways; put it to death so no more life is breathed into them, and focus their attention on God and his ways.

Time to Renovate

The Apostles Paul and Peter, wrote that our bodies are a “house” or “Tabernacle” (see 2 Cor 5; 2 Peter 1:13-14). All houses eventually need renovations. Tearing down the old and replacing it with new walls, furniture, light fixtures etc.…as things get old weak and brittle.

Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Within, your mind is what must be “renewed.” This word the Apostle Paul used is “anakainōsis” It means “renovation” (Strong’s #342, emphasis theirs). In our minds, old habits, deeds and thoughts that have given into the flesh and have become accustomed to them must be torn down and renovated or renewed. As some people can tear down the whole building at once, others tear down one room at a time. In our minds some can do it all, others, one temptation at a time. If one is converted but still struggles with some temptations that don’t go away, one must stop feeding those temptations so they get old die, then break them down and renew. Some things when one is newly converted can renovate right away, other bad habits and sins seem to linger. When they crop up, pay no attention to it, don’t focus on it, pray, and let the Holy Spirit “bringing into captivity… to the obedience of Christ”

Remember the inward man is being renewed “day by day.” It’s a process. Christians must, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Cor 10:5). This is how you win the battle! Strengthen the inner man, weaken and tear down the old man, and the battle is won.

Strengthen the new man day by day with the word of God continually as David said, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day… for thy testimonies are my meditation.” (Psalm 119:97, 99).

Again, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:2-3). The purpose of Meditation is to feed the spirit daily, so “…the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (Col 3:10). So daily, “…be renewed in the spirit of your mind;” (Eph 4:23).

Esau and Jacob

The Apostle Paul wrote that the people in the Old Testament, what they went through and the lessons in their life we should look at them because we can see ourselves. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Rom 15:4). This source writes, “…we learn that God had not intended them merely for those generations in which they were first delivered, but for the instruction of all the succeeding generations of mankind” (Clarke’s Commentary, emphasis added).

When Paul wrote that these things were written “for our learning” it meant, “For our ‘teaching’ or instruction. Not that this was the ‘only’ purpose of the writings of the Old Testament, to instruct Christians; but that all the Old Testament might be useful ‘now’ in illustrating and enforcing the doctrines and duties of piety toward God and man.” (Barnes Notes, emphasis added). We can find the teaching of the “old man” and the “new man” in the Old Testament.

Esau and Jacob is a perfect illustration of our carnal nature and the spiritual man.

At the time of their births the two twins, “struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.” (Gen 25:22). She prayed to God wondering what was going on with her children. God replied, “Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” (v.23). Two nations, but more importantly:

·       “two manner of people” “manner of life, religion,” (Gill)

·       one “stronger” than the other

·       And the “elder shall serve the younger.”

Notice these characteristics, for this perfectly describes the Old Man and the New Man-two manner of people, two natures within us that “struggle” as the Apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 7.

Notice, Esau, “came out red, all over like an hairy garment” (Gen 25:25). Then, “And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob:” Jacob means, “heel holder” or “supplanter” (Brown-Driver-Briggs).  “A supplanter takes the place of someone or something that was there first” (Vocabulary.com). Isn’t interesting that “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 

“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” (1 Cor 15:46-47). Esau represents the earthly man being “red” like Adam. “term Adam, denoting ‘redness,’ or of ‘the earth, earthy’” (Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary). We are all born natural but afterwards when one converts becomes spiritual-the inner man is conceived “begotten” by the spirit of God. Jacob represents the inner spiritual man.

Notice the differences between the two, “And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.” (Gen 25:27). Esau was “a man of the field.” Jesus said, “the field is the world.” (Matthew 13:38). Esau was of this world-the natural fleshly man. Also, it says he was “a cunning hunter.” There was also another who was a “hunter.” The same word is used of Nimrod who was said to be, “mighty hunter before the LORD” (Gen 10:9). This proverb that the people of the world said about Nimrod that he was a mighty hunter “before the Lord” meant, “‘in the face of Jehovah’ can only mean in defiance of Jehovah, as Josephus and the Targums understand it.” (K&D Commentary, emphasis theirs and mine). He defied Jehovah God and so did Esau, “Esau despised his birthright.” (Gen 25:34; explained below).

Jacob was on the other hand, “was a plain man, dwelling in tents.” The word “plain” is “tawm” and it means, “complete; usually (morally) pious; specifically gentle, dear: - coupled together, perfect, plain, undefiled, upright.” (Strong’s #8535, emphasis theirs and mine). Jacob was “perfect” and “upright.” The same word is used describing the character of Job, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect [tawm] and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (Job 1:1). Jacob like Job was a man who “feared God, and eschewed evil.” The Spiritual man!

Jacob was also one who was “dwelling in Tents.” He knew that he was a “stranger” and “pilgrim” on the earth. He knew and understood the promises God; that the inheritance did not just mean this life but also the Kingdom of God, “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 

“For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Hebrew 11:9-10, 13). Jacob was a man of faith-the New Man!

Now Esau came in from the field and he was “faint” (Gen 25:30) to the point of death. Jacob said to him, “Sell me this day thy birthright.” (v.31). Jacob did not steal it as some preachers say; he said “sell me.”

What is a birthright? There are two parts to a birthright. There are “rights” and “responsibilities.” The firstborn received “double portion” of his father’s property (Deut 21:15-17). This was his right. Also “the firstborn son assumed the father’s authority and responsibilities…. leadership role in the family” (Article: Why is the birthright so emphasized in the Bible? Emphasis added). The firstborn became the spiritual head of the family. Since Esau “despised” the birthright, what part of it did you think he hated? Not the property rights-but being the spiritual head of the family! This is why Jacob wanted the Birthright and God wanted Jacob to have it as well. Jacob knew and understood what the birthright entailed “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Rom 9:13; see also Malachi 1:2-3). Why? Because Esau “despised” God and Jacob “loved” God so God out of his divine justice rejected the one who rejected him and accepted the one who accepted him. Esau had no love for God and so God “hated” Esau. This word “hate” its meaning is, “[it] need not imply positive hatred, but the absence of love, or even less love. One verse there tells us that Jacob ‘hated’ Leah, the other that he ‘loved Rachel more.’” (Cambridge Bible, emphasis added). Esau showed no love towards God so God returned the favor.

Notice how Esau answers Jacob, “…Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?” (Gen 25:32). Typical carnal thinking! Sacrificing eternal things on the altar of temporary pleasures (see Heb 11:25; 2 Cor 4:18). Because he loved the temporal and not the eternal he sold his birthright to Jacob. Many people tend to give into the old man-the temptations and desires. Any “kicks” that come from breaking God’s laws are only temporary and will lead to undesirable “kickbacks.”  If you continue to feed the old habits eventually one can possible go back into the world and reject God as Esau did.

Hebrews says, “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright [for temporary pleasures]. 

“For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” (Heb 12:16-17). He cried because he lost the birthright. Not that he wanted to serve God, he rejected God “he found no place of repentance” he cried because of the property rights of the birthright; he was thinking only of the temporal, not the eternal rewards. Don’t let this happen to you! (see Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31)

The Lesson we read in Genesis 25 is clear. The Old man will not inherit the Kingdom of God, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 

“Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor 6:9-10).

Christians now are newly begotten people with the Holy Spirit in them, “And such were some of you [the old sinful man]: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor 6:11).  Let’s continue the process of renovation; let the body be subject to the spirit, the elder [old man] serving the younger [the new man]. The New man has the spirit of God and is “stronger than the other.”

The Resurrection

Whatever sin is left that still lingers in our bodies, after all the overcoming the we Christians go through in this world, The Apostle Paul says, “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 

“And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.” (1 Cor 6:13-14).

The NIV Bible has it, “You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food,” This was a proverb the members of the church of God said, meaning, “‘God has made us with appetites for food; and he has made food adapted to such appetites, and it is right, therefore, to indulge…’’’ (Barnes Notes, emphasis added). They thought “All things are lawful unto me,” (v.12). The people reasoned that since they have all these appetites (not just for food, but “fornication” as well. Paul said, “Now the body is not for fornication.)” We should give into them and experience all these carnal temptations that we feel and crave every day. They reasoned that “God gave us all these appetites so let’s indulge in them.” Of course God did not as Paul explained to them. Though God made an appetite for food, and provided food for that appetite, yet he has not made the body for any uncleanness, nor indulgence in sensuality. There a boundaries that we humans should not cross, “the body is not for fornication.” So the church, instead of ‘putting off” the old man were craving to commit these trespasses.

Paul reveals that in the future, “…God shall destroy both it and them.” Better rendered God “shall bring to nought [Greek. Katargeo]” (Pulpit Commentary, emphasis theirs; see also ARV; ASV; Darby). The Apostolic Bible Polyglot translates it “will render useless”

“Both it and them.” God will make “it” the reliance for food, and “them” meaning the appetites for gluttony, fornication etc.… of no use-for these things are temporal not eternal. The appetites sinful and not holy, so God will render them useless for the resurrected body (see 2 Cor 4:18).

When does this Happen? At the resurrection, “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power” (v.14). “This would occur when the physical body becomes a spiritual body… (1Cor 15:51, 1Cor 15:52).” (Pulpit Commentary).

Gill writes, “since the body will be raised perfect, consisting of all its parts; yet there will be no appetite, no desire in the stomach after meats, no need of them to fill the belly, and so no use of these parts for such purposes as they now are;” (emphasis added).  

Poole adds, “In the resurrection, as men shall not marry, nor give in marriage [Matthew 22:30], so they shall hunger and thirst no more [Rev 7:16]” (Matthew Poole’s Commentary). These “lower appetites and sensations will… have no existence in the resurrection body; and the earth and its productions shall be burnt up.” (Clarke’s Commentary, emphasis added). When the “change” comes from flesh to spiritual all temporary appetites that linger God will bring to nought, they cannot live in an eternal body that is holy.

However, at this moment most of that work is for the individual to fight and overcome, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil 2:12)

With the help of the Holy Spirit, the “renewing [renovating] of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3:5); it writes the law of God in the hearts of Christians, and replaces the old ways with the ways of God (see Romans 5:5; Jer 31:33-34).

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