if demons and such do not know my thoughts, then what tempts me so? I feel two things. I feel feel my spirit. My spirit is with the Lord and feels the Lord. By my spirit constantly fights my body. My body and mind is soo weak. But this is my spirit side talking. My body wants things of this world, and my spirit whats things of the Spirit. They constantly battle. I feel helpless. I get so pumped up with the Lord and i do so well, but the next day im right back to square one..... Some one please help me!!!!!!!!
Romans 7 I think may help you:
What was Paul talking about when he said:
Rom 7:14-25 14. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from THE BODY OF THIS DEATH? 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
This passage speaks of the experience of all who would follow God and keep his commandments. When we first commit to obey God (Repent) we say that the law is "just and holy and good".
But when we try to obey it we find ourselves at war with our own flesh. To our dismay we do the very things we would not. What are we to do?? Like Paul we have learned that "the wages of sin is death". Yet we cannot cease from sin!
It is at this point that
we also cry out to God, just as Paul did: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" The answer is found in the next line: "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord"
It is Jesus who will deliver us from the power of sin. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to cease from sin and quit "living after the flesh". Not only able, but we must! That is why Paul carefully warned the Roman Christians... 12. So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh,. to live according to the flesh-- 13. for if you live according to the flesh *you will die,* but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body. * you will live.*
It is a matter of eternal life or eternal death. In order to understand Paul's meaning, one must understand what Paul meant when he used the phrase:
"...if you live according to the flesh".
"For if you live according to the flesh YOU WILL DIE, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body YOU WILL LIVE." Romans 8:13.
Question: Who are those who "live according to the flesh"?
Answer: "For those who live according to the flesh SET THEIR MINDS on the things of the flesh." Rom 8:5
Question: How do you recognize a mind that is set on the flesh?
Answer: "For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God;.
IT DOES NOT SUBMIT TO GOD'S LAW." Rom 8:7
Question: What will happen to the mind that is set on the flesh and will not submit to God's law?
Answer: " To set the mind on the flesh IS DEATH." Rom 8:6
Here is a summary of what Paul said about carnal Christians:
Those who live according to the flesh are those
who do not submit to God's law and their end is eternal DEATH!
BUT
"If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body YOU WILL LIVE." Romans 8:13
As you can see in the above verses, in Romans 7 & 8, Paul was speaking of the transition from helpless sinner who lived after the flesh, to victorious son of God who was led by the Spirit.
14 "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." Rom 8:14
Those who knowingly commit sin do not submit to God's law. They are not led by the Spirit of God, they are led by the flesh.
There is a very interesting historical note about the phrase Paul used when he said: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from THE BODY OF THIS DEATH?" The term "the body of this death" refers to the practice of chaining the body of a murdered victim to the body of his murderer. This horrible fate of being consumed by the rotting flesh was the picture Paul was drawing of our being spiritually chained to our flesh which would inevitably be the cause of our spiritual death.
Sorry for the graphic ugliness but one cannot really understand the urgency and desperate plea of Paul to be delivered from his "body of death" without that explanation.
The problem I see is that if a person is taught that he (or she) cannot cease from sin, they will never come to the point where they cry out with Paul for deliverance.
I know that I personally went through a similar experience, where I wanted to obey God's law, but I could not. In helpless desperation, I cried out to God for help. I knew that if He wanted me to obey His commandments, He would have to make it possible.
Soon after, I found in me the grace to obey. I was now able to resist the power of the flesh, where before I could not.
It makes sense that God works in this way. If we were able to cease from sin without first having come to the point of total helplessness, we would probably take credit for being able to cease from sin.
I know that I will never take pride in being able to obey God's law, because I to was forced to cry out with Paul, "who will deliver me from this body of this death."
I sincerely pray this will help you.
