The Mind Governed By The Flesh Is Death

ROMANS 8:5-11
“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. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 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 ‭8:5-11‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.8.5-11.NKJ

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My beloved, If you want salvation, you need the Holy Spirit. But to receive Him, you must be “born again-baptised by water and the Holy Spirit and fire. Indeed, John the Baptist said, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬
My beloved, “”Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭6:15-20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
We all inherited sin; it's a nasty virus that opens doors to the devil and his army of unclean spirits and demons. Furthermore, it allows them to manipulate one’s thoughts, decisions, and behaviours to do what is wrong.
The truth is, we need the Holy Spirit in us, and without Him our lives will be dominated by sin.
But we in our own power, cannot please God, for our sinful nature is hostile to God. But to cooperate with the leadership of the Holy Spirit shall bring life everlasting, joy in the chaos of this world, and God’s peace that surpasses all understanding and it shall guard one’s heart and mind through Christ (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7).
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
But if one is to walk in the Spirit, one must receive Him. “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His (ROMANS 8:9).
The Good News is, Jesus said, “”If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:15-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
God wants to give you the gift of the Holy Spirit, but He comes with a condition-“You must love Jesus and keep His commandments.
To not keep His commandments is rebellion against God and leads to death. The truth is, we cannot live right with God in our own strength, for our very nature is sinful.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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 ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
These two verses give you the steps that will lead to change in you and eventually give you understanding of what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
But to receive such understanding, one must cooperate with God in total submission.
Peter gave us good advice, saying, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:38-39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
My beloved people, If you haven't already, maybe it's time to commit to God in baptism, for their is only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism (EPHESIANS 4:5). The truth is, you must be born again, we know this is true because Jesus said just that (JOHN 3:5-7).
Having water tipped over your head when you are a baby isn’t baptism. Baptism is total submersion just as Jesus was baptised (MATHEW 3:16). He is the example to follow. Furthermore, baptism is a personal choice that can only come from you.
It is commitment that represents total submission to God. No one else can make that commitment on your behalf, not even your parents.
Furthermore, you must put to death your old sinful nature, and be reborn in Christ, that your past sinful life becomes dead, and then the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, will live in you, and just as God raised Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you. Furthermore, you will no-longer have obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do (ROMANS 8:11-12).
Yes, we all continue to make mistakes, the changes God makes in us are a process. But glory to God, their is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (ROMANS 8:1). And I, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭22:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Commit your life to Christ today, for tomorrow may well be too late.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.