Evil nature, self and flesh are the 3 spiritual chains that keep many as prisoners to the "god of this age" those who dont believe Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Most of us will agree with that statement but after we are born from above, we who had been prisoners of darkness and captives of the "prince of this world" were set free from his dominion and the power of sin was broken thru the cross.
The counterpart of evil nature is the new & holy nature in Jesus Christ. We are commended to put off the old man & put on the new man in the likeness of Christ. We are made partakers of His devine nature.
The counterpart for Self is Christ.Self has to be crusified on the cross and die. There is no remedy for self but the cross. Dying to self is necessary and not an option. We can't bearfruit unless our grain of wheat is burried on the ground of our heart.
Counterpart of the corrupted flesh is the Holy Spirit. The works of the flesh are pride, couvetousness, envy, anger, jelousy ect., but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace ect. "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" (Cal. 5:17).Flesh in itself is not bad but when its corrupted by evil desires and inclinations its in conflict with the Spirit in us(at least this is my understanding).
"Having therefore these promises, dearly be loved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God(II Cor. 7:1)".
Our spirit, soul & body should be entirely sanctified and when our total life is absolutly surrendered to Christ, he will keep us clean in his blood and holy thru the indwelling Holy Spirit in us. Either sin or Christ will reign in our hearts. If we are carnal believers and babes in Christ who procastenate spiritual growth we will live with 1 foot in the world and 1 foot in the kingdom of God.
I have been a carnal christian for years and i refuse to stay anymore in that compromising spiritual state. I thirst and hunger for the living water and the bread of life. My eyes are open and i see that my Lord is mighty to save me from indweling sin. There is power in the cross of Jesus, there is cleasing in the blood of Jesus, there is unction in the Holy Spirit. Who can seperate us from the love of God. Jesus is glorified and exalted and his Spirit is in us. His kindgom is within us and we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, we are spiritually rich. Christ is our inheritance, treasure and our portion.
Blessings,
Redi