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How do I handle tough times and temptations?
Take off the old self with its practices… and put on the new self.
Colossians 3:9, 10 NIV
Does becoming a follower of Jesus exempt you from difficulty? No. You are not miraculously whisked into a trouble-free glass bubble when you are born again. Rather, you become a battlefield, where you contend with ongoing temptations and daunting challenges.
Though we received a new nature at conversion, we inherited a nasty carryover from our former life called “the old nature.” That legacy from the past hangs around, throwing up roadblocks to the Christ-centered life. It’s not easy to disconnect from ideas and habits that have defined us for so long.
But there’s good news! Jesus took our old nature to the grave when He was crucified. The new nature He gave us in its place is intended to fully displace the old. Our job now is to be aggressive in making that happen. The Apostle Paul says, “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11 NIV). In other words, render effective what Jesus did on your behalf.
In Galatians 5:16–17, we are challenged to live by the new nature. “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” That means you allow the Holy Spirit, now living in you, to shape your thoughts, guide your steps, govern your reactions and correct you when you stray. The old nature is real. But God enables and empowers you to walk in victory.
How do you need the Holy Spirit's help in your life right now? You can talk with someone who would love to help you overcome your old nature.
