For the desires of the flesh are
against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for
these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to
do. Galatians 5:17
THE HOLY
SPIRIT AND THE FALLEN HUMAN SELF are diametrically opposed to each other, for,
as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church, “because the carnal mind is
enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can
be.”
Before
the Spirit of God can work creatively in our hearts, He must condemn and slay
the “flesh” within us; that is, He must have our full consent to displace our
natural self with the Person of Christ! This displacement is carefully explained
in Romans 6, 7 and 8. When the seeking Christian has gone through the
crucifying experience described in chapters 6 and 7 he enters into the broad,
free regions of chapter 8. There self is dethroned and Christ is enthroned
forever!
In the
light of this it is not hard to see why the Christian’s attitude toward self is
such an excellent test of the validity of his religious experiences. Most of
the great masters of the deeper life, such as Fennel, Molinos, John of the
Cross, Madame Guyana and a host of others, have warned against pseudo religious
experiences that provide much carnal enjoyment but feed the flesh and puff up
the heart with self-love.
A good
rule is this: Nothing that comes from God will minister to my pride or
self-congratulation. If I am tempted to be complacent and to feel superior
because of an advanced spiritual experience, I should go at once to my knees
and repent of the whole thing. I have fallen a victim to the enemy!
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