Page 51 - Overcoming Addiction

that we once were. The old must pass away, and the new must come. This process
is expressed in numerous ways in the Scriptures.

Ephesians 4:20-24
But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and
have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Yahshua, that, in reference to
your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being
corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in
the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of
God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Our victory over sin is assured as we allow this process of transformation to
go forward. The old self is laid aside and the new self is put on. Once a person
receives the Spirit of Christ this process begins, and it is as natural as a physical
babe growing into an adult. Our transformation into the image of Christ is not
something we have to force to happen, neither do we need to figure out how to
make it come about. All we need to do is surrender to that which the Spirit is
doing in us. We can, however, resist this work and cause this new creature to not
develop normally as it should.
Yahshua said that of those born of woman there was none greater than John
the Baptist. Yahshua testified that there existed no greater prophet than John.
Perhaps the reason for this high praise was that John recognized clearly that
Yahshua was the Son of God and that He was the Lamb of God slain for the sins of
the world. John also testified of this very key work of God where Christ must
become more and more within mankind, while the old self must become less and
less. John declared this truth in the following words.

John 3:30
"He must increase, but I must decrease.”

This occurrence of Yahshua increasing in us, while we decrease, is the
natural result of a life surrendered to the Spirit of Christ. Hear what I am saying.
“This is only the natural result of those SURRENDERED to the Spirit. Many
Christians continue in bondage to the flesh, and they fail to overcome addictive
desires, because they RESIST the Spirit.
We will look once more in the next chapter to the parable of Israel in the
wilderness to discern both how we can surrender to the Spirit, and how we resist
Him.