The Battle Between Your Spirit And Flesh

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

RE: And I've learned to think ' Obstacles ' rather than , 'Battles ' -sky
That was a GOOD one. -Me
Hi, Because you can see things as hard or
you can see them as 'just' hurtles to overcome...as I see it.

If a person sees losing weight as so hard, a hard battle, ugh...they really have a hard time.
If another person sees losing weight as some work, sure, a hurtle, a challenge -
they will have a much better time of it.
It's like the old 'seeing the glass half full or empty' .

One has (for me) an image of a soldier in armor, shield and a sword ---a real battle.
The other (for me) an image of a runner jumping over hurtles - and succeeding.

I find it is the attitude approaching any issue that influences if you win or lose---say, getting the job or not,
get the girl or don't, reach your goal or don't.
Like in Karate - you see through the board in your mind..if you see it as a battle and so hard,
you don't have as much success.
Hope that explains why I said that.

Alright. I see.Thank you.
I guess I seen it more tomato or tomahto.
I am pretty loose with words and their literal definition.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Lovelytony22

The Bible has said God is Spirit and so we must worship Him In Spirit And Truth.

Every Christian needs to feed the Spirit with the word of God, prayers, and fasting. But it's unfortunate, many Christians don't fast. This makes them spiritually weak!.

"For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire" (Galatians 5:17).

Starting in verse 19, Paul explained what are some of the works of the flesh. He claimed dissensions, factions, fits of anger, selfish ambition, sexual immorality, drunkenness, idolatry, hatred, etc.

And then starting in verse 23, he contrasted the Fruits of the Spirit as being "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Paul elegantly was able to contrast the 'works of the flesh' with that of the 'Fruits of the Spirit' and then in verses 24 - 25, showed the importance of getting dominance over the 'works of the flesh'.

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by sky123

Sheesh, your not understanding what I'm referring to Phaelyn, so I'll leave it .

I understand your post completely. That's not the point. The point is you quoted my post about my friend who committed suicide this week. I think about him every day. That's cool if his life and suicide is meaningless to you, but it's not to me. You did not know him, I get it. He was battling depression for a long time. You quoted that and posted your post about how battles are not real, how we can just turn them into obstacles. Basically claiming they are just a point of view we can change. That's true as well if our "battles" are just us thinking about things wrong. Other battles are real and not mere products of our own thinking.

The person who made this thread and topic made it about the battle between the spirit and flesh in Christianity. This is the section of the board for Christians. There are a lot of sections for those who don't believe in the Bible. But yes non-believing "Christians" can post here. That's also fine that you don't believe in this kind of thing or in battles, that you believe they are wholly self created. That we can just shift them away by calling them obstacles. That's true in one sense but not really what the person who started this thread made it about. But you are also free to go off topic into anything you want. You also state you don't believe in most of the bible which is your right as well. That most of it is just made up stories.

You obviously don't believe you have any real battles in life and you probably don't. Others do. Look at the doctors and nurses who are battling COVID everyday.... 1.45 Million people have died from it so far, I think my neighbor has it as I heard him coughing this morning. Some people deal with real battles everyday. Some people live in "war" zones where daily violence and fighting to stay safe and alive is the norm. Being born with an inherited mental illness can also be a daily battle.

I have no problem with what you posted at all. What was lame was you quoting my post about my friends battle with depression and directing your post that battles can be magically overcome by turning them into obstacles to me. Don't quote people if you have no interest in what they posted or are talking about. But then I see the connection, you saw me talking about a battle, ignored everything else in my post, quoted my entire post and stated what you did about battles... just use that quote button less would be my advice, unless you want to actually read what you are quoting and not just use it for keywords.

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

Starting in verse 19, Paul explained what are some of the works of the flesh. He claimed dissensions, factions, fits of anger, selfish ambition, sexual immorality, drunkenness, idolatry, hatred, etc.

And then starting in verse 23, he contrasted the Fruits of the Spirit as being "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Paul elegantly was able to contrast the 'works of the flesh' with that of the 'Fruits of the Spirit' and then in verses 24 - 25, showed the importance of getting dominance over the 'works of the flesh'.

The bible's message is also very subtle and nuanced about "how" one deals with these opposing energies or forces. Love or hate, goodness or evil, right and wrong. The Bible's message when dealing with these battles is basically to "let go and let god." Have faith in God's loving divine purpose for us and me. Surrender to God. That what is impossible for us, is possible for God. Have faith. Jesus Christ died for our sins and loves us all unconditionally.

This shows simply what the Christian view of "the way" or "how" is:
It's a surrender to love, the divine, which is an experience.
In my view, it's the same experience Buddha and other religions and
philosophies talk about. It is what is there, when we get rid of all that is not it.

It's even in a course in miracles: "I have given everything I see all the meaning that it has for me. I do not understand anything I see. These thoughts do not mean anything." It's all about saying bye bye to the ego, then the divine is experienced. It is what we are. Unconditional love.
Get there anyway one wants.

This song shows the Christian view about the transforming power of love and surrender well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIaT8Jl2zpI

14 year old boy's version below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHnVCk_5RrI

The Lyrics....

"You Say"

I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
Remind me once again just who I am because I need to know

You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
And You say I am held when I am falling short
And when I don't belong, oh You say I am Yours
And I believe, (I) oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe

The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity

Taking all I have and now I'm laying it at your feet
You have every failure God, You have every victory

[Miss Hepburn]

Phaelyn....that last post was great!

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Phaelyn....that last post was great!

I looked up the ACIM workbook online after you mentioned it few days ago and was like....oh it's pointed to here too! I copied down a bunch of the first lessons. They are very powerful. So many different paths all pointing to the same truths one can experience. I'm a big fan of comparative religion. When I was a little kid my mother used to leave me at the library for hours when she went to college classes. Free baby sitting eh lol. I would sit in the metaphysics and philosophy and religion sections all day reading everything I could find. Seeing that common thread in all.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

I understand your post completely. That's not the point. The point is you quoted my post about my friend who committed suicide this week. I think about him every day. That's cool if his life and suicide is meaningless to you, but it's not to me. You did not know him, I get it. He was battling depression for a long time. You quoted that and posted your post about how battles are not real, how we can just turn them into obstacles. Basically claiming they are just a point of view we can change. That's true as well if our "battles" are just us thinking about things wrong. Other battles are real and not mere products of our own thinking.

The person who made this thread and topic made it about the battle between the spirit and flesh in Christianity. This is the section of the board for Christians. There are a lot of sections for those who don't believe in the Bible. But yes non-believing "Christians" can post here. That's also fine that you don't believe in this kind of thing or in battles, that you believe they are wholly self created. That we can just shift them away by calling them obstacles. That's true in one sense but not really what the person who started this thread made it about. But you are also free to go off topic into anything you want. You also state you don't believe in most of the bible which is your right as well. That most of it is just made up stories.

You obviously don't believe you have any real battles in life and you probably don't. Others do. Look at the doctors and nurses who are battling COVID everyday.... 1.45 Million people have died from it so far, I think my neighbor has it as I heard him coughing this morning. Some people deal with real battles everyday. Some people live in "war" zones where daily violence and fighting to stay safe and alive is the norm. Being born with an inherited mental illness can also be a daily battle.

I have no problem with what you posted at all. What was lame was you quoting my post about my friends battle with depression and directing your post that battles can be magically overcome by turning them into obstacles to me. Don't quote people if you have no interest in what they posted or are talking about. But then I see the connection, you saw me talking about a battle, ignored everything else in my post, quoted my entire post and stated what you did about battles... just use that quote button less would be my advice, unless you want to actually read what you are quoting and not just use it for keywords.

I am sorry for your loss.
I wish I could say more............

Such a loss........

My Grandfather, who I never met, also died in a similar fashion.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

I looked up the ACIM workbook online after you mentioned it few days ago and was like....oh it's pointed to here too! I copied down a bunch of the first lessons. They are very powerful. So many different paths all pointing to the same truths one can experience. I'm a big fan of comparative religion. When I was a little kid my mother used to leave me at the library for hours when she went to college classes. Free baby sitting eh lol. I would sit in the metaphysics and philosophy and religion sections all day reading everything I could find. Seeing that common thread in all.

I use that expression also: "that common thread in all [religions]".

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

I looked up the ACIM workbook online after you mentioned it few days ago and was like....oh it's pointed to here too!
I copied down a bunch of the first lessons. They are very powerful.

You could tell?
Cuz they are...and can be fun ---there is this cumulative effect I didn't know about ---were at Day 28 - a
major changed happened ---regarding a HUGE grudge I had about a
HUGE injustice that someone did that was just wrong.
And it was their issue projected onto me, huh? Crazy...and boom...I totally forgave them and I felt nothing ....after years.
"Huh?" Just by doing these daily sentences you ponder on? Yup.

(I must add, if you're going to do the first lessons -- then to accompany those you kinda
must read, say, the first Ch or 2 along with them.)

So many different paths all pointing to the same truths one can experience. I'm a big fan of comparative religion. When I was a little kid my mother used to leave me at the library for hours when she went to college classes. Free baby sitting eh lol. I would sit in the metaphysics and philosophy and religion sections all day reading everything I could find. Seeing that common thread in all.

No way. How old were you? Yes, the common thread.

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

I am sorry for your loss.
I wish I could say more............

Such a loss........

My Grandfather, who I never met, also died in a similar fashion.

I wasn't super close to him. Just met him and talked with him a few times but was related to him through his work and music. I have several friends in the industry and have published music myself. He did a long pod cast and his beliefs were a negative force in his life as he subscribed to the philosophy of Nihilism. It was probably a combination of that negative philosophy and what COVID has done to performing musicians and of course depression.

I have another friend who is a electronic dance music musician/producer and yea it's pretty crazy what COVID has done to their lives. He was set to perform at five major music festivals this year, and really that's the only way they make money. The money from streaming is just pennies for most. He gets like $50 a month from streaming... where a show can be $8k. All shows have been cancelled. Not to mention his career was just taking off and these shows is how they get fans and get famous or known.