As overcomers, we deal with the flesh by trusting in the expressed path to sanctification given to us by FATHER!
In the Old Testament, we were given the steps to entering The Holy of Holies, FATHER’s Presence:
The confession and repenting of sin:
Exodus 40:
30 He set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and put water there for washing;
31 and Moses, Aaron, and his sons would wash their hands and their feet with water from it.
32 Whenever they went into the tabernacle of meeting, and when they came near the altar, they washed, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
The bronze altar symbolizes our giving God our sin and self and then letting His Blood atone for them:
2 Chronicles 1:6
And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
Molten Sea, which symbolizes being washed by the water of the Word just before entering the Presence of THE LORD:
2 Chronicles 4:2
Then he made the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
After the priests had done all three of these steps, they then entered the Holy Place and worshiped the Lord, which symbolizes our being reconciled with God and able to, once again, have fellowship with Him.
In the New Testament, these steps are stated in:
The Beloved Disciple wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1st John chapter 1:
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
There is no point to hiding sin, just admit it. FATHER already knows that you sinned anyway. Don’t walk in denial!
The second step is to repent. Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 4:
17 From that time on Jesus began to proclaim His message with these Words: “Repent (Keep turning away from your sins and come back to God), for Heaven’s Kingdom realm is now accessible.”
A part of this step, we must not only ask FATHER for His forgiveness for our own sins, but we must also choose to unconditionally forgive anyone who has wronged us. This releases that person into God’s judgments and justice.
Jesus also spoke in chapter 6:
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
In other Words:
Forgive us the wrongs we have done as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us.
The third step in overcoming the flesh is that we must now lay everything that the Lord has shown us––all our sin and self-centeredness––down at the Cross. Only the shed Blood of Christ can atone for our sins.
The Beloved Disciple wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1st John chapter 1:
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them, He will be faithful to forgive us every time. FATHER is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and He will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Hebrews chapter 9:
14 Yet how much more will the Sacred Blood of the Messiah thoroughly cleanse our consciences! For by the power of the Eternal Spirit He has offered Himself to God as the Perfect Sacrifice that now frees us from our dead works to worship and serve the living God.
In step four, we must replace the lies that we have believed with the Truth of God’s Word. We must put Scripture back into our minds where the lies have been. This requires much time and attention for we are constantly bombarded with lies from the world. As we unplug from the world, we will find out that it is much easier to change our mindsets to embrace the Truth found in Scripture. We also will be able to identify lies and blindness of the masses.
Paul also wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 4:
22 And Jesus has taught you to let go of the lifestyle of the ancient man, the old self-life, which was corrupted by sinful and deceitful desires that spring from delusions.
23 Now it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to you.
24 And to be transformed as you embrace the glorious Christ-within as your new life and live in union with him! For God has re-created you all over again in His perfect righteousness, and you now belong to Him in the realm of True Holiness.
25 So discard every form of dishonesty and lying so that you will be known as one who always speaks the Truth, for we all belong to one another.