James 4:4-9 NLT
You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. [5] Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. [6] And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” [7] So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. [9] Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
This verse may mean that because of our fallen nature we have a tendency toward envy and must keep it in check, or it may mean that God, who puts his Spirit in believers, wants intimate friendship with us. James is not quoting a specific verse or passage—he is summing up a general teaching of Scripture. (For more on the human tendency toward envy and discontent.
Romans 6:6-8 NLT
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. [8] And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
The power of sin over us, as well as the penalty for sin, died with Christ on the cross. Our “old self,” our sinful nature, died once and for all, so we are freed from its power. The “body ruled by sin” refers to our rebellious, sin-loving nature inherited from Adam. Though we often willingly cooperate with our sinful nature, the desire to do so comes from our old nature. And it is this power of sin at work in our lives that is defeated. Paul has already stated that through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, having been declared not guilty before God. Here Paul emphasizes that we need no longer live under sin’s power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots—we will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we were saved we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for Christ.
Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, his followers need never fear death. That assurance frees us to enjoy fellowship with him and to do his will. This affects all our activities—work and worship, play, Bible study, quiet times, and time spent caring for others. When you know that you don’t have to fear death, you will experience a new vitality in life.
Galatians 5:17-21 NLT
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. [18] But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. [19] When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, [21] envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Paul describes the two forces in conflict within us—the Holy Spirit and the sinful nature (our evil desires or inclinations that stem from our bodies; also see 5:16, 19, 24). In this world, we face constant tension between the Spirit and our sinful nature, but they are not equal, opposite forces. In Christ, we have a victorious and new resurrection life. We shouldn’t be surprised when we experience resistance as we follow the Spirit’s leading. Satan is a persistent agitator for rebellion and has had centuries of practice. When we do what the Holy Spirit instructs, we can expect our sinful human nature to flare up in opposition. When we share our faith with others, it will make us feel foolish; when we serve others, it will attack our motives. Satan uses our nature to thwart the leading of the Spirit. Fortunately for us, each time we follow our sinful human nature we will receive reminders from God’s Word, from the Holy Spirit, or from other believers not to give in. The Holy Spirit will give us dependable guidance. Listen to him and ask for his power to help you experience the joy and freedom that come from letting him rule in your heart. (For more on the conflict between the Spirit and our sinful nature, see Romans 8:5, 9; Ephesians 4:23-24; and Colossians 3:3-8.)
We all have evil desires that we must not ignore; instead, we must deal with them decisively (in Paul’s terms, crucify them; 5:24). These desires include obvious sins, such as sexual immorality and witchcraft. They also include less obvious sins, such as selfish ambition, hatred, and jealousy. Here are four steps to help you deal with your selfish desires:
(1) Admit that you have a selfish, sinful nature—don’t be too shocked or too proud to acknowledge it.
(2) Surrender all your bad tendencies to Christ and ask God to do whatever is necessary to set you free.
(3) Commit your actions, thoughts, passions, and capabilities to Christ, asking the Spirit to help you restrain your evil desires and angry reactions.
(4) Make serving others a top priority, which will help you become more like Jesus.
Under Gods command 