Natural Man

Expelling the Natural Man from your life

Paul talks about the “natural man” or the “old self” that is displaced by the Spirit after a person becomes a Christian.  However, this old self lingers and has to be expelled strongly and purposefully. 

a. Understanding the old self

This game lets you see clearly the difference between your new self in the Spirit and the old self.  Hopefully, you’ll get pretty ticked off at the old self and want him out.

Here’s the game:  Think of a situation when you are at your worst.  It could be during driving, as mentioned previously.  It could be when you have committed lustful sins.  Or when you lost your temper or got so focused on a project that you manipulated other people or were unethical or mean.  Make a short list of the worst flaws that came to the surface during that situation.  Then make a list of the exact opposite of those flaws.  That’s what you have to shoot for.  That’s your new self.

For example, your old self flaws could be revealed to be aggressive:  (1) Self-centered (2) uncontrolled (3) jealous.  Your new self (what you need to shoot for) is:  (1) Always thinking about the needs of others in every situation (2) self control in speech, texts, and tone of voice (3) not needing stuff; stuff is not going to bring happiness. 

Or your old self could be shown to have passive flaws:  (1) weakness (2)  withdrawal to pleasures and comforts (3) need for approval and strokes.  What you need to shoot for is:  (1) don’t let fearful thoughts in your mind; don’t be depressed; act strongly (2) do hard jobs first  (3) avoid compliments.

b.  Replace the old man with the new man

You don’t have to have this jerk roaming around in your life.  Just get rid of him by the Spirit. 

Here’s the game:  Get angry at him.  Really dwell on what a [expletive deleted] he is.  Get fed up!  Once you’ve identified him and know him well, knock him down and cart him off.  Assume the new self that you’ve also now identified clearly.  You’ll need to clearly distinguish between the two men (women).  Image them both very clearly.  The imaging and the emotional response is all you need to do.  The rest will follow.

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1Corinthians 2:14   But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

Colossians 3:8-10   But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him

Ephesians 4:22     … 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

Romans 6:6   …..knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin

And of course Romans 7

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