At salvation, you are made alive in Christ. You receive a new nature, and the Spirit of God comes to dwell in you. But this does not mean that every sinful desire, habit, or tendency immediately disappears.
James 4:7 (NKJV)
Have you ever struggled with a bad habit or an addiction? Something you know is contrary to the life you have received in Christ, but somehow, you just cannot seem to stop?
The moment you got saved, you thought everything would disappear and that you would never do those things again. But then, maybe a few hours, days, or even weeks after you got saved, you found yourself doing those things again. Not because you no longer believed in the gospel that saved you or because you didn't want to be free from those things, but because, somehow, it seemed you couldn't control those desires.
This is the work of the flesh.
Oftentimes, you forget that even when one gets saved, even after receiving the gospel, the flesh does not simply disappear. You are still living here on earth in a physical body, and as long as you are here, you are still continually transformed. Sanctification is an active, progressive work in the believer. Active means it is ongoing, and progressive means you're much better today than you were yesterday.
At salvation, you are made alive in Christ. You receive a new nature, and the Spirit of God comes to dwell in you. But this does not mean that every sinful desire, habit, or tendency immediately disappears. There is now a conflict in your members.
Galatians 5:17
New King James Version
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
The Spirit and the flesh are contrary to one another. They desire different things. Apostle Paul even explains that these desires are so contrary that you're unable to do the things you wish. So, your heart may want to do righteous things for the Lord or to stop that bad habit, but the flesh may make it difficult, but not impossible. God didn't leave us helpless or to fight a wrestling match forever. Apostle James shows us the way out in James 4:
James 4:7
New King James Version
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
The Greek word for submit is hypotássō. It means to be under obedience. It requires you to surrender yourself to God and to obey His commands and instructions. The word for resist is anthístēmi, and it means to oppose or withstand. When you submit to God and surrender to Him, you're able to resist the devil. Even though there is a battle, you're equipped to withstand the devil and oppose his influence.
As a believer, you can't be oblivious to the battle. Part of your walk as a believer is learning to yield to the Spirit rather than to the desires of the flesh. Just as is the case with light and darkness, when light enters a dark room, darkness loses its dominion. Darkness doesn't cease to exist but rather is bound by the light. Light overpowers it.
In the same way, when Christ comes into your life, it doesn't mean sin disappears, but it no longer has the final authority over you. You are no longer slaves to the flesh. You can beat sin and addictions.
As long as you are living in this physical body, there will still be a battle until the day Christ comes again, but you don't have to lose this battle. You can do something about it.
When you find yourself struggling after salvation, don't conclude that the gospel wasn't effective. Don't rush into the conclusion that because you fell, you might as well give up. There is a difference between falling into sin and being ruled by sin. The Christian life is not the absence of a battle. It is learning, day by day, to walk in the Spirit.
The flesh may still speak, but it no longer has to be your master. Christ has given you a new life, and when you submit to Him, you have the power to resist the devil so that he will flee.
Prayer
Father, thank you for saving me from sin; thank you for not leaving me helpless. Thank you for your Spirit, which helps me live above the flesh. Help me to continually submit to You and resist the devil.
