I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. ( Romans 7:23 23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. )

All true believers have sin remaining in them in this life. Therefore, we are commanded to constantly kill this sin ( Romans 8:13 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ; Colossians 3:5 5 Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; ). How is this to be done? Here are 11 practical steps for killing sin:

1) Take heart from the truth that the old sinful you is decisively already dead ( Romans 6:6 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with `him', that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; ; Colossians 3:3 3 For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. ; Galatians 5:24 24 And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof. ). This means three things: a) the mortal blow to our “old man” has been struck, b) he will not succeed in domination now, and c) his final obliteration is certain.

2) Consciously reckon the old man dead — that is, believe the truth of Scripture about the old man’s death, and seek to live in that freedom ( Romans 6:11 11 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. ).

3) Cultivate enmity with sin. You don’t kill friends ( Romans 8:13 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ). Ponder how it killed your best friend, dishonors your Father, and aims to destroy you forever.

4) Rebel against sin’s coup. Refuse to be bullied by his deceits and manipulations ( Romans 6:12 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: ). Fight your sinful impulses with all your might like a boxer fights an opponent and like a marathon runner fights fatigue ( 1 Corinthians 9:27 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. ; 2 Timothy 4:8 8 henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing. ).

5) Declare radical allegiance to the other side — to God! — and consciously put all your mind and heart and body at his disposal for righteousness and purity ( Romans 6:13 13 neither present your members unto sin `as' instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members `as' instruments of righteousness unto God. ).

6) Don’t make any plans that open the door for sin’s entry ( Romans 13:14 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to `fulfil' the lusts `thereof'. ). Don’t prove your purity in a pornography shop.

7) Develop mental habits that continually renew the mind in God-centeredness ( Romans 12:2 2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ; 2 Corinthians 4:16 16 Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. ). Fix attention daily on “the things of the Spirit” ( Romans 8:5 5 For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ), “things that are above” ( Colossians 3:2 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. ), “whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent, praiseworthy” ( Philippians 4:8 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ).

8) Admit failure and confess all known sin every day ( 1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ). Ask for forgiveness ( Matthew 6:12 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ).

9) Ask for the Spirit’s help and power in all these things ( Romans 8:13 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ; Galatians 5:17 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. , 22; Ezekiel 36:27 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them. ; Isaiah 26:12 12 Jehovah, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou hast also wrought all our works for us. ).

10) Be part of a larger and smaller fellowship where you are exhorted often to beware of the deceitfulness of sin ( Hebrews 3:13 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: ).

11) Beware of legalistic obedience, but let all your warfare be “the work of faith” ( 2 Thessalonians 1:11 11 To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfil every desire of goodness and `every' work of faith, with power; ). That is, let your fight against sin spring from your confidence in the superior pleasures of closeness to Christ.