Any attempts to conquer the flesh directly end in failure. All of them. The Sin making its home in us is too powerful. Only One was able to battle it, and successfully conquer it. Anyone else thinking they can do it—or that they NEED to do it subsequent to the cross—is a fool.
That Sin still makes its home in us in spite of what God says about it is a gift of God providing us opportunity to recognize Christ's victory BY FAITH. If Sin were not in us, where the recognition of Christ? If we could successfully conquer Sin on our own, where the reliance on Christ?
Confidence in one's ability to conquer the flesh is the ultimate example of confidence IN flesh. But as Paul says in Philippians 3:3, we are those "having no confidence in flesh."
The apostle Paul is the perfect example of someone attempting for years to conquer his flesh. The more he was
able to "polish the outside of the cup," the more his insides seethed with anger and disgust against those who were not trying as hard as he. The man at last realized that his battle against flesh would alway be a losing one. When did this happen? When he at last contemplated the MEANING of the Son of God's six hours struggle on the cross.
