READ: Galatians 5:16-21
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:…” – Romans 7:18
One day, I visited a friend of mine; a hardened sinner who was not interested in being born again. The Holy Spirit led me to witness to him about Christ. For the first time, he listened. When I finished, he asked me, “What must I do?” I led him in the sinner’s prayer, and he said afterwards, “Dag, thank you very much. I feel I am a changed person.” Then I decided to lead him to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I laid hands on him and to my surprise, he received the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues fluently. He spoke in tongues for some time. An hour later, I decided to leave.
Approximately five hours later, I returned to his apartment to see him. When I got there, I paused at the door before going in. What did I hear? My new convert was fornicating in the bedroom with his girlfriend! Oh dear! So soon after a wonderful salvation experience and the Holy Ghost baptism! I was aghast! I asked myself, “Was this man really born again? Does being born again have any effect on a person?”
The answer is: “Yes, it does!” The reality was that my friend’s body was still the same and capable of committing all the sins of the flesh. As a baby Christian, he had yielded his flesh to all the old sins. His flesh had once more engaged itself in sin, because it had not been affected by the “born-again experience”. Though you are born again, your flesh is still the same. Never forget this! Keep it under control, or else it will lead you into sin.