still a carnal nature_,
for a carnal nature is a nature governed by the flesh; _but we have the
flesh_, but in the Spirit's power, it is our privilege to get daily,
hourly, constant victory over the flesh and over sin. But this victory is
not in ourselves, nor in any strength of our own. Left to ourselves,
deserted of the Spirit of God, we would be as helpless as ever. It is
still true that in us, that is in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing (Rom.
vii. 18). It is all in the power of the indwelling Spirit, but the
Spirit's power may be in such fullness that one is not even conscious of
the presence of the flesh. It seems as if it were dead and gone forever,
but it is only kept in place of death by the Holy Spirit's power. If for
one moment we were to get our eyes off from Jesus Christ, if we were to
neglect the daily study of the Word and prayer, down we would go. We must
live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit if we would have continuous
victory (Gal. v. 16, 25). The life of the Spirit within us must be
maintained by the study of the Word and prayer. One of the saddest things
ever witnessed is the way in which some people who have entered by the
Spirit's power into a life of victory become self-confident and fancy that
the victory is in themselves, and that they can safely neglect the study
of the Word and prayer. The depths to which such sometimes fall is
appalling. Each of us needs to lay to heart the inspired words of the
Apostle, "Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall" (1 Cor. x. 12). I once knew a man who seemed to make extraordinary
strides in the Christian life. He became a teacher of others and was
greatly blessed to thousands. It seemed to me that he was becoming
self-confident and I trembled for him. I invited him to my room and we had
a long heart to heart conversation. I told him frankly that it seemed as
if he were going perilously near exceedingly dangerous ground. I said that
I found it safer at the close of each day not to be too confident that
there had been no failures nor defeats that day but to go alone with God
and ask Him to search my heart and show me if there was anything in my
outward or inward life that was displeasing to Him, and that very often
failures were brought to light that must be confessed as sin. "No," he
replied, "I do not need to do that. Even if I should do something wrong, I
would see it at once. I keep very short accounts with God, and I would
confe