When the new believer begins their walk, we read that justification is the first step.  A right standing with God, on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ.  The gift of Grace and Forgiveness for our Faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  Justification has to do with man’s spirit.  That is where God implants His Holy Spirit that gives us that righteous standing before God, and begins a work in us. 

 

Once we are made right before God and His Holy Spirit is at work in us, we begin the refining process, which is referred to as sanctification.  According to Paul, you will be cut off from that old self, that life in Adam, and joined in your new life with the risen Christ.  We are now created to do good works in Jesus’ name.  Our sinful habits and life in Adam will not be our nature anymore.  Although, this part of your journey will last varying amounts of time. 

 

You will find that the sinful self-centered Adam life that you naturally had was so simple because you were guided by the worldly things you were accustomed to.  Now though with the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit in you, you will begin to lose those Adam like tendencies and will more and more perform with your new Christ like tendencies.  This part of the journey is usually the hardest because of our past mistakes, but we need to know that Christ is now reigning over us unto life, where we can experience victory in Christ instead of defeat in Adam. 

 

When your soul has been awaken by the Holy Spirit, than and only then will you hunger for a relationship with God.  That is also when satan increases his efforts to win your soul.  The evil forces are hard at work in this world to win souls.  But once you have the Holy Spirit working in you, satan becomes a thing of the past.  Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us?