The Spirit of Christ!

Romans 8 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 
Since Paul is writing to the Roman Christians, the first seven chapters were a summary of the role of the Law in leading us to Christ, who did for us what we could not do for ourselves in the flesh.  In verse 8:1, he makes a transition to how these new Jewish Christians are not to live out their faith in Christ.  He starts out chapter eight by saying, "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  
In the verses above Paul describes the new life we have been given in Christ.  He previously made it clear that living according to our flesh (sinful nature) led us to death.  But through Jesus' death on the cross our flesh has been put to death so that we might now live according to the Spirit.  This is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, and filled the first disciples on the day of Pentecost.  Paul makes it clear that this is the Spirit of Christ who lives in you.  Though all Christians continue to live in the body, meaning we still have a sinful nature, we now are filled with the Spirit of God.  
This fact has often been underestimated and not taught on very well in the church.  If I were the devil THE most effective strategy I would employ would be to keep Christians IGNORANT of the Holy Spirit.  I wonder if you asked most Christians if the Spirit of Christ lives within them, what they would say?  Or, they might agree the Spirit lives in them, but do little to cultivate and use the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  
Paul makes it clear that if we go back to living according to the flesh, we will die.  I think this is more related to spiritual death than physical death.  But the promise Paul gives us is that if we live according to the Spirit we will live.  We don't have to "white knuckle" it to live a life of freedom in Christ, but the Spirit empowers us to do God's will.  We often think we need to work in our own strength to do what God wants, but it is more allowing the Spirit to work through us.  Paul uses the same principle when talking about the Spirit interceding through us when we pray.  Meaning we don't have to try and make an eloquent prayer, we allow the Spirit to pray through us. This principle is really quite freeing.  
Friends we will always be battling our sinful nature until we die.  I know I am far from being Christ-like, and every day I confess my sins to God.  But for this battle God has given us His Spirit to help us and come alongside of us and actually defeat our enemy if we are willing to walk in His power.  This is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead who lives in us.  It would be a shame for us to be ignorant of Him and not use His resurrection power.       

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