There are two contrary spiritual laws in operation and you are either under one regime or the other. They are the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and the law of sin and death: the former sets one free from the latter. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus that the law of sin and death may no longer have dominion over us. This grace of God that brings salvation teaches us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

God fights for those who believe in Jesus, and have Him as their Lord and personal Saviour. Because God was with Joseph, when his brothers tried to kill his dreams, He turned their evil plot around to favour Joseph in the end. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all – Psalm 34:19. Victory is guaranteed for those who are on the Lord's side. The battle line has been drawn and you must declare your position.

The works of the flesh will manifest wherever the flesh is in control. As you live in this body of clay, your members (eyes, ears, hands, feet, tongue, etc.) will be always tempted to lead you into sin. Even Jesus was tempted while in the flesh, but glory be to God; He overcame. To overcome like Jesus, you must yield your body to Him with the strong determination to always obey God rather than men.

Who are the poor in spirit? And what did Jesus mean by "the poor in spirit"? Poverty is synonymous with scarcity, deficiency, inadequacy, meagerness, lack, want, etc. The poor usually depend on others, even for the basic necessities of life. In like manner, the poor in spirit are spiritually destitute and in need of the Lord's help. Jesus was referring to the spiritually thirsty and hungry who always look up to the Lord for sustenance.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put your confidence in man or princes. If you have God on your side, who can be against you? The Lord your God will defend and shield you from the arrows of the wicked. Put your confidence in the Lord, for He will never leave you nor forsake you. You attract a curse from the Lord when you place your trust in man: "... Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord" - Jeremiah 17:5.