Episode 48: Battling the Natural Man — The struggle to conquer my “2nd Brain”
Winning the battle of the spirit over the flesh is not easy. Some of us struggle with this our entire lives, especially those who battle addictions. The adversary knows if he can ensnare us with addiction, it will make it so much harder for us to let God prevail in our lives.
In this episode, I share a very personal story about my struggle to battle addiction and the birth of what I refer to as a "Second Brain." This is the brain that shows up and encourages us to submit to the will of the natural man at the same time that our "Rational Brain" is trying to convince us to walk away from temptation and submit to the will of God.
Through an incredible recent experience, I learned first-hand how fasting can help us "armor up" in the face of temptation.
This episode is personal, raw, and real. No outline. No script. Just me speaking from the heart about a personal challenge I struggled with for many years, and the miracle I experienced recently that taught me I am never alone when I cry out to the Lord for help.
Understanding the "Natural Man"
What is the "natural man?"
"A person who chooses to be influenced by the passions, desires, appetites, and senses of the flesh rather than by the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Such a person can comprehend physical things but not spiritual things. All people are carnal, or mortal, because of the Fall of Adam and Eve. Each person must be born again through the Atonement of Jesus Christ to cease being a natural man." -- LDS Guide to the Scriptures
Carl B Cook "Putting of the Natural Man and Becoming Saints"
"The natural man or woman is the mortal part of us that allows the physical, the temporal, or our own desires to overrule our inherent spiritual goodness and our desires to become like our Heavenly Parents (see Spencer W. Kimball, “Ocean Currents and Family Influences,” Ensign, November 1974). Of course, the fight will not be won immediately. It is a daily battle for each of us, and we are dependent upon God and Jesus Christ to help us change our nature."
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. [Mosiah 3:19]
Segments:
6:00 -- When my "Second Brain" showed up the first time
8:15 -- Telling Ron about "Second Brain"
10:42 -- The night I "went away sorrowing" and stopped judging the "Rich Young Ruler" from the New Testament
13:12 -- "Second Brain" started showing up a couple of weeks early
15:30 -- My decision to fast for help and how that decision gave me spiritual strength
17:20 -- The "Y" in the path -- A vision of what was to come if I went left at the "Y"
20:41 -- Telling my non-member friend about my experience in the San Diego Temple
24:12 -- Prayer of gratitude and the Lord saying, "I've got your back!"
25:28 -- Fasting can help us draw on the powers of Heaven.
28:00 -- The power of God is stronger.
To listen to this episode on Spotify, iTunes, or another podcast platform, click here.
Resources:
LDS Guide to the Scriptures, “Natural Man”
Spencer W. Kimball, “Ocean Currents and Family Influences,” Ensign, November 1974
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