Yes—by walking in the Spirit, living in accord with your position in Christ, and through the Spirit putting to death the deeds of the old body.
Les Feldick teaches that believers overcome old Adam's desires by walking in the Spirit and living in keeping with their position in Christ [Clip 0]. Through the Holy Spirit, believers are to mortify the deeds of the old body (Romans 8:13), and genuine salvation changes a person's appetites so that the things he once loved become hated and vice versa [Clips 4,6]. This is not merely a list of things to give up, but a Spirit-led change of desires and mindset [Clips 2,7].
Romans 8:13 — This verse gives the direct command to mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit in order to live.
Galatians 5:16–17 — This passage promises that walking in the Spirit prevents fulfilling the lust of the flesh and shows the flesh and Spirit at war.
Romans 8:5–8 contrasts two mindsets: those who are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh, while those who are after the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit. To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God. Romans 8:12–14 says believers are debtors not to the flesh; if they live after the flesh they will die, but if through the Spirit they mortify the deeds of the body they shall live. Galatians 5:16–17 says to walk in the Spirit so that the lust of the flesh is not fulfilled, because the flesh and the Spirit are in opposition. Romans 7:15 also shows the believer's inner conflict: "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I."
Les Feldick teaches that victory comes through walking in the Spirit and living in accord with one's position in Christ; then the believer will not give in to old Adam's desires [Clip 0]. The battle is real and immediate—as soon as a person is born again, the old flesh begins warring against the new nature [Clip 1]. The lost mind the things of old Adam, while the genuinely saved begin to mind the things of the Spirit and often cannot get enough of God's Word [Clips 2,7]. Les stresses that this is not mainly about giving up favorite sins; a real salvation changes appetites so that what a person once loved he begins to hate and vice versa [Clips 2,4]. Through the Holy Spirit, the believer is to put to death the deeds of the old body and be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:13–14) [Clips 4,6]. Les also describes a 'carnal believer' as a saved person whose priorities are mixed up and who is more in the flesh than in the Spirit [Clip 7].
Les teaches that even after a person comes into a right relationship with God and is born again, the old flesh begins to war against the new nature [Clip 1]. The flesh—what he calls 'old Adam'—lusts and wars against the Spirit [Clip 0]. Even saved people find themselves constantly giving in to the old sin nature [Clip 5]. Scripture describes the same conflict in Galatians 5:17, where the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh.
In Romans 8:13, Scripture says that if through the Spirit believers put to death the deeds of the body, they shall live. Les explains that the Christian life does involve discipline and that this mortifying is done through the Holy Spirit's work in the believer [Clips 4,6]. It is not primarily a matter of giving up things one loves; rather, genuine salvation gives a change of appetites so the things once loved are hated and the things once hated are loved [Clips 2,4].
Les contrasts those who are after the flesh with those who are after the Spirit: the lost mind the things of old Adam, while the saved mind the things of the Spirit [Clips 2,3]. When people are genuinely saved, they begin to mind the things of the Spirit and cannot get enough of Scripture [Clip 7]. Les describes a 'carnal believer' as one who is in the body of Christ but whose priorities are mixed up and who is more in the flesh than in the Spirit [Clip 7].
Les teaches that walking in the Spirit means living in accord with one's position in Christ, just as people in important positions are expected to live in accordance with that position [Clip 0]. When a believer walks in the Spirit, he will not give in to the old desires of old Adam [Clip 0]. He is led by the Spirit of God, and through the Spirit he puts to death the old body's deeds [Clip 6]. A Spirit-directed believer is no longer dominated by the world and old Adam but minds the things of the Spirit [Clips 2,7].
Walking in the Spirit According to Our Position
Les explains that believers are to live in accord with their position in Christ; walking in the Spirit keeps them from giving in to the desires of old Adam.
Flesh Warring Against the Spirit
Using Amalek as a picture, Les shows that as soon as someone is born again, the old flesh begins warring against the new nature.
Saved People Mind the Things of the Spirit
Les contrasts those who are after old Adam with those who are after the Spirit: genuine salvation brings a complete change in lifestyle and desire.
The Carnal Mind Is Enmity Against God
Les teaches that to be carnally minded is death and to be spiritually minded is life and peace; the mind inherited from Adam is enmity against God.
Change of Appetites, Not Just Giving Up
Les shows Romans 8:12–13 is about putting to death the deeds of the body through the Spirit and explains that the Christian life is a change of appetites rather than a list of things to give up.
Everyone Keeps Giving In to the Old Sin Nature
Les notes that even after God saves and gives the Holy Spirit, believers constantly find themselves giving in to the old sin nature.
Led by the Spirit to Mortify the Flesh
Les walks through Romans 8:12–14, showing that believers put to death the old body's deeds through the Holy Spirit and are led by the Spirit.
Carnal Believers Have Mixed Priorities
Les defines a carnal believer as someone in the body of Christ whose priorities are mixed up and who is more in the flesh than in the Spirit; growing believers begin to mind the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:5: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
This verse establishes the two mindsets that determine whether a person lives after the flesh or after the Spirit.
Romans 8:6: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
This verse shows the outcome of each mindset: death versus life and peace.
Romans 8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
This explains why the carnal mind is opposed to God and cannot please Him.
Romans 8:12: Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
This verse begins the practical admonition not to live after the flesh.
Romans 8:13: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
This is the central verse on overcoming the old nature through the Spirit.
Romans 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
This identifies the Spirit-led person as a child of God.
Galatians 5:16: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
This verse provides the direct command to walk in the Spirit to avoid fulfilling the flesh's lusts.
Galatians 5:17: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
This verse describes the believer's inner conflict between the flesh and the Spirit.
Romans 7:15: For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
This verse illustrates the Apostle Paul's own struggle with doing what he hates.
Les teaches that as soon as a person is born again, the old flesh begins warring against the new nature [Clip 1], and even believers constantly give in to the old sin nature [Clip 5]. He does not promise removal of the conflict; instead, he points to walking in the Spirit and mortifying the old body's deeds through the Spirit [Clips 0,6].
Les means a believer who is in the body of Christ but whose priorities are mixed up—more in the flesh than in the Spirit, not Spirit-filled or Spirit-directed [Clip 7]. Such a person is still saved but is not experiencing the mind of the Spirit.
Les teaches the Christian life is not primarily about giving things up; genuine salvation changes appetites, so things once loved become hated and things once hated become loved [Clips 2,4]. Through the Spirit, the believer puts to death the deeds of the body [Clip 6].
Les says to live in accord with your position in Christ and to mind the things of the Spirit rather than the things of the world and old Adam [Clips 0,2,7]. The Spirit-led believer is directed by Scripture and the Spirit, and through the Spirit he puts to death the old body's deeds [Clips 6,7].
Watch the Teaching: Why Every Believer Still Struggles With Sin — Romans 7:15-25