We kill sin by the Spirit when we turn from sinful practices and turn our hearts from sinful motivations with a sense of our debt to God’d love and grace, by minding the things of the Spirit
Overview: The first (key) step to overcoming the sinful nature is to set, focus your mind (thoughts, desires) on what the Holy Spirit desires: how in Christ we are adopted, loved, remade in His likeness – and how this is worked out in our daily decisions.
Everything that Jesus did for us was in order that we might live a holy life [ grow in Christ-likeness]. This should be our motivation to grow in Christ-likeness.
Only when we realize that we’re helpless in our own strength to overcome our sinful nature – will we cry out, surrender to and depend on the Holy Spirit in our daily struggle to overcome sin.
The Christian is not driven by the desire to conform to keep external rules, but driven by the Holy Spirit to love and serve God from heart. He does this by having his mind and heart becoming increasingly Christ-focused rather than self focused.