"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."–Rom 6:1-4
We have newness of life, which is to be walked in. It is not the old life made over, or the old life held onto, but it is NEWNESS of life altogether.
God says, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification", so that holiness and ABSTINENCE from godless lusts is God's way of doing things (I Thess 4:3; Titus 2:11-12).
This RADICAL new life requires the GRACE of Christ and the sentence of "no condemnation". You and I cannot fight sin, unless God is on our side, fighting for us. If we have the guilt and the shame, then we can't improve. We waste our time being "right" with God by efforts that we have made - moaning and doing – rather than RECEIVING the rightness that God's made for us (John 8:10-11).
But, when the condemnation is GONE, then we can learn: we can be strengthened, as He has promised (Rom 6:14). And, this life of holiness is, "not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles which know not God" (I Thess 4:5). It is in obedience to the truth, so that we deal with the inner man, as well as the outward behavior, through Christ who strengthens us. God has not left us alone, and the fact that He overcomes sin in His people is the evidence we have to wait on and enjoy His power. He will come, and He will not tarry: we have help, if we believe God. And, we believe Him and not the lies of what we feel or think: we worship God in Christ, believing His truth, even though EVERYTHING in and about us may differ. The first evidence of faith is FAITH itself, and then faith brings works and assurance. It is written, "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world", so that an OUTSIDE of us gospel gives us INWARD peace and assurance, as we believe (I John 4:13-14). Thus, you and I know that we can overcome our flesh because we have CONFIDENCE in God, which is what we need, as we handle every aspect of life.
Spiritual growth is growth in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord, so that we look to ourselves and others LESS and less, and we look to Him more, relying on Him, and using the tools that He gives.
If we believe that salvation is of the Lord, then we'll use the Lord's means of truth and love to save others, and He will do as He sees fit. But, we'll walk in this world CONFIDENT and bold, rather than fearful (I Thess 2:1-2). And the life of love is confidence because we trust God and not ourselves for protection and care: we don't say, "I'll take care of myself by conniving and sinning". We say, "God you take care of me by my love for others, and you do for me as you have said". He won't deny us. He says He is "abundant in goodness and truth", and this truth is His faithfulness, so that He acts according to the word. He says, "Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help… The Lord looses the prisoners: the Lord opens the eyes of the blind: the Lord raises them that are bowed down: the Lord loves the righteous", so that God manifests His character to the righteous and to the weak (Ps 146:5-8). We are righteous by BELIEVING His Son, and our need is fulfilled by Christ and His promise of strength. Sin shall not have dominion over us, because we have power to walk in newness of life by believing God. And, belief or faith is the issue: if we have it, then we shall have the promise of God. And, this promise is dependent on Christ and not us: if He succeeded, then what we have in Christ is CERTAIN, whether we feel it not. We only believe on Him amidst the storms, and then we see Him work (Rom 6:8-9).
He has ordained our weakness, so that He can be strength. He is not distasteful of our inability, but He has covenanted to help, and He proves this by the word and the resurrection of the Son. Thus, if you and I have Christ, and we do by faith, then we have all that He gives, even the promise of life in obedience to Christ. This doesn't mean we have no doubts and failures; it means that we have Christ to conquer it all.