Defilement of flesh and spirit

One of the sad things about the condition of the church today is the reality of defilement among the saints. Paul warns of defilement of flesh and of spirit (2Cor 7:1) meaning that it is not just the deeds of the flesh that we can be involved in. Defilement of the spirit is much more subtle and it can manifest as a lack of desire or an unwillingness to move on with God. It could arise from a tilt towards worldliness or some kind of rebellious attitude that is not easy to discern. Whatever the defilement, it has to be identified and cleared away. In the Old Testament, there is a clear distinction between unintentional and defiant sins. Even if it is an unintentional sin, when he comes to know it, he needs to offer the sacrifice and complete the cleansing. 
One of the sure signs of defilement that is still persisting, is the lack of confidence that one has in prayer. There is a sense of guilt that is still around and therefore the saint begins to ask for forgiveness as soon as he starts to petition for something. He feels that his prayer won't be answered. He senses a hindrance somewhere. The Holy Spirit is not giving him a boldness to ask and receive. The saint needs to understand that he is losing a great deal if he is unwilling to search his own heart. We not only have unanswered prayers but we even miss out on knowing what to ask. The Spirit of God should help us in our weakness (Rom 8:26).