For Freedom Christ Set You Free
Romans 6:1-14 Dead to Sin, Alive to God
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
I wish I could tell you that once you accept Christ into your heart that you will no longer struggle with sin. My heart actually breaks because I know all too well what it is to want to live wholeheartedly for Christ but keep falling back into the same sin that you thought you had overcome. And then you begin to wonder, am I really saved? Have I really accepted the Lord into my life? You begin to doubt that you are truly a christian and then you become frustrated with yourself, ultimately leading you to get frustrated with God because, “why am I this way?” That's the question that begins to reign in your mind. You have these really high moments with the Lord and you promise yourself you will never commit this sin again and then in one moment not giving it a second thought you fall into sins trap and here you are feeling like you are at square one again. The cycle repeats itself and you see no end.
Yes, I know this all too well and although I wish I could tell you that the struggling is over I simply cannot. The truth is we are at war internally. Our flesh and spirit are in a battle daily. Galatians 5:17 states it clearly, saying “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to.” Even more Paul says in Romans 7:18-19 “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” So what on earth are we supposed to do if our very nature is at war with the nature of Christ? How are we ever expected to live out a holy life? Did God set us up for failure? Is God expecting too much from us here? No, He didn’t set us up for failure and He isn't expecting too much from us, matter of fact He knows exactly what we are struggling with, He knows the exact sin that keeps on tripping us up. So what did God do? He gave us a helper Holy Spirit to do just that, help us. Christ defeated sin and death, He modeled the life that we are to live but we could never do it in our own strength, so why do we even try? We can lean on Holy Spirit to help us overcome the things that so easily ensnares us. But you do play a role in this. No we are not doing it alone but we have to take some responsibility as well. If you know that you are struggling in a certain area, don’t feed it. Kill it before it kills you. If pornography is something that you run to, don't even allow things that seem so simple to enter into your ear or eye gate. I’m speaking of things as simple as a movie with people kissing or music that promotes sex. Books that are dirty. Trust me I know because that was me. No I wasn't watching porn but I was engaging in things that gave me just enough that eventually led me to watching porn.
Remember what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for you. Consider Him in all things, Think about how to please Him and not your flesh. Make no provisions for your flesh!(Romans 13:14) I know it is easier said than done but you have to read your word and have scriptures ready for when the thoughts of temptation arise. Maybe it's not lust that you are struggling with, maybe it's gossiping or anger or even gluttony but sin is sin. But we are not without hope, we have the word of God as our sword and not only that we have Christ constantly praying for us. Christ did not come into this world, live without sin to become sin so He could stand in our place, get beaten, spit on, and mocked. Having nails placed in His hands and feet, dying on the cross being put in a grave and then being resurrected on the third day just for us to constantly live in bondage to sin. For freedom Christ set you free! You are free! Satan would love to lie to you and make you feel that just because you fall it’s over for you but I challenge you not to stay down but get back up. Get serious about being in your word and write out scripture to help you. Put it on your walls, on your mirrors, on your phone and keep it in front of you. If you get in a situation where you feel like you are about to fall, call out to Holy Spirit, call out for help. The Lord hears you! And don’t try to figure it out once you feel temptation rising, have the word in place before. If you know you deal with lust, start finding scriptures that deal with overcoming temptation and ask Holy Spirit to help you be steadfast in your faith in Him and the finished work of Christ. Here is an example, 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” My prayer would be “Thank you Lord that no temptation has overtaken me that is not common to mankind, but because of Your faithfulness and supreme rule, You won't let me be tempted beyond my ability but You have provided me a way of escape.” Your way of escape is considering Christ and His blood that He shed for you that declares you free. Another example, Matthew 26:41” Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” My prayer would be “ Father, I know that my flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing so I come before you asking Holy Spirit that you would help me to remain watchful and alert that I would not fall into temptation.” Don’t view the fact that you are struggling as something to be ashamed about but consider it joy because it will be the very thing that keeps you humble and at the feet of Jesus Christ. I know that all it takes is a moment of not taking my thoughts captive to give into sin and knowing that keeps me returning to Christ because I need Him just as much today as I needed Him yesterday.
Stop viewing yourself as in bondage but declare daily that you are free!
Romans 6:17-18 “But thanks be to God, that you were once slaves to sin, have become obedient from the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”
John 6:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”
Galatians 5:1 “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Corinthians 3:17 “ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
CHRIST DWELLS IN YOU! CONSIDER YOURSELF FREE!