Control

As we come to the eighth chapter of the book of Romans, (my favorite chapter, in my favorite book, by the way), there’s so much in it, I was having a difficult time with what I should emphasize to you, figuring out what I should tell you.

As I read and listened, and listened and read, and prayed and read, and studied and listened, I saw that it’s important that I tell you we must understand as born again believers, we are not under the law, we are under grace.

But even though we are under grace, it does not mean we have a license to sin, there is still a sign that reads, SIN, DO NOT TOUCH.

It means, for the truly born again, set apart, believer, we no longer have to worry about the consequence of sin, which is death. We don’t have to worry about it, because we have been set free from the law of sin and death.

But

• as you live your life,

• as you go about your daily activities,

• as you interact with other people,

o driving your car,

o in the store,

o with your spouse,

o with your children,

o with other family members

The question must be answered, “What is it that controls you?” Dare I say, who is it that controls you? Is it your sinful nature or is it the Spirit of God who lives in you? In verse three Paul tells us because our sinful nature was weak, God did what the law could not do. God sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his son as a sacrifice for our sins.

Sin = death

The Spirit of God = life

It’s a really simple equation, or so one would think. One would think that everyone desires to live. And while we hope so, we know that’s not necessarily true. Unfortunately, another well-known person, who appeared to be successful, who appeared to be happily married, who appeared to have it all together, who was said to light up the room when he came in, was secretly battling something we may never know about because he took his own life. We pray for his wife and children, who have lost a husband and a father.

We have to recognize that things are not always as they would seem. People are not always feeling on the inside, what they show you on the outside. People are not always, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say, people are not usually living the life privately you see publicly on social media.

When the Spirit of God is not in control in our lives, it means that our sinful nature is. And when our sinful nature is in control, there is so much we have to wrestle with, deal with, contend with. And we’re trying to do it alone, we’re trying to fix it on our own, we’re trying to correct it ourselves.

What is controlling you? What were you thinking when you did that? Whatever that is. What are you thinking now? That’s what determines who’s in control.

Are your thoughts sinful? Are you thinking about things that deal with

• envy

• strife

• malice

• gossip

• hate

• jealousy

• covetousness

• getting your own way, do you have an “it’s my way or the highway” spirit

Then it’s your sinful nature that’s in control and that leads to death.

Or, are you thinking about things that please the Spirit, which lead to life and peace.

What’s going on in your life right now? Is there

• chaos,

• and trouble at every turn,

• and yelling,

• and fighting,

• and turmoil

• and disobedience?

The thing you must understand is this,

• the sinful nature of man, will always, always, always, did I say always, be at odds with God.

• The sinful nature of man will always be hostile toward God.

• The sinful nature of man will never, ever obey God’s laws and

• the sinful nature of man will never please God.

In a world of uncertainty, in a world of inconsistency, these things are absolute.

But here’s the good news, when you

• are controlled by the Spirit of God

• when you have the Spirit of Christ living in you

You have life, even though your body will experience death. Now, I know there are some saying, now preacher how can I have life and die at the same time. Well because, this right here, this body we live in today, is temporary. It’s what I call the practice one.

It’s like this. When I was in the military — Go Air Force — my job was dental and there were times we treated children. We would explain to their parents and them if they were old enough to understand. Your baby teeth are like practice for taking care of your adult teeth.

Even though the roots of your baby teeth will dissolve and they will eventually all fall out, it’s still important to take care of them. They are important because they are the place holder for the adult teeth.

At the appointed time the adult teeth will erupt through the gums in the correct place, because the baby teeth stayed in their place.

This body aka, this temple; it’s important to take care of it,

• to keep it clean,

• to make sure it prays

• to make sure it fast

• to make sure it exercises

• to make sure it meditates

• to make sure it reads the Scriptures daily

It’s important to make sure you keep it in good condition because it’s the place holder for your soul to erupt in the correct place.

When the Spirit of God lives in you, even though this body will die, you have another body not made by hands that will live forever, that will never get tired, that will never be sore, that will never get sick, that will never need medication, that will praise God continuously. So start practicing now with this body.

See, when you are a child of God, you are controlled by the Spirit, you are no longer controlled by the sinful man, and as a result you will be raised with Christ after this body is through.

I thought about telling you that, but then as read and listened, and listened and read, and prayed and read, and studied and listened, I saw that it’s important I tell you we must understand that when sin entered the Earth, it didn’t just affect mankind, it affected all of creation and all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth to get to the future glory God will reveal to us later.

You see it wasn’t just Adam and Eve that was cursed. In Gen 3:17 And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat,[here it is] the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. 18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. 19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made.”

The weeds didn’t come until sin entered the Earth.

Verse 21 says, And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife. God didn’t just make up some animal skins, there were now animals who died to clothe Adam and Eve.

So you see, sin didn’t just affect mankind and mankind is not the only one waiting for the return of Christ.

John said in Rev. 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. We’re not the only ones waiting on the promise.

Don’t be confused, we’re not hoping for it. We’re not sitting around saying, well Lord I hope I get to heaven. I’m going to do all this and I hope when Jesus comes back, wait a minute, if he’s even coming back. They said he was, but is he really? Well just in case…

No, we have blessed assurance, that without a doubt, Jesus is coming back and we’re waiting for his return, because when we gave our lives to Christ, we received a promise and we believe that promise. We know that we will experience the resurrection power of God, and at the end of this life, we will enter into our eternal life. So we’re not hoping and praying for it, we already have it and we’re waiting patiently and confidently for it.

We’re human, we live in these fleshly bodies, and we see and experience things, so we will get weak sometimes, but praise God in those times we have the Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness. Did you catch that?

The Holy Spirit helps us IN our weakness. Just because you are a disciple of Christ,

• it doesn’t mean that you will never be weak,

• it doesn’t mean that you will never fall

• it doesn’t mean that you will never fail

• it doesn’t mean that you will always do the right thing

• it doesn’t mean that you will always have the right words to say

• or that you will always know exactly what to pray

I came to tell you this morning that it’s in those times when the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

So when you find yourself alone, feeling like no one understands what you’re going through, because you don’t even understand yourself, you can’t put it into words, when you’re laying prostrate on the floor, crying out to God for help, it’s at that moment when the Holy Spirit begins to pray on your behalf. You are not alone; you have all the help you need.

• At just the right time the Holy Spirit stepped in.

• At just the right time He began to pray.

• At just the right time He petitioned God on your behalf.

• At just the right time He delivered you.

• At just the right time…

You thought he was late, but it was at just the right time.

You thought you weren’t going to make it, but at just the right time.

You thought God should have showed up months ago, but it was at just the right time. Because you see,

• if he had shown up sooner, you would have taken credit for your deliverance.

• if he had shown up sooner, those people who were trying to help you would’ve taken credit for your deliverance.

• if he had shown up sooner, you would’ve said it was luck that gave you your deliverance

• if he had shown up sooner, you would’ve said it was the government assistance program that delivered you

At just the right time, the Holy Spirit shows up and prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words and then the miracle happens. Because then, the Father who knows all hearts; not what’s on your mind, but what’s in your heart, He knows what the Spirit is saying, because what the Holy Spirit prays for—for us—is always in harmony with God’s own will and this leads to my favorite verse, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

All things, not some, not just the ones you think about, not just the ones mama and daddy want you to have, not just the ones left after you give your children all you know to give—ALL THINGS.

So whatever happens in life it’s for the good of the believer. But what about when what’s good for someone else isn’t good for you? What about when you pray for someone to be healed and they die?

God said it was for their good. When we love someone, we can get selfish sometimes. We don’t know the pain they’re enduring because they don’t want to disappoint us, but God in His infinite wisdom knows what’s best for them and He works all things for their good too.

What about when what’s good for them, isn’t good for you…you have to think about their good and not your own. I know it’s hard sometimes, but it’s not about you

• when they love God too

• when God foreknew them too

• when God predestined them to be conformed to image of his Son too

• when he called them too

• when he justified them too

• when he glorified them too.

You see, we are all God’s children, it’s not a group program, where you sign up and you all get the same package. We each get our own individualized package, that’s made just for us. Even husbands and wives who become one, have their own individual package when it comes to the Holy Spirit and what’s for your good.

So, I thought about telling you that. But then as I read and listened, and listened and read, and prayed and read, and studied and listened, I said you have to know about God’s love.

I couldn’t let you leave today without telling you that if God be for us, who can be against us? God didn’t spare his own Son, but he gave him up for all of us and if he will give us that, won’t he give us everything else?

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. All “these things” were food and clothing and shelter, things that are always on our minds.

If God be for us who will bring any charge against his elect? It is God who justifies and since it is God who justifies, who is to condemn?

I couldn’t go today and not tell you that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins, who was resurrected, ascended back to heaven, and now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf.

The Holy Spirit steps in and prays when we don’t know what to pray, when we reach the end of ourselves. And Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. If no one else prays for you, you don’t have to worry, because prayers are being prayed on your behalf and who better than the Holy Spirit and Jesus. Come on somebody.

I couldn’t go today and not tell you that when you feel all alone, when you haven’t a friend in the world, late in the midnight hour when you have no one to call, when your pastor’s phone is set on do not disturb, when you have no phone privileges, when your phone battery is dead, or your phone is lost all together, when you feel separated from everything and everyone that once made you feel secure… I couldn’t leave here today until I told you this, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall hardship or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For your sake [Lord] we are being killed all day long;”

How is that you may ask. When they attack your character, when they lie about you, when they say all manner of evil about you because you live for Christ…you are being killed all day long.

…we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

I couldn’t leave here today before I told you, “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

I couldn’t leave here today before I you, “For I am persuaded, I am convinced, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I couldn’t leave here today before I told you there is no place you can run, there is no place you can hide, there is nothing you can do, there is nothing you can say that can separate you from God’s love. Christ died to make sure of that.

Christ died to give you a gift, he died so you would have the opportunity experience eternal life in heaven. When this life is over there is another waiting for you, the question is where will you live it?

Will you live in the holy city, Jerusalem, that shines with the glory of God and sparkles like a precious stone—like jasper clear as crystal? A city that has walls made of jasper, that’s pure gold, as clear as glass, built on a foundation of stones inlaid with jasper and sapphire and emeralds and onyx, and carnelian and chrysolite and beryl and topaz and chrysoprase and jacinth and amethyst.

A city with gates made of pearls and streets of gold. A city that needs no sun or moon because the glory of God illuminates it, because the Lamb of God is its light and there is no night.

A city where nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

That’s one place, the other is a place where, the angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Those who refuse Christ’s gift and live a life controlled by their sinful nature are choosing to live their eternal life in the Lake of fire.

I preach, we preach so that souls might be saved. We tell you about the sacrifice Jesus made so you can make an informed decision about your eternity.

This life is but a vapor, when you consider forever.

What will you do with your forever?

To spend your eternity with Jesus, all it takes is a prayer. It doesn’t have to be long; it could be as simple as Lord I’m a sinner and I don’t want to be anymore. Please forgive me and come into my heart, in Jesus’s name I pray, amen.

You’ve been given a gift; will you accept it? I just stopped by to let you know this morning when you accept Christ into your heart, you are no longer controlled by the sinful nature, you are now controlled by the Holy Spirit. I came by to tell you about the future glory you have and about the love of God.

And now it’s time for you to move, it’s time for you to carry out the assignment God has given you. What gift do you have that God has given you for the edification of the saints? It’s time to decide who will control your life? Will it be your sinful man, or will it be the Spirit?