GRACE + GLORY - PART 17

IT’S ME

Romans 7:14–25 (NLT)

14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Honestly…is there a more relatable passage in the Bible than this one? If we’re being honest with ourselves, I think we can all admit that we’ve felt this way at some point, whether it was before we accepted Jesus or after.

Paul says it several ways here.

“The trouble is with me.”

“I don’t really understand myself.”

“I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.”

“I do what I hate.”

“I want to do what is right, but I can’t.”

“I want to do what is good, but I don’t.”

“I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”

It’s brutal, but so relatable. We started a train of thought last week that we’re going to continue tonight and into the next few weeks, and it really addresses the inner turmoil that we experience when we do stupid stuff.

Living in the Spirit is the only way to defeat living in the flesh, and that’s the gist of what Paul is saying in those statements. “I too often live in the flesh.” How do we overcome that? By living in the Spirit.

“Two natures beat within my breast. The one is foul, the one is blessed. The one I love, the one I hate. The one I feed will dominate.” - Tara Leigh Cobble

The only way to beat the sinful nature that is in us as a result of simply existing as human beings is to feed the more important nature that lives within you, which is the spirit.

Remember the context of this chapter is Paul discussing the law. The law that we cannot keep, but that is spiritual and good and demonstrates to us our need for order and accountability. Knowing that we are in sin and feeling bad about it shows that we agree with what the law says about behavior.

Tonight, I want to address how we overcome the power of sin by living in the spirit through some practical application. What can you do TONIGHT to walk out of here differently, and how do you keep it up tomorrow, the next day, and forever?

The first step is to actively dissociating from your sinful nature. Make a quality decision that the worst choices you’ve ever made were a result of the sinful nature on the inside of you. What Paul says is important. He says that he can’t do what’s right. It’s true. He can’t, and neither can you…at least not on your own. Your flesh is powerless to overcome sin. You have to choose to make the eternal identity the primary one, and starve the other one. Stop identifying with your sin. That means you have to stop talking about it like it’s your pet. “My addiction.” “My pride.” “My fear.” “My lust.” “My anger.” We’re so quick to dissociating from things that embarrass us, but equally as fast to claim ownership of the sins that cripple us, thereby allowing them to define us.

The second step is to change your thought life. Most dumb choices are the results of dumb thoughts that have gone unchecked for too long.

2 Corinthians 10:5–6 (NLT)

5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 6 And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.

Thoughts come. Reject them. Actively replace them. Choose what you’re going to meditate on.

Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

If your life smells bad, change your stinking thinking. You can drive yourself crazy when you are so focused on the outcomes. Focus instead on the source of your stupidity. It’s the thoughts. Your sinful nature produces sinful thoughts, but the Spirit of God on the inside of you is able to empower you to intercept those thoughts before they become full-fledged actions.

Finally, you have to replace what you’re doing with something that’s not about you. You free yourself from the life dominated by sin and death by making Jesus the Lord of your life and His Kingdom your primary affiliation.

Matthew 6:33 (NLT)

33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Declare your freedom from sin every time. You are no longer a slave. Make a daily declaration of independence from the kingdom of darkness and pledge your allegiance to the Kingdom of God. Then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. How do free people act? Make choices to no longer act the same way, to no longer talk the same way, and no longer act like who you used to be. The sinful nature on the inside of you has been defeated by the power of the Spirit of God that raised Christ from the dead. Identity as a citizen of His Kingdom and live in FREEDOM!