Romans__7
Scripture
Romans 7:16-25-
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Paul is talking about the battle between his flesh and his Spirit. They wage war against each other.
Understanding-What does it mean?
Jesus is our Rescuer and the One who gives us hope to overcome our fleshly desires.
Jesus lived the verse, “The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41).” His obedience on the cross despite His own inward struggles as a man, is why we are able to conquer and defeat sin and death as well!
When tempted to sin, RUN (don’t walk), to the One who rescues us from it-Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
At one of our ministry leader’s meetings, Pastor basically broke down the above verse and said that we can’t blame the devil for acts that we do because it was our own evil desire that enticed us. The devil tempts, but he can’t make us do anything. Our own evil desires are what entice us away. So how do we defeat these evil desires?
Here are the 5 things that help me because yes, I am human and get tempted also. No one is exempt. Not even Jesus was.
- Run to Jesus and confess it. Don’t continue to meditate on it and don’t run away from Jesus due to shame. He understands temptation because He was tempted the same way we are. Confess to the Lord that you need His help. The Holy Spirit always comes through.
- Run to God’s Word. Encourage yourself away from the temptation through His truths. God’s Word is our offensive weapon against the evil one’s attacks. We must wash our minds clean daily with the Truth in His Word. Jesus always used God’s Word in the correct context when tempted by the devil and the devil left him.
- Put up safeguards to guard your heart and mind. Don’t go closer to the temptation. Run away from it just like Joseph in Genesis 39:12. He RAN away naked leaving his cloak behind when his master’s wife kept tempting him to sleep with her and she started becoming aggressive with it. Joseph’s integrity and pleasing his master (both earthly and in Heaven) was more important than sleeping with that woman.
- Remember the consequences of the sin, not the pleasure of it. We usually know the harsh consequences if it was a sin committed in the past or if it was a learned consequence from someone else’s sin.
- Confess your struggle to another Spirit filled person to pray for you and even consider going to a Christian counselor if needed. The more we shine light on the darkness, the less likely darkness will overtake and overcome us.
We are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness (Romans 6)! We are God’s chosen and we are holy and dearly loved. (Col. 3:12).
Let’s live in that truth!
-Michelle Gaddi