Struggling with Sin Not everyone wants to admit they are struggling with sin – yet, we all do. We think it’s embarrassing, and will bring ourselves down in the eyes of others. We want to do right, our hearts are toward God, but the sin in us overwhelms us at times. Sometimes, we are so secure in our salvation we even sin a little deeper. The Apostle Paul wrote about his own wrestling with the flesh in Romans: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would [do] I do not: but the evil which I would not [do], that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my embers, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:18-24 We all struggle with rebellion of the flesh in the same way Paul did – the same way I do. It is in those moments of rebellion that we struggle to control our flesh. It is a battle we are doomed to lose if we would choose to fight it. Instead, we have to allow the Lord to flow through us and let Him conquer the flesh for us. It’s our battle to lose, or His to win. So often we walk around and try to do the work of the Holy Spirit for Him. We rise up to fight the storm because we’ve been sailors our whole lives and truly know what we’re doing. Meanwhile, the Lord is asleep in the back of the boat – just waiting to be engaged. During those moments of rebellion, actively engage the Lord. Don’t try to weather the storm of the flesh. The spirit of rebellion is not of God. So, during those times that I am visited by rebellion, I pray as Michael the Archangel prayed, “The Lord rebuke thee…” and then I pray to the Lord, releasing His power to fight and conquer the flesh for me. It’s not about trying to be more Christ-like. It’s primarily about allowing Christ to be Himself through us on a moment by moment basis. And, as a secondary result, we become more Christ-like. Don’t be embarrassed because you wrestle with sin. Wrestling with sin doesn’t make you unsaved – it makes you undeniably human. This is one storm you’re certainly not alone in… Please Like and Share this message! You can make a difference!
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 23:33:13 +0000