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Romans 7:21-25

So, I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.  For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Right here is where many believers lose it. They are baffled by the battle. Their best efforts result in failure. Their best intentions result in yet another fall. They “want to do right,” but “evil lies close at hand.” Discouraged and confused, they settle for a second-rate Christian life and wonder if…well, if they were ever a Christian at all. It seemed so once. But how can you follow Christ and keep failing him? Don’t despair! If you have truly trusted in Christ as your Lord and Savior, here are three truths you need to nail.

1. Acknowledge the Spiritual Battle. There are two forces at work in you. Your “inner being” describes your true identity with Christ. This spiritual force “delight in the law of God” and desires to obey and please God through the power of the Spirit. The other “law” at work is the “flesh” (sinful nature). It desires to please self through the power of self. One describes the flesh as “that indwelling spiritual…force which I rely on in myself for my personal identity, security, and resources apart from God that is evil, sinful, and anti-God, and that produces the fruit of death marked by feelings of frustration, guilt, condemnation, and self-hatred.” That’s a mouthful but a good description of what we are up against; The spirit (my new life in Christ) versus the flesh (my old sinful nature).
2. Understand the On-Going Battle. Many believers understand that they are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. So, they have “salvation” (becoming a believer) nailed down. But they get “sanctification” (growing as a believer) all messed up. Just as we cannot “save” ourselves, we cannot “grow” ourselves. Both salvation and sanctification are the work of the Holy Spirit.
3. Relent. When I live in my own power, I always do the things I don’t want to do and not do the things I should do. This results in “feelings of frustration, guilt, condemnation, and self-hatred.” Left to myself, I will fail every time. The key to spiritual life is surrender. I must always relent to the Spirit for the resources and strength to please God.

Father, help me understand the battle and relent myself to your Spirit’s control. When I fail, and I will, don’t let me wallow in discouragement. By your Spirit, bring repentance, help me up, and put me back on your path. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Today’s Journey Message:

Til Death Do Us Part