Notes: How to Overcome the Power of Sin
Greg Laurie
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Series: Relentless Grace: Paul's Letter to the Romans
Romans 7
Music: Harvest Worship Band
https://www.harvest.org/watch-and-listen/webcast/watch/how-to-overcome-the-power-of-sin
2 Corinthians 7:1-16 NKJV
[1] Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. [2] Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. [3] I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. [4] Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. [5] For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. [6] Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, [7] and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. [8] For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. [9] Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. [10] For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. [11] For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. [12] Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you. [13] Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. [14] For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. [15] And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. [16] Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
1. If you want to win the battle of sin, you must admit your faults.
Conversion has made our hearts a battlefield.
After you have you have been a Christian for a while and you still do things you shouldn’t, it’s called carnality.
2. To be carnal is to be in an arrested state of spiritual development.
1 Corinthians 3:1-2 NKJV
[1] And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. [2] I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;
Hebrews 5:12 NKJV
[12] For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
A carnal Christian is one who has never grown up.
3. You don’t have to be carnal if you don’t want to be.
Romans 7:8 NKJV
[8] But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
2 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV
[1] Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1 John 2:15-16 NKJV
[15] Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world.
All sins fall into these categories:
Flesh
Eyes
Pride
Genesis 3:6 NKJV
[6] So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
4. Realize the problem is you, not your circumstances
Romans 7:14 NKJV
[14] For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
“I have more trouble with myself than any other man!” - DL Moody
Jesus did not eliminate but, rather, elaborated the commands in the sermon on the mount.
The commandments show me I need God.
Romans 3:19 NKJV
[19] Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
The old nature knows no law, the new nature needs no law.
5. Our only hope, in the struggle with sin, is Jesus!
6. We need to cry out to God for help.
Romans 7:24 NKJV
[24] O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Admit we are under its power.
Romans 6:6 NKJV
[6] knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
We can live in the victory Jesus has purchased for you.
Call your sin what it is and attack it!
Whom the son sets free is free indeed.
Romans 8:1 NKJV
[1] There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Chapter 8 starts with “no condemnation” and ends with “no separation.”
How are we to live a life from the power and control of sin?
Zechariah 4:6 NKJV
[6] So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts.
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