Romans 8:11 "He Frees Us From the Tyranny of Sin"

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. ~Romans 8:11

When we receive Christ and the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, we are no longer bound to the sinful nature we were born with. Its oppressive power over us can be defeated by the power of the Spirit. Sin’s tyranny will have lost its reign. The bondage we have lived in no longer exists.

The Holy Spirit is the One we allow to put to death the misdeeds of the body. [Romans 8:3]

Thomas a Kempis, a 15^th century Augustinian monk, said that changing our habits toward sin will be at first difficult. “The flesh will cry out, but it will be restrained by the Spirit.” We have the power of the Holy Spirit not only guiding us away from our sinful nature, but helping us to resist the temptations that plague our lives.

Further Thoughts:

1. If the Holy Spirit lives in us, why are we still tempted by sin?
2. What is the relationship between temptation to sin and our decision to sin?
3. How does the Holy Spirit help us when we are tempted?
4. Write about a time the Holy Spirit clearly guided you away from the temptation to sin.

Holy Spirit, continue to help me when I am tempted to resist that which is death to me. You are my Protector. Amen.

Genesis 3:6-8 "Adam and Eve"

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ~Genesis 3:6-8

The first human beings under the gift of free will chose to sin against God’s laws. And at the time, He only had one law to follow – ‘Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’ They were given freedom on every other account. They could have lived amazing lives among all the animals while dining in the most beautiful garden ever to exist. But human selfishness took over. The oldest of desire of having more began with Adam and Eve. They were capable of resisting the enemy’s temptations, but they choose to yield to their base desire – to be like God. And thus, they chose to become their own god. They placed themselves above the Almighty and were banished from the garden. They wanted power, but all their sin brought them was knowing evil and cursing every generation to follow.

Further Thoughts:

1. What were the gifts that God had given Adam and Eve?
2. Why was the one thing out of their reach so enticing?
3. How does the enemy use this same tactic on us today? List specific examples.
4. What are we to do to resist sinful temptations? Support with Scripture.

Father, Adam and Eve chose to disobey. Forgive me for making the same choices. Cleanse me of my sin and Holy Spirit, help me to resist the enemy’s temptations. Amen.

Colossians 2:11-12 "Surgery Complete"

Read Colossians 2:11-12.

"In him you were also circumcised...." NIV

"Circumcision" It's interesting how one word can bring both horror and complete joy. It just all depends on whose power is at work. I was just reading the other day in an autobiography about female circumcision in Somalia. Horrific mutilation and pain. God definitely has nothing to do with that practice. It's pure evil.

But Christ offers the circumcision of our sinful nature. Now there is where the joy comes in. I always imagine that I had a huge black spot on my heart that desires to sin. Christ takes a very precise laser knife and cuts out the spot freeing me forever of the sinful nature that plagues me.

It's interesting to look at sin from a Christian's perspective. I no longer have a desire to sin. But I am still tempted by sin. And I still sometimes fall and succumb to it. (Thank the Lord that forgiveness and grace isn't all used up with our initial repentance.) But the desire to go after sin is gone.

Now, I'm not battling the curse that I was born with as much as the enemy's lurings to get me to turn. But because I am filled with a power that is so much greater than he is, I can resist those temptations. I am not weak in my sin. I am strong in the power of Jesus Christ. I have the shield of faith protecting me from the fiery darts. I am a new creation. The old is dead having been cut out of my living tissue. It no longer has anything to sustain it. But I'm not maimed from the surgery. I am made whole through my Lord and can face any temptation thrown at me. I can live in joy rather than fear. I can live in victory rather than defeat. My God is in control, not the remnants of an ancient curse placed upon me. My choice has been made and my future made sure. I am alive in Christ and His power.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you still live in the defeat of the sinful nature? Why? If you've received Christ, it was taken away. You can face the enemy now because the power of Christ in the fullness of the Deity lives within you. The curse is gone.
2. Face temptations today with power and joy. You are an overcomer through Him.
3. Research the "shield of faith."
   

James 1:13-18 "Two Births"

Read James 1:13-18.

"Every good and perfect gift...." NIV

I am struck with the two "births" contrasted in this passage. First is a birth spawned by the sinful nature. The enemy plays to our sinful nature by tempting us in any area that will drive us farther from the Father. And if we yield to the desires he is tempting us with, we plant a seed in our spirit. We nurture those desires with thoughts, plans, and dreams of acting them out. And if we allow those thoughts to grow within us, we will succumb to the temptation and sin is born. Embracing that sin will only lead to our spiritual death because we have chosen a path separate from Christ.

But we have a Father who loves us and did not leave us to the wiles of the enemy. The father of lies will continually drag us from one temptation to another. But the Father of Mankind is a constant in our life. He never changes; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Almighty does not want to lead us to death, but to eternal life if we will only follow His direction and embrace His love and gift. He does not tempt us to give birth to sin, but He gives us birth through the word of truth -- His Son Jesus Christ. He have been given a life choice not filled with lies, uncertainty and sin, but one full of hope, direction, and truth.

We have been given a heritage through the scattered Christians of James day -- one of perseverance and tenacity. They were not swayed by temporal temptations that shift with the wind. They chose what appeared to be a harder path, but one that ends in rewards beyond any human imagination. The scattered tribes were displaced, but only temporarily. They were bound for a unified home -- with the Father -- and nothing would stop them from reaching their goal. Mere inconveniences were just small obstacles compared to the hope of heaven and eternity with Christ.

Each day as we take up our cross to follow Him, we are also choosing which birth to embrace -- one to sin or to life. I choose to accept the birth of life through the Word of Truth.

Further Thoughts:

1. Research "holiness." What does it mean? Why are we called to it? How do we achieve holiness?
2. Compare and contrast the Hebrew children's journey from Egypt to our individual spiritual journey. What "births" do you note in each? How do we break the cycle? Can it be broken?
3. What obstacles or temptations are you facing that would pull you away from following the Almighty? Why are you entertaining those thoughts? What do you need to do to get your direction back on the right path?
4. Why is resisting temptation so difficult? Are there major changes you need to make in your life to avoid those temptations? Make them.

Matthew 26:69-75 "What is Your Resolve?"

Read Matthew 26:69-75.

"I don't know the man!" NIV

Five terrible little words that can change a life for eternity. I know thousands of my brothers and sisters around the world throughout centuries were faced with this dilemma - Do you know Christ? When said in a friendly conversation, it's a wonderful opportunity to share what Jesus means to you. But amidst persecution, your answer could mean death. And for too many, it has.

You really can't cast too much animosity toward Peter for denying Christ. How many of us would have done the same thing? Even though Jesus had warned His disciples that this would happen, when faced with reality, the human resolve can be very weak. Peter had been traveling for three years as a close confidante of Jesus. He had watched a gentle carpenter's son reach out to people all over the region to offer healing from their sicknesses and demons. He heard the parables Jesus told the people and the great wisdom He layed before them. So if these religious leaders would want to kill this gentle giant of a man, then what would happen to a simple fisherman that had followed Him? Peter probably thought he was a dead man walking and the fight for preservation kicked in big time. Notice how his denial escalated each time he was accused of being with Jesus. He was reaching panic mode.

Fortunately, that is not the end of the story. Peter's resolve later turned from self-preservation to complete surrender. Peter died for his beliefs because He would not deny his Lord again and is one of the great fathers of the Christian church for the leadership He gave after Christ's resurrection.

Not many in America have been faced with death for being a follower of Jesus Christ, but we do face a verbal persecution all the time. The same question, Do you know Jesus? when said in a hostile, hateful way takes on a whole new meaning. How many times have I been sitting in on a conversation that turned to a "those Christians" diatribe. A little part of me wants to run from the conflict. It's not easy being in the minority or having to defend what you believe when you are standing alone. What do we do with Jesus then? Deny or defend? Flee or stand?

When we are confronted with opposition to our beliefs, we don't have to prove anything. We do not have to have twenty Scriptures to rattle off, commentaries to whip out, or extensive debates to prepare. We need to know one thing - what Jesus did for me. I sat in church last week and watched video testimonies of fellow believers given right before they were baptized. Some were children that had the simple faith only a child-like heart can have. Others were older that had faced a lot of life. But all of them had one thing in common -- they'd met Jesus. There is nothing more powerful than hearing how Jesus transformed someone's life. That is why I believe what I believe - because Truth touched me and I was changed forever. That's what I can stand on. That is why when faced with opposition for being a Christian - physical, verbal or emotional - I can stand.

Further Thoughts:

1. Think of a situation where you were tempted to deny Christ. How did you handle it? Why? How would you do it differently next time?
2. Read further about Peter after Christ's resurrection? What was Peter's resolve? How did he reach that? How did he pay for that?
3. What Scriptures can we rely on when faced with opposition to Christ? Search for and memorize them so you are ready to face temptation.

Matthew 4:1-11 "Hungry"

Read Matthew 4:1-11.

"For it is written...." NIV

This passage always makes me feel so understood and empowered. Jesus knows exactly the temptations that the enemy will throw at us, and He has demonstrated for us a way to combat them. We have been given a weapon more powerful than anything the military can come up with -- the Word of God. Really good reason to be memorizing Scripture. The enemy is rampant, and I need to keep my arsenal full. I certainly don't want to be caught empty-handed when I face my opponent.

It's very interesting to note the areas that Satan tempts Jesus, 1) hunger for food, 2) hunger to be invincible, and 3) hunger for power and wealth. Aren't these the same temptations that people face all the time? Let's look at them individually.

Hunger for Food: This could mean anything that encompasses our area of needs. We need food, air, shelter, warmth, clothing, jobs.... And often we are tempted to either worry about them or scrape and claw our way to get them. But the Father has already promised to supply all our needs if we will trust Him and do as He has told us to do. We must still work; He commands that as well. He's not going to just hand everything over freely. But we must resist the temptation to over-inflate our "need" and confuse them with our "wants."

Hunger to be Invincible: As humans, we are so tempted to live each day as if we had a million of them left. We think we've got everything under control; can meet any challenge and overcome it. We can eat, drink, and be merry because we always have tomorrow. But the reality is we are frail human beings who need a Savior. We have dug a deep pit for ourselves and many don't even realize it. So many are running around the pit thinking they are on top of the world when their circles are futile and their destination unrealized. We must humbly accept that we are fallible and frail, and we need Jesus to rescue us. We cannot make it on our own. He truly is our salvation -- here and in the beyond.

Hunger for Power and Wealth: Boy, has this ever reached such heights in any other time in history on such a grand scale? I started to say this is such an American problem, but it's worldwide. So many are struggling to climb the power ladder and accumulate more and more things. Maybe it's a search for happiness. Maybe it's an attempt to build their self-esteem. Whatever the motivation, we have all at one time or another yielded to this temptation. How many of us would have resisted Satan's offer on that mountaintop? But these offerings are fleeting. Our power is in the Word and counsel of the Holy Spirit and our wealth is in Christ and an eternity with our Father. Jesus did not die on a cross so I could have more stuff. He never even promised that I would never suffer. In fact, just the opposite. He said that we would suffer for our faith and face many trials. But I don't need power and wealth when I can have hope and joy. That is what lasts forever.

Thank You, my Lord, that You showed us how to combat the enemy, and You understand our struggles. Thank You, that I do not serve a distant god who doesn't care, but One that empathizes and provides a way out of the temptations. I am not left alone; the King has got my back.

Further Thoughts:

1. Notice that the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan. The Father also allowed Job to be tempted. Read his story and how he handled the temptation coming from all around him. Job 1-42. Especially note: When hungers become greater than fear of the Lord, read chapters 38-40 and be reminded that we serve the Almighty Creator of the Universe and be humbled.
2. What should we be hungry for? Read Matthew 6:33, 5:6. Find other verses that tell us what to "hunger" for.
3. How invincible are we? Read Psalm 39:4-11, Psalm 89:47-48. Find more verses.
4. Where does our strength come from? Support with Scripture.
5. What temptation is the enemy throwing at you right now? Hit him with Scripture and believe and trust that the Lord is your protector and provider.