The Struggle Is Real - Part B

This is the center have to look outside of himself to the cross to be cleansed by said to be cleansed of sin which is justification. So the believer has to look outside of himself to that same cross our remedies to do and should taking that path leads to a deeper, darker haven where we began today on connect with Skip Heitzig Skip Sunday types of shows you the one place to look to find true freedom from sin and ship.

Now we want to tell you about a resource that will help the kids in your life.

Uncover the true riches of the Bible. The Bible is the most important information you can pass along to the next generation in your family and that can be a challenge right in this book is Bible.

There are 66 separate books, some long some very long. Some very, very short 31,173 verses sound like a big book it is as if I think that the Bible can seem overwhelming during your kids and grandchildren. That's why you want a copy of his resource Skip is called soaring to the Bible gives kids between that overview of the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. In a fun travel engaged all God has requested your copies to the Bible differently resource generous donation of $35 or more to keep this program going strong to you and others to God's word. Call now to give 800-962-1888. You can also give online securely connectwithskip.com/offer Romans chapter 7 is knee-high to starts today step feel like Romans eight, Romans like this power to resist temptation if were freed from the power and the penalty of sin. It seems like Romans eight should be the next step in Romans eight is so full of hope. It's so full of joy.

It's so full of promises just stinks that Romans seven is in between. It's just kinda hard.

It seems so anticlimactic, but unfortunately this is the reality of many Christians lives so first and foremost don't feel like you're alone before we all struggle for audits with consistent some form or fashion. We all struggle with this. The things that you struggle with the issues that you fight someone else in here is also fighting those issues. Someone else is also struggling with those things you're not alone. The way you feel is the reality of human life.

So know that you're not alone. Don't believe the lie that you're alone the description we have here is a person is come face-to-face with God's perfect and holy law, and the knowledge that is true, but upon acknowledging that it's true. It's like a mere they see their reflection. The painful truth of who they are and they look away in horror. He is seeing himself as he really is and he doesn't like the way he looks, I am notorious for spilling red chili and coffee on white shirts, I can issue the fact that sure doesn't have coffee originally on right now is probably pretty incredible but I have this issue spilling coffee on my shirts are getting food stuck in my teeth and often times I don't realize that it's there until I look in the mere and then I look at the mere and I am aghast at the giant stain on my shirt that I've had all day long and all the meetings that I've had and all the people I've talked to. Sometimes I don't even see in the mirror. Sometimes I'll come home and at night about 6 o'clock at night and I like to look at me and say is that your shirt all day what you mean that and I recoil in horror. I don't like what I've seen, I don't like the reality of what I've been shown or felt this way, not about something in your shirt or maybe something in your life and aspect of your life.

You didn't know was there a part of your life, you'd maybe blinded yourself to that when you get exposed to its own point cellulite man.

How long is that been there. How long have I dealt with that. How is that being been an issue. Is there a way how is there any hope. How do I get better. The answer is yes, there is hope see that we struggle we fight with the old nature and will no doubt be an issue until the day that we receive our new bodies. The Scripture does teach. There is a way out of carnality and into a godly life. See although it's impossible to be sinless. It is possible to sin less, but a couple steps have to be taken in order for that to happen. Number one. Look at verse 17 Paul gives us the first solution to come out of this state.

He said, is no longer I who do it, but it is sin that dwells in me know a lot of my look at and say Paul Estes the copout. That's like what kids do resume with my brother. It's not me send it to me.

I promise wasn't my choice & blame sin just seems like a copout, but it's not a copout. Rather, it's a recognition of what were really up against the you can't fight a battle. If you don't know who you're fighting and any good coach of football or basketball or soccer, baseball, good coaches often will spend just as much time studying the enemy's playbook, as they will practicing their own place because when the coach brings his team in the battle, if you will want to make sure he knows exactly what he's up against any good general before he marches his troops into battle will find out what kind of enemy defenses there are.

What kind of artillery. The enemy has because he didn't want Lee's troops to slaughter.

He wants to know what he's up against. We need to know what were up against. If we want to win this war and what were up against is the evil human nature and it has to be dealt with appropriately. Galatians 517 says for the flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.

These are contrary to one another so that you cannot do things that you would Augustine said Lord deliver me from my worst enemy. That wicked man myself.

We need to know were up against. Verse 18 Paul continues this idea. Verse 17 he says is no longer I who do it, but ascended dwells in me and then verse 18. He says in me. Nothing good dwells.

So this idea that if sin dwells in me.

Then in me. Nothing good dwells. See, this is a vital step to our deliverance from carnality and that is a realistic look at who you are. Now this applies to even the most dedicated believers Sherry my sale.

This is a description of a carnal believer, but this really applies to every one of us, even the most dedicated believers. In fact, the more we grow spiritually. The more we learn of him, the more were going to see our own sinfulness. When the prophet Isaiah came to the presence of God.

He said whoa is me.

I am undone. I'm a man of unclean lips David.

After some years of walking with God said, I recognize my rebellion haunts me day and night. Another translation gives us added insight of that phrase that is this. I know how bad I've been.

My sins are staring me down and you never been stared at in public so is scary how uncomfortable is that right my sins are staring me down the struggle Israel. David understood well the same truth echoed by the apostle John in first John 18 when he said if we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. Here in Romans seven, this is Paul. This is the guy who wrote if anyone has reason to boast, and glory in the flesh, I have more right like he's flexing. I got I'm good. I'm a good person because of a herd of weird flexes. I brought the weird flex some people have weird flexes like for instance man.

I can eat 10 pieces the pizza and keep on eating more okay weird flex bro. My truck is so big it's like 5 miles to the gallon. Okay.

Weird flex bro.

I love Justin Bieber so much. I went three days seeming constant okay weird flex bro but Paul does have a weird flex.

He has a righteous flexes like man. If anyone can boast. It's me, and yet here in Romans 70 seen in me nothing good dwells to the point is that were powerless apart from God. We can do nothing all the New Year's resolutions all the promises all the programs all the sheer willpower that you muster up cannot get rid of sin that grant you to be a good center you're still center and is that can be your response to Jesus. When you stand before him one good I'm a good person. I went to church I give to charity. I love my family doesn't matter to try to use that in front of a judge. If you were guilty of a crime so you hit something with your car and killed them then used to before the judge before he sentence you said Judge. Just take one thing into consideration before you sentence me I'm a good person. I go to church.

I get to charity.

I read my Bible. I'm nice to people judge. Is that okay or you're guilty of a crime and being a good person doesn't negate the crime.

This is a vital step in it has to be taken if we want to be delivered from the clutches of carnality we have to accept that in me. Nothing good dwells. Verse 2223 Paul continues on really see the next aspect of the struggle be invited to struggle with the law.

Verse 22. He says ride the light in the law of God according to the inward man but I see another law in my members warning against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my member see some people try to fight this battle with the law. But the law is like fighting with kid gloves. Imagine if I got really mad it wanted you would call John is a you know what you and me. We can have a fight after the service in the parking lot by the volleyball courts were in a fight like were middle schoolers never did that middle school fight in the sacral general guideline you want to fight or flight you like it 065 skin and bones a little bit of fat I can take you go and so we go to fight was set to meet to fight it out if I came to that fight, ready to beat you up with whole cloves. Mike, are you ready for this. These bad boys have gamma power by gamma radiation. You've never been hit even hit by a foam hole glove.

Let me tell you you're in for an awakening and this is an easy fight him to kick the skies but why because I have no hope to win a fight if I'm fighting with kid gloves. I need to get rid of the kids gloves and I need to find power beyond that reality. The law is like kids gloves see the law puts the magnifying glass on our sinful natures and in doing so, it points us to where the real power is necessary if we try to fight the power we try to fight that battle the power of the law were fighting with kid gloves. We can't win were going to lose. There's no victory to be found in the law is not to we shed the kids gloves shed the law and accept the Savior except Jesus that we find real power to fight our battles so often the struggle with consistency in fulfilling our commitments because we focus on following the law, but because of the law. We are made constantly aware of our shameful condition, even to the point of feeling like we need to leave the faith altogether as a man a lot so hard to keep. If I can't win my shaven play. I want to risk being called a hypocrite being called a hypocrite instead of losing. I just won't play on the sleeve.

The fate that seems easier to me. But when we understand grace. It allows us to harness the true power through Jesus Christ and go through the process of becoming more Christlike and it is a process every one of you every one of us. I am in process. I am in process and I find my power, not to the law through Jesus.

We only become hypocrites when we stop being willing to admit that we continuously fight the struggles yes our struggle Israel but we will not let the struggle we fight with sin disqualify us from the solution we find in the victorious life that Jesus Christ died for you to have that were these us to our third pointer final point, the solution we find.

Look at verse 24. Paul cries out really in desperation.

O wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death. This is the cry of a man who is sick and tired of being sick and tired. If the cry of a man who so tired of this recurring condition of sin in his life and he wants help the word wretched is defined as miserable afflicted wretched through the weight and burden get this of slavery. That should recall to you in earlier verse we just read verse 14 where he says I am sold under sin. These were the words of the slave market.

Paul is saying I am a slave to sin, and I could not bear the weight and the bird in the miserable state of slavery any longer. I need someone to save me. I need someone to rescue me, but you can only save a drowning man who stopped trying to save himself a lifeguard knows this to be jump in the water try to save someone is try to save himself there flailing around trying to swim. They could hit you in the head knock you down to two have to wait until they stop trying to save himself. They simply put their hand out and say help please somebody I can do it. I've come to the end of myself. I need help I need rescue. This is the point. This is the only point where God's help is given, and this is what we need to learn if we think we have something in ourselves that can work out our problems if we think that our wills are strong enough if we think that our desires are motivated enough that we can control evil in our lives by sheer determination than we have yet to come to ourselves. We've yet to come to this place of desperation that Paul found himself verse 24 yes the question again. He says who will deliver me from this body of death. Maybe you're caught in this carnal dilemma you're caught this place of sin you say Nate, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I'm tired of being a slave to my own desires. My own passions.

I'm tired of dealing with this one thing over and over again. I'm tired of feeling guilt and shame. I'm tired of silica not good enough and are not strong enough. I'm tired of fighting this battle who can help me know program can help you know experience can help you.

No person can help you in exorcism can't help you inner healing can help you. A psychiatric encounter can't help you. A psychic encounter can help you not even Bible study fasting and prayer can help Tara developing has 43 million Instagram followers and incredibly successful moving career movie career in the even more successful modeling career. This what she said we are told that if were beautiful.

If were skinny for successful if were famous.

If we fit in.

If everyone loves us, then will be happy but that's not true. Modeling was killing my soul to only look to the world the things the world says will heal our soul.

We look for that to save us. For that to fix us. It actually does the opposite. He kills our soul, destroys us, hurts us, we can bear up under that waiter that pain were left misplacing who can save me from this body of death because drugs didn't save me alcohol didn't save me sex didn't save me money didn't save me, things didn't save me friendships didn't save me. So who can save me from this body of death. This phrase carries the idea of rescuing someone from danger was used in reference to a soldier going to a wounded comrade on the battlefield and carrying him to safety rescue the term of this body. Many people believe that it's about a tribe that was near the town of Tarsus where Paul grew up, and then describe the sentence for murder. The punishment for murder was they would take the corpse of the person who had been murdered and they would latch it to the offender and they would force the defender. The person who had done this thing done this murder done this act to walk around and live with the corpse of this body, until eventually because of decay disease and rotting the actual murderer would die because the body of death was strapped to him, the body of death was latched to him. He was forced to carry around the remnant of his sin. Paul seem to have this in mind when he spoke of this old nature. This reminiscent of who we work this sin nature. This must be dead… Me alive in Christ. This sin nature is latch to us and it's having the same effect on him. He saying it's killing me is destroying me the disease. The decay the infection from my old life is eating me up. We need help. Our feelings have to be answered by fax. You and I are wounded on the spiritual battlefield of life and we cannot help ourselves come to our aid who will rescue us.

Look at verse 25 I think God through Jesus Christ our Lord. I opened up written in the NIV and I like the NIV's translation. This verse a lot better, says this. Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Just as the sinner has to look outside of himself to the cross to be cleansed by sin to be cleansed of sin which is justification. So the believer has to look outside of himself to that same cross for the power of sanctification. The answer to how are you freed from this state. How do you experience relief. How do you experience joy. How do you get rid of the guilt and the shame how do you get rid of those thoughts.

You just can't do it anymore. How do you get rid of those feelings that you're not good enough.

You're not strong enough. You should just quit Jesus Christ our Lord. He's always the answer in him we find the power to live a sanctified life, not just for cleansing but also for identification see the secret is that once we begin to live that life and find the source of that power. We begin to walk in the power every day we make a number of choices, what to wear, what to eat, what to say where to go when we drive we make the decision of when to stop and when to hit the gas pedal, but we also make choices that have spiritual rewards or consequences. With our lives what to read who to talk to, what to say to people we decided were to forgive her for an harbor bitterness and hold onto it.

Let fester. We decided were to pray for somebody or gossip about.

We decided were and obey what God has told us to do for you to disobey what is told us to do.

But the wonderful thing is that the flesh is automatically overpowered. We begin to walk in the spirit we begin to focus on doing what God is called us to do when we rise into the spirit in our life that God wants us the mediocrity of carnality naturally fades away the pain and the struggle the doubts that we have doubting our salvation, doubting our strength, doubting our weakness will realize we have no strength but Jesus is our strength. We begin to rise in sin begins one less thing if you're here today you're dealing with the pain and the sadness and the guilt feeling like Paul, your site man. I don't understand myself. I don't get it but I'm always angry, always mad. We sat I always seem to be struggling with sin they never can find any freedom and because I can't lie in Reno. I just feel so guilty and shameful and I don't belong here with these people not want understand that everyone else around you is still that same way the people you're unwilling to talk about your sin struggle with sin number two start accepting your forgiveness and your lack of Romans eight wonders were to hear about next week. Says there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ doesn't say no falls, no failures, no infirmities, no inconsistencies, but no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus for those who are in fellowship and communion with him. Thus when the father looks at us in Christ.

He still loves us in spite of our failures in spite of our inconsistencies in spite of our struggles in our broken commitments are empty most when we really enter into this union with Jesus. We find a new power that we didn't previously have the power of the Holy Spirit and is only through the Spirit's power.

The flesh can be overcome. We have to remember that is better to focus on what we've been redeemed to better to get up after you fallen instead of focusing on the ball and we can trust that when God sees us. He sees the finished work of Jesus on the cross and so we will pursue a life of sanctification, not for a place of fear of release of love versus reps update hi six message from the series partnership now you want to grow in your knowledge of God's word want to share about an exciting opportunity you have to do just that. Calvary College is now open for registration. Calvary College is offering select online classes as an opportunity for individuals to take their lives calling to a whole new level with educational emphasis in biblical studies with our unique partnerships with Veritas international University Calvary Chapel University.

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