Getting Victory over Sin (Romans 6:1-14)

The Christian life will have its share of temptations. That’s because when a person trusts Christ as Lord and Savior, his or her spirit is regenerated but not the flesh. The flesh is constantly at war with the spirit so that the spirit wants to please God, but the flesh wants to please self.

In Romans 6-8, Paul gives us a few directives about how to overcome sin and temptation.

00:00 - Getting Victory over Sin
16:44 - 1) KNOW and rely on the fact that on the day you trusted Christ as Savior, your old SELF died (was rendered powerless) when Christ died.
22:14 - 2) CONCLUDE that you are indeed dead to sin, but alive in Christ.
29:06 - 3) DO NOT let sin DOMINATE, but instead DEDICATE yourself, and every part of your body, completely to God.

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The struggle between our regenerated spirit and unregenerated flesh is an ongoing battle for every Christian. Drawing inspiration from 19th-century evangelist D.L. Moody, we reflect on how conversion is just the beginning of our spiritual warfare. 

By examining scriptures like 1 Peter 2:11 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, we gain insights into the spiritual tools necessary for victory. Paul's writings help us transition from understanding our positional righteousness in Christ to practically living out our faith. Through the symbolism of Christ's death and our unity with Him, we uncover how to navigate this internal conflict.

Notes:  https://assets01.cornerstonechapel.net/documents/studyguides/20240310.pdf

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Chapters

• 0:00 Understanding Grace and Victory Over Sin
• 4:15 The Battle for Victory Over Sin
• 12:15 Crucifixion of the Old Self
• 23:44 Choosing to Live in Christ
• 35:57 Prayer for Strength and Grace

Transcript

Pastor Gary: 0:00

Romans, chapter 6 is where we're going to be today. If you have your Bibles there now, I'm going to read the first 14 verses from Romans, chapter 6, starting at verse 1. Paul writes what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin? That grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ, jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death, that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life, for if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection, 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, for he who has died has been freed from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him, for the death that he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life that he lives, he lives to God. Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead, indeed to sin, but alive to God, in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts, and do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead. Dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God, for sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. All right, your attention for a moment.

Pastor Gary: 1:57

Paul ends chapter 5, if you were here last week with the statement that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. And what he said there in chapter 5 was that, no matter what the level of our sin or the depth of it, that God's grace is greater still and he can forgive any of our sins. But he anticipates Paul anticipates that this might lead to a question or a thought that well then, paul, since you say that where I sin, grace abounds even more, I might as well go on sinning, seeing as how there's plenty of grace, and even more, to cover my sins. That's why he opens chapter six here by saying what then Shall we sin so that grace can increase? By no means, certainly not. So he doesn't want people to abuse grace. He wants us to understand grace in its proper sense and definition and not to take advantage of grace and just keep on sinning because, well, there's plenty of grace to go around. And so here in chapter 6, he shifts gears and he says because I don't want it to come across that you should just go ahead and sin because there's plenty of grace I want you to understand how to fight the sin battle. I want you to understand how to get victory over sin. And that's where we're heading now, today into chapter 6, and in the following weeks into chapter 7 and 8.

Pastor Gary: 3:24

But let's for the moment pray and then we'll dive into this passage together. Father God, thank you for this time we can share together in your house. We pray, god, you would use this passage to speak to our hearts. Thank you, lord, that you have given us your word, and I thank you, lord, for every person here and those watching online and those who will later watch this Bible study. We just pray that you would help us to understand how to fight this battle, that the flesh is weak. The spirit is willing and we need to understand, lord, how we can fight the battle that rages within, and so we need your help today. Use your word to encourage and challenge us. We ask these things in Jesus' name and everybody said amen.

Pastor Gary: 4:15

Well, there was a man who prayed this Lord. So far today, I've done all right. I haven't complained, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't lusted, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty or selfish. I'm very thankful for that. And now I pray, lord, that you'll help me as I get out of bed. You ever felt like that, like, for a Christian, the best time of your day is before you get out of bed. And then, once you get out of bed, it's like every temptation, everything that can go wrong. You're fighting a battle.

Pastor Gary: 4:50

Dl Moody, the great evangelist of the 1800s. He wrote this quote when I was converted. I made this mistake. I thought the battle was already mine, the victory already won, the crown already in my grasp. I thought the old things had passed away, that all things had become new and that my old, corrupt nature, the old life was gone. But I found out after serving Christ for a few months that conversion was only like enlisting in the army, that there was a battle at hand, end quote. And Moody was right there is a battle at hand.

Pastor Gary: 5:31

Peter writes about it this way in 1 Peter, 2.11. He says Paul would also use similar language in 2 Corinthians, 10, 3, and 4. He says for though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they're not natural, they're not physical, but they are spiritual for the pulling down of strongholds. So in the Bible it helps us to understand that living the Christian life will be a battle. When you get saved, that is to say when you put your faith and trust in Jesus, your spirit is regenerated, but your flesh is not. One day, when our spirit leaves our body of flesh, that is when we die and our spirit leaves and our body returns to dust. And then in Christ we get a glorified body later. But only then, when the spirit leaves the body, will we be free from the fleshly desires. So what happens is when one gets saved, comes into a relationship with Jesus, your spirit is regenerated, your body is not. And thus you have a conflict you desire to do things to please the Lord, but your body wants to do things to please yourself. And here you are, half regenerated your spirit wants to God, your flesh wants to please yourself. And therein is the battle. And Paul is basically going to describe this here between chapters 6, 7, and 8. And because we are in a battle, we need to understand this as Christians. The question becomes why is it so hard? Why is it that temptation is so real and the battle is so difficult? How can we get victory over sin? And Paul's going to talk about this here, starting in chapter 6. Understand this. He makes a pivot here in chapter 6.

Pastor Gary: 7:35

First five chapters of the book of Romans. Paul writes about our position in Christ. First five chapters are positional who we are in Christ. Chapters 6, 7, and 8 are practical how we are to live out our lives for Christ. First five chapters positional. Chapters 6, 7, and 8 are practical.

Pastor Gary: 8:00

Paul in the first five chapters when he talks about our position in Christ, he uses the word justified or justification, 14 times in the first five chapters. It's a legal term We've defined it before that we have been formally acquitted by God whereby he pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of the sinner's faith in Christ. So we stand guilty before God. We're all guilty, but because of our faith and trust in Christ, god acquits us and sees us as righteous through his son, jesus Christ. And that's an easy way to remember, justified, because as far as God is concerned, when he sees us in the righteousness of his son, it's just as if I'd never sinned, and he sees us in that kind of a righteous way. But he understands and knows that we still have this internal struggle. Our spirit wants to please God, our flesh wants to please ourselves. And so Paul in the first five chapters establishes this fact of who we are in Christ. And then he said then he turns here in chapter 6, 7, and 8, he says now we've got to learn how to live our lives for Christ. In the first five chapters Paul's argument is we are dead in sin, we're all dead in sin, all have sinned. Chapter 6, 7, and 8, he says we are dead to sin. We have to make a decision that we're not going to walk in the ways of the old self.

Pastor Gary: 9:36

Now, in the passage that I opened up with you, and read chapter 6, first 14 verses chapter 6, first 14 verses, paul uses the words died, dead or death 15 times in the first 14 verses. You might have noticed it as I was reading through it. He talks a lot here about death and dying and died. And he's talking here he repeats the word often because he's talking both about Christ and how Christ died on a cross, rose again, and he makes this connection between the death of Christ and what Paul says here in chapter 6. It's very profound and it is somewhat hard to grasp, but he tells us that a miraculous thing occurred when Christ died on the cross. A miraculous thing for all who trust in Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Pastor Gary: 10:29

And what Paul says here is when Christ died, we died too. You say, wait, what that was? 2,000 years ago, when Christ died, we died too. Can't make sense of that. What he means here is the power of our sin. Nature died when Christ died. It is a profound mystery. It is a miraculous thing. But grasp this when Christ died on the cross 2,000 years ago, what he did in the past takes effect in the present whenever anyone trusts him as Lord and Savior.

Pastor Gary: 11:05

And thus, when Jesus died on a cross 2,000 years ago, on a day you decide to trust Christ as your Savior, what Paul says here is you're a person that was previously just sinning against God and disobeying God and living for yourself. That person got crucified with Christ and that person's dead and we need to understand this in order to have victory over sin. Because he says here in chapter 6, look at it, I'll just read it to you in black and white here, chapter 6, verses 5 and 6. He says in verse 5, for if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. Verse 6, knowing this and it could almost be a colon right there 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. Now I'm reading from the New King James Version and there, in verse 6, paul says Our old man was crucified with Christ.

Pastor Gary: 12:15

Now, I know some of you refer to your dad as old man. Okay, you're like. Well, the old man doesn't really know what he's talking about. The old man in this verse is you Okay? Or the old woman is you? In other words, when you come to know Christ as your Savior, there's a new you and the old you, as far as God is concerned, is dead. The old you was crucified with Christ in this miraculous moment of when Christ died on the cross. The old you was crucified.

Pastor Gary: 12:48

You know, before you came to know Christ, you were on the throne of your life. You were your own Lord. You did what you wanted to do, you said what you wanted to say, you went where you wanted to go, you dated who you wanted. To date it was all about you because you was on the throne. And then you get saved and you realize you can't be on the throne anymore. There's only one person who can be king in your life. It's either going to be Jesus or it's going to be you. And when you surrender your life to Jesus, you realize he's Lord of my life.

Pastor Gary: 13:17

Now I got to count that old person dead. The old person that sinned against God, that ran around, that did what everybody wants to do, before you have any conviction about right or wrong, because you're just living however you want to live. And then you come into relationship with Christ and you realize that's some sinful stuff, and so you have to realize the old person's dead. Now, for those of you who are Christians and that's probably the majority of you and you're here today and you're like wait a minute, the old person of me is dead. Why am I still struggling, right? Have you ever thought that, like I'm supposed to be dead? And yet I still struggle with sin every single day? Why is that? Here's why Because every time you willfully disobey God, you're giving CPR to the old man.

Pastor Gary: 14:08

That's what you're doing. You're like, wait, the old man's dead, yeah, but every time you sin against God, it's like you're going. That's what you're doing. You're reviving the old man or the old woman, and that old man and that old woman wants to dominate you. Okay, because therein is the battle. Hey, my spirit's regenerated. I want to please the Lord, yeah, but the old man, the old man's supposed to be dead. You keep giving CPR, and oxygen too, because you like doing what you like to do and it doesn't please God. And Paul says you want to really live for the glory of the Lord. You're going to have to learn how to see that old man, that old woman, dead and stop giving CPR, because you need to be living a new life in Christ. You don't want to be missing out on what God has for you. So don't give power to the old man, don't try to revive the old man. Don't try to resuscitate the old woman. Let them lie dead. Let them be dead.

Pastor Gary: 15:00

Now notice here in verse six. I want to make this clear. In verse six he says, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with. Now, if you have an ESV Bible, it says that your old self might be brought to nothing. It is a single word. In the original Greek language, it's karageo.

Pastor Gary: 15:23

Andatergeo means to render useless or inactive. Why is this important? Because the old you doesn't get annihilated. The old you becomes powerless, rendered useless. Katergeo is the word here. So it means that we have to recognize the old man. The old woman is rendered ineffective, powerless because of what Christ did on the cross. Unless I give power to that old man, unless I revive that old woman, the old self, I need to see the old self as dead.

Pastor Gary: 16:02

And so Paul wants us to learn that, in order to have victory over sin, in the sin battle that we all have every single day, we must understand a few things, and the first thing comes from the first word of verse six Look again in your Bibles and circle the word, knowing. There are three imperatives we're going to see that Paul gives us. If you really want to be able to have victory over sin, the first imperative he says in verse 6, is knowing this, knowing this. And then again, it's like colon that you have been crucified with Christ, you're dead. So you have to know this, you have to understand this, you have to know this. So for you, note takers, this is point number one.

Pastor Gary: 16:46

How do we get victory over sin? Number one know and rely on the fact that on the day you trusted Christ as your Savior, your old self died, that is, was rendered powerless, when Christ died. That something Christ did in the past takes effect in the present whenever we trust Him as Lord and Savior. We were crucified with Him. That's just a fact. And Paul says I want you to know this. It's going to go a long way to help you fight the sin battle.

Pastor Gary: 17:15

Paul would say it this way in Galatians 2.20. Just listen. He says I have been crucified with Christ. He says it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. So this has to be a disposition of every Christian. Paul says I've been crucified with Christ, there in Galatians 2. Here in Romans 6, he says you have to know this. The Greek word is gnosko. You have to know, you have to get this as fact, because it's important. This is going to help you fight the sin battle.

Pastor Gary: 17:57

Now listen, please, everybody. I want your attention because I'm going to give you a new four-letter F word you are not to use. All right, that you are not to use as a Christian as it relates to your salvation. A new four-letter F word. Are you ready? Feel. Stop saying I feel this. I feel that I feel this about my life in Christ. Feel this and I feel saved. And sometimes I don't feel saved and sometimes I feel like I mess up and then I feel Bad and then I should probably get more in touch with my feelings. No, you should get more in touch with Jesus and understand the facts. Stop relying on your feelings. Stop relying on your feelings, can you? Can you imagine if Jesus talked about feeling instead of knowing?

Pastor Gary: 18:41

There's a great verse in John 8, 32. Many of you are familiar with this verse. If he had said it this way, wouldn't it sound hilarious if he had said and then you will feel the truth, and the truth will set you free. Feel the truth, doesn't that sound? Oh, that sounds so happy, doesn't it so pleasant? Let's feel the truth. No, jesus said and then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. What if Paul had done the same thing, like substitute, in different verses. Feel for know, like Romans 8, 28,. That's a great verse, isn't it? For you know, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose. What if he said well, we feel that you know all things work together. We're good, it just feels that way. No, you got to know this, you got to know this. He calls us to knowledge.

Pastor Gary: 19:31

2 Timothy 1.12,. Paul says I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have entrusted to him until the day of Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 2.12,. Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the spirit, who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 2 Corinthians 5.1,. For we know that if our earthly house that is, this tent, is destroyed. We have a building from God, a house not made with hands kept in heaven for us 1 John, 2, 3,. Now, by this, we know that we know him if we obey his commands. All through the Bible, it's about know. We have to know this.

Pastor Gary: 20:16

I think it was Ben Shapiro who said facts, don't care about your feelings. All right, and it is true. We got to get out of this mindset as Christians. I feel this. I feel that I feel this. I feel that, like, don't waffle, know. And this is the first thing that Paul calls us to. If we have victory over sin, it's because we know this in verse 6. We know this. We have to know the facts. And the fact is that when you put your faith in Christ and trusted him as your Savior, a spiritual phenomenon took place Not only were you saved, but your old self was nailed to the cross, and the power of the old self was rendered useless on that day. Which brings us now to point number two.

Pastor Gary: 21:01

Look in your Bibles at verse 11. Here's another imperative that he gives us here, verse 11, likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead in deed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Now again, I'm reading from New King James. So it says there in verse 11, reckon yourselves to be dead. Now, paul doesn't mean that in the way that people would say that in Alabama. You know, like I reckon we ought to hunker down. Looks like a storm's a-brewing. You know it's not. Reckon like I reckon it is. In fact, niv translates it even better from the original language count yourselves. Count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. The Greek word there is logizomai. Logizomai is an accounting term. It's an accounting term and it means to count, conclude, number or take inventory. So Paul is saying here listen, when you know that your old self was nailed on the cross with Christ. That's important. It starts there. You got to know this as a fact. He says. But then I want you to and he uses this accounting term. I want you to add it up, I want you to calculate it. It's number two and I want you to conclude that you are indeed dead to sin, but alive in Christ. Conclude this. We have to get this mindset Now. Here's why this is critical.

Pastor Gary: 22:37

When you look all through the Bible, and in particular it started in the Garden of Eden, you will see this common pattern God declares, then Satan denies, and we have to decide. That's the way it works. God declares to decide. That's the way it works. God declares, and then Satan comes along and he denies, and then we have to decide who we're going to believe. And when you look back at the tragic story of the Garden of Eden, god declared he said initially to Adam by himself, before even Eve was formed. And God said you're free, you're free to eat from any of these trees in the garden. We talked a little bit about this last week and God gave Adam the gift of free will because he says you're free to eat from any of these trees, but there's one in the center of the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You cannot eat of that tree, for in the day you eat of it, you will surely die. And God declared this like you're good and you're safe and it will go well with you, just follow this one instruction.

Pastor Gary: 23:44

And Satan comes along and he denies it and he says you know God doesn't mean what he says and he's holding back on you guys. And you know he knows, if you eat of the fruit you're going to be wise like he is. Your eyes are going to be open. He's a killjoy. Don't believe him. And he denies what God declares.

Pastor Gary: 24:01

And, unfortunately, adam and Eve decided to believe the lie instead of the truth that God had declared, and it cost them dearly and, by extension, we are suffering for their decision, for their decision, and we have to decide, when we are following Christ, that what God declares is right and true and good. And I'm going to decide, then, that my life is dead, the old self, and I'm alive in Christ. And I'm going to believe what God says and I'm not going to entertain what Satan says, because Satan denies everything that God declares. And I got to decide that I'm going to believe what God says and I'm not going to entertain what Satan says, because Satan denies everything that God declares. And I got to decide that I'm going to trust what God says and I'm going to live a new life for him. Because Paul says here I want you to conclude this, I want you to take inventory, I want you to add it up God has declared that the power of the old self is dead. And we have to decide, then, that we're indeed dead to sin, but alive in Christ. We can't just know this, we have to live it.

Pastor Gary: 25:06

In fact, as much as Paul talks about death in these chapters, he also talks about life. He uses the word live, or life or alive, eight times in these 14 verses. Paul emphasizes that the Christian life is not only about dying to the old self but it's about getting on with living, living a new life in Christ. And Paul even connects water baptism to help us understand that we are to be dead to the old self and we're to live a new life. Because in verse 4, notice, back up in verse 4, he says therefore we were buried with him, with Christ, through baptism into death that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. God wants us to walk in newness of life and Paul says this is what water baptism even symbolizes, because when a person is baptized in water and they go under the water, they are identifying with the death and burial of Jesus.

Pastor Gary: 26:10

And the person who's being baptized is in as much saying I'm dead to that old person, my life that I used to live before Christ, I'm dying to that old life and you come up out of the water and just as Christ rose from the dead, you are in as much saying and I'm going to live a new life for the glory of God. I'm going to walk in newness of life because Christ is my savior now and I want to please him and I want to live a new life for his glory. And when you decide not only to crucify the old self but to live a life alive in Christ friends, you know this if you've experienced this, you have new joy, you have a new perspective, you have new peace, you have a new comfort, you have a new sense of confidence and security and you have this sense of being right with God and forgiven. And it drastically changes you because of what Christ has done for you. And Paul says I want you to reckon this, I want you to consider this, calculate this, see what God has done for you, die to the old self and live a new life for the glory of God. That's why Paul would say in 2 Corinthians, 5, 17,. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. The old is gone. Behold, all things are made new. He's saying there's this newness of life that we have now in Christ. So know, that's the first instruction know that we are dead to Christ. We were crucified with him. The old self, the old man, is powerless. Don't give life to the old man and then we have to live the new life in Christ that he has given to us.

Pastor Gary: 27:56

And here's the last point. If you look at verses 12 to 14, the last point of verse 12, he says Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, like don't give CPR to the old man, that you should obey its lusts, and do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God, for sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. I'm going to read verses 12 and 13 from a different translation. I'm going to read it again from the NLT. Just listen to what it says in plain language. Verse 12 going to read it again from the NLT. Just listen to what it says in plain language.

Pastor Gary: 28:39

Verse 12, do not let sin control the way you live. Do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Point number three, last point, is do not let sin dominate, but instead dedicate yourself and every part of your body completely to God. No-transcript as to what or who is going to be in charge. What or who is going to be in charge? Will sin reign or will the spirit of God reign in my life? That's it. That's just a decision. Who's going to be in charge? Now?

Pastor Gary: 29:44

One of my one of my favorite-time movies is Remember the Titans. How many of you have seen that movie? It's a good football movie. For those of you who love football, it's a true story about TC Williams' football program back, I think, in the 70s. Tc Williams is not too far from here, in Alexandria. The head football coach of TC Williams was played by Denzel Washington. He was Coach Boone in the movie. Williams was played by Denzel Washington. He was Coach Boone in the movie and Coach Boone.

Pastor Gary: 30:15

There's a scene where Coach Boone is a brand new coach for the team and he's trying to get to know the players, and there's racial tension too that he's trying to smooth out. And there's this one star player of his that he's getting to know and his name is Gary Bertier. And the team is loading up on the bus to go to summer training camp and Gary's still standing outside of the bus and Coach Boone comes up to him and he goes Gary, you have your parents here. And Gary says, well, my mom is over there. And he points over in the distance and Coach Boone looks over at her, smiles and nods and he says all right, gary, now when you get on that bus, your mom isn't going with you. You're not going to have your mom on that bus, he says to him. He says all you're going to have on that bus are your brothers, your teammates and your daddy, gary, who's your daddy? That's what he says to him. And Gary Bertier doesn't answer and he goes if you want to play on my football team, you're gonna have to answer that question, gary, look at me, who's your daddy? And he just says it a few times until finally, sheepishly, like Gary Bertier, looks up and he goes you're my daddy. He goes, that's right now. Get on that bus. Straighten up that tie. Get on that bus.

Pastor Gary: 31:26

The idea is who's going to be in charge. It's going to be either you or it's going to be coach. It's going to be either Jesus, right, or we're going to try to take charge of our lives and it will not go well for us. It's a duplicitous life to think that I can be a follower of Christ and me still be in charge of my life, living a Christian life is a battle and the battle is constant. Don't give up the fight.

Pastor Gary: 32:03

I liken it unto this game. You know, thank God, my kids now they're all three are grown and I hope I never have to ever step into Chuck E Cheese again and I hope I never have to ever step into Chuck E Cheese again. It's just demons and pizza. And if my grandkids want to go there, we're like you know what. We don't go there anymore and let's go to Dunkin' Donuts instead. Much better, much better.

Pastor Gary: 32:25

But there was this one game when I had to take our kids and we would take them to Chuck E E Cheese. There was this one game called whack-a-mole. You know that game, whack-a-mole, love that game and it would take out my frustrations because, like, I don't like being here, bam, bam, you know, like this is a dumb place and that rat looks really, you know, sick and scary. That rat would just walk around and scare kids. They need to get a new mascot. I don't know when they'll figure that out, but that whack-a-mole is because these little prairie dogs stick their heads up and you know, and just when you whack one, there's another one that comes, whack, whack, whack, whack, whack, and you're just constantly just trying to knock the next prairie dog.

Pastor Gary: 33:04

And friends listen, in a simplistic way, that's the way the Christian life is. Just when you think like I've conquered that one sin, boom and I'm doing better, and then another sin boom. Oh no, I thought I had victory. No, boom and boom. That's the way your life's going to be. Get used to it until you die. That's the way it's going to be. Get used to it.

Pastor Gary: 33:24

But see, the point is but don't give up the fight. Don't be just like ah, there's a bunch of prairie dogs, you know, I'm just going to let them take over. Don't let them take over. You have to fight the good fight of the faith. You have to know. Know the facts, don't go by your feelings. Know the facts. When Christ died on the cross and you accept Christ as your Savior, your old man, your old woman was crucified on that cross with him. So consider your life dead, reckon all that, count it all up, understand that you are a new person in Christ and then walk in newness of life, live a life that glorifies God.

Pastor Gary: 34:01

And Paul says here and let me tell you what is a good help to motivate you to live a holy life. He ends verse 14 by saying for we are not under law but under grace. That's the last part of verse 14. We are not under law but under grace. How is being under grace better for the sin battle than being under law? I tell you. I'll tell you how. Because the law is an external motivator by the rules. Grace is an internal motivator by the rules. Grace is an internal motivator by a relationship. You see, we can all be good Christians if we follow the rules. But that's not a good motivator and that won't really last long. What is a more enduring motivator is when we understand the grace of God and how much he loves us and the relationship we have with Jesus. His love and his grace motivate me to holy living.

Pastor Gary: 34:55

I'll illustrate it this way and then we'll close. As a parent, if your child does something wrong and you say to that child don't do that. And the child says why? Because I said so and that's the rule and don't question me. Okay, you might get compliance, but not very willingly. It'll be begrudgingly. However, if the same child does the same thing and you say, don't do that, and they say why? And you say because I love you and I want what is best for you and you're going to get hurt if you do that, they're more motivated to do what is right because of the relationship versus the rules. Now, let me just say that's not a very adequate illustration. Always, sometimes, the rules are necessary and just listen to the rules and you know you may not understand or comprehend, but I'm just saying, generally speaking, when we lead with love instead of laying down the law, leading with love always creates a better response than just laying down the law.

Pastor Gary: 35:57

You'll have a lot of resentful people. You know a lot of resentful Christians. Like you know, god's got all these rules and these laws. I guess I got to do this in order to get to heaven. Well, that's not the right perspective. But if we understand how God talks to us, I love you, I want what is best for you and this is why I say don't do some things because it could hurt you, but do these other things because it'll bless you.

Pastor Gary: 36:21

And we hear that tone of our father that motivates us to holy living. I pray you'd hear that voice of your father because he loves you and he wants what is best for you and he wants to spare you heartache for the things that'll hurt you. So together can we pray and ask the Lord help me, lord, in my daily battles to serve and honor you and to die to self In Jesus' name. Amen. Father, we commit this to prayer. Now. We ask you, lord, to help us in our battle, the battle against sin. The old man, the old woman wants to dominate, wants to take over, but that old self died on the cross with you 2,000 years ago. Cross with you 2,000 years ago. Help us, lord, not to revive that old self, but help us to die to self and to live for you.

Pastor Gary: 37:16

But we admit we can't do it in our own strength. Lord, we have this internal battle. Our spirit wants to please you, our flesh wants to please ourselves, and so we cry out for your help. More grace, lord, more power, more strength of your spirit this is our heart's cry. We want to please you, we want to honor you, but our flesh wants to go in another direction. So we ask you, lord, would you please hear our prayer?

Pastor Gary: 37:43

I'm sure there's a lot of people here here in this Bible study and they're struggling day in and day out to walk in a way that honors you. But, lord, you are our helper and you are our father, and a father helps his kids because you lead with love instead of just laying down the law. So thank you, lord, for being our loving father. We ask for you to continue to strengthen us and help us and forgive us when we fail, because we want to please you, we want to honor you and this is our prayer, lord. We ask for your help and your strength by your Spirit, In Jesus' name, and all God's people said amen and amen. God bless you all.