SCRIPTURE READING: ROMANS 7: 7 - 25
This is a beautiful passage which highlights the anguish of everyone who is crying out to God, understanding the true struggle within themselves.
I believe the struggle between sin and living a life pleasing to God is applicable in the pre Christian stage (Before the born again stage) although we do not always realize it, and as a true Christian we realize the difference in our day to day life. There is one difference between the two, that is when we become true Christians though we face trials and temptations of sinning, we are able to resist the sin through the power of the Holy Spirit by the renewing and transforming of our minds. Thereby, through the Holy Spirit living in you and me, we are able to choose to live in Christ, who nailed our sins on the cross and given us total freedom from the power of sin through his resurrection. We are now no longer slaves to sin, for us to obey it. We are free as God's sons and daughters, heirs to him, that we could reach out to him and call him "Abba", Father. He hears us, and delivers us.
Paul beautifully illustrates this struggle, which is common even in many Christians today. Though we might categorize ourselves as born again, why do we still fall into or give in to temptations? Why are we dragged back into the sinful nature? How can I overcome them and be victorious?
As you are reading this I am sure you might relate with me on our day to day struggles to keep ourselves from drowning into the world's temptations, and Satan's schemes.
Some of the actions we could take to overcome our struggles are;
1.Acknowledge your struggles. Struggles are for real.
We should be conscious of our struggles. Without being aware of us being dragged into sin. we could never be able to pull ourselves out of it, or flee from it. As soon as Joseph identified his struggle, he fled from the scene. He did not want to stay remain in the situation.
2. Be aware that sin does not have power over us.
When Christ bore our sins and died on behalf of us on the cross, he nailed our every sin to the cross and he died to sin, instead of us. Through his resurrection, the bondage of sin was broken in our lives, and he gave us victory from sin, and freed us from Satan's hold. So unless we conscious decide to sin, sin cannot bind us. We are now given the power to overcome sin. We need to use it.
3. Build fences around us and be ready for battle.
We need to proactively build fences around us in order to safe guard enemies from coming onto us and be ready to face battle at any given time. We need fences around us personally, around our marriages, around our family, around our children, around our church community etc. This is only possible by reading the word of God, and prayer. We need to arm ourselves with the armour of God. (Ephesians 6: 11 - 18).
4. Confide and request help
Many of us continue to linger in our struggles. If we find that we are unable to get out of our struggle, the next best things is to confide of our struggles with a good Christian leader we trust, they could be a mentor, a counsellor, a pastor, a friend or a leader we might know.
In verses 21 to 25 in todays scripture passage, Paul beautifully highlights this struggle and some key insights to life. We all love God, we want to do what is right, we want to ensure our life is pleasing to God, nevertheless these is a power which is trying to control our mind, trying to bring out the sinful nature in us. But we have the answer, the remedy and hope, he is Jesus Christ. As we cry out to him, he is able to help us through the Holy Spirit indwelling in us. The Holy Spirit in us fights the war for us, on behalf of us. He will give us wisdom and discernment to truly acknowledge, be aware, build fences and reach out for help when required, so we can journey towards the kingdom of God, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
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