Tuesday, December 1, 2020

The war within me

 S - Romans 7:14-28   (NASB)

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold [s]into bondage to sin. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 However, if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, that the Law is good. 17 But now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.

21 I find then the [t]principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully agree with the law of God [u]in the inner person, 23 but I see a different law in [v]the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner [w]of the law of sin, the law which is in [x]my body’s parts. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from [y]the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

O - I never thought of the Law as spiritual and sin as flesh but it makes sense now that the Law was written that we might understand God's spiritual law that we must follow according to God's spirit and that when we don't we are sinning in our flesh which wages war inside of us against the law.   For good intentions are neither flesh or nor spirit but an idea in our head that either will lead us to sin or to righteousness.  For we may want to do good but find ourselves giving in to the flesh and therefore sin.  We may want to give into the flesh but through the spirit of God in us are able to overcome the thought and live righteously. 

A -  The application for me is to understand the Law in my mind and let it guide my thoughts toward the righteous spirit in me.  However when my flesh rules and I allow sin to arise in my thoughts, all the inner spirit that lies in me reject the wants of the flesh and instead reject the sin and resolve to live righteously.   

P - Dear heavenly Father thank you for giving me this revelation of the war that wages within me.  Help me to lean on the righteous spirit of Christ which resides in me to make decisions which overcomes the sinful nature of my flesh.  I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.

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