I’ve had enough conversations with sincere, committed Christians about the quality of their journey as followers of Jesus to know that Apostle Paul’s agonizing cry at the end of Romans 7 sometimes expresses their struggle and sentiments: “I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death!?” (From Romans 7:21-24)
Gaining and sustaining Spiritual victory as a Christian is at times a big issue! How can it be experienced?
Well Apostle Paul gives the short (and accurate) answer to that question in Romans 8:25: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” But then he expands on the answer in Romans 8:1-17. I’ve highlighted some of the key elements of gaining and sustain victory that he provides in the passage for you below. But then, at the end of that, I want to give you a brief personal reflection… Here goes… First from the Bible…
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh [self under the influence of sin], could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit! …
“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God! You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But…if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you!
“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die! But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live! For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God!” (From Romans 8:1–17 ESV)
OK, so here is my personal reflection on the issue of gaining and sustaining Spiritual victory! Praise God for Jesus and the victory that is to be found in Him! He graciously provides the Holy Spirit to live within us and help us! He is at work within us animating, empowering, prompting and promoting the will of God within our lives! The key to Spiritual victory then, is recognizing and responding to His presence, activity and voice within our lives every day! An incredible, powerful, inner “Helper!” Praise the Lord!!!
Someone has said, “The Gospel is bad news before it is good news.” In other words, a person must become aware of their sin and its consequences before they are ready to embrace God’s provision of salvation through Christ. Was that true for you? I know it was certainly true for me!
