“The Spirit is Willing, Are You?”

🌟Romans 7:6 NLT

But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.

The letter of the law, meant following every step of what was needed for, example repentance. 

When you read the book of Leviticus in the Old Testament, there are step to doing everything the proper and correct way according to God’s instructions. 

An example would be Meat offerings, sin offerings: involved strict rules of being a bull before an anointed priest, who had strict instructions of killing it and removal of the fat. 

The shedding of the blood, where it was placed and the priest’s role of what to do with it as a sin offering for the individual who committed the sin.

There were many more steps to this process. However, Christ dying for mankind’s sin, and the shedding of his blood. Means we do not have to carry out the different steps of a sin offering. 

We can come to the Lord, confess our sins to him, believing he died for the remission of our sins.

If you do not believe in God the father, and that he sent his son w die for our sins. Your actions are pointless.

If you do believe, then ask him to forgive your sins. And it is important for you to understand that you are not to go back to that sin again. 

Repentance is turning away from the sin and not going back to it and doing it again.

Sin:

-transgression of divine law

To transgress is to violate a law or command.

-any act regarded as such a transgression, especially a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.

-any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense:

A portion of this definition gives me the impression that sin can occur that isn’t willful or deliberate.

What the Apostle Paul says in Romans 7:7, I believe helps explain this.👇🏽

Romans 7:7 NLT

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "You must not covet."

Looking at God’s commandments. We know coveting is one of them. When Paul says, he would not have known coveting was wrong had the law not said ‘you must not covet’, could be stated for each one.

But once you learn through reading God’s laws that you should not do the thing he has called out. We should recognize ourselves to correcting the issue by removing it from our lives.

We can have regrets for sin and not do them again. But when the definition of sin speaks of a willful and deliberate act, we know that we choose to do it.

Romans 7:8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.

🌟Sin is an act, behavior. 

And Paul is saying the command to not do it, aroused covetous desires in him. 

When I read this it seemed like he was regarding sin as another person. It isn’t a person. 

They see something that someone else has, and they have to have it or a version of it. They may not know this is coveting and should not be done.

I am not fighting g againstPaul’s words. I am saying that there are many things we do that we feel is ok, but when you read it in God’s word, he tells us not to do it.

Our thoughts can lead to physical actions if we aren’t careful. Our thoughts can also make us guilty of committing a sin just by thinking it. No physical contact needed.

In the Old Testament: 

Exodus 20:14 You must not commit adultery.

In the New Testament:

Matthew 5:27-28

Matthew 5:27 You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.' 

Matthew 5:28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This is one of those commandments that Jesus spoke to the people. When you read it in Matthew, you will find it in red lettering, which indicates Jesus speaking.

I have spoken on this verse in the past in previous episodes.

Reading what Jesus says not to do, educates us to the dangers of fantasizing, having thoughts in our minds that lead to sinful acts.

Understand that when he says, a man’s lustful thoughts has caused him to commit adultery already in his heart. It is the same for the female.

Also, having a lustful thought, leads to quick the movie in our minds. Those scenarios, scenes we have believed were safely tucked away in our minds. Are not secure.

We as a society are freaking out by the use of cameras in our lives because almost everything has a camera now days. 

What does a washer, dryer, and refrigerator need a camera for? 

I saw a commercial where they have one of those “smart” refrigerators that you can look in from your cell phone while at the store to see what you might need to add to your grocery list.

However, before they came up with that excuse for having a camera in a fridge. They were putting cameras in refrigerators.

Think about the live view God had by looking in our hearts, mind, and spirits. 

What is stated in Matthew 5:27-28 is the same situation Paul spoke about regarding Coveting. 

 Romans7:7

….I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "You must not covet."

In the same respect, we did not know that lustful thoughts in our hearts made us guilty of adultery. Without physically touching the person.

Some people having read this scripture in Matthew will argue against what it says in 5:27-28. I have already read a person’s response to this scripture on another social media page. 

The individual said, he was in no way committing adultery by looking at a woman and undressing her in his thoughts.

He will find out the truth someday. Some people have to be shown by God.

Romans 7:9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life.

Paul continues with the law causing him spiritual death, but says the law is good. It is not the law,it is him being a slave to sin.

I want to point out what it says in👇🏽

Galatians 5:17 NLT

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

Galatians 5:18 NLT

But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

Galatians 5:19-21 NLT

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 

Galatians 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 

Galatians 5:21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:22 NLT

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

Galatians 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

I am reading 👇🏽 here because for all that so tempts us to do, the way out is trusting the Lord and living how he tells us to.

Galatians 5:16 NLT

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.

Galatians 5:24 NLT

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 

Galatians 5:25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. 

Galatians 5:26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

As you read chapter 7 in Romans, you hear the struggle with sin that Paul describes. We have all been there. If something isn’t enticing us, someone is enticing us. 

But the word of God is still effective, especially when you turn away, walk away and keep it moving.

It is our will we have to gain control of and place it under in and place it under God’s authority. 

The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. It is up to us to will ourselves in the right direction, which is God’s direction. 

My closing prayer:

Proverbs 12:3 Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.

Lord, let our lives take root in you. Our body, mind, spirit, and soul. Then our thoughts and actions will reflect a Christlike character. 

Our spirit will connect with you in our daily walk and be steadfast and secure. Every seed of life you plant produces growth with healthy roots and relationships.

 I pray we keep our will steadfast and secure in your hands, receiving your guidance. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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