We all know about Romans 7. It is where Paul lamented that the things he wanted to do, he didn't do. The things he wanted to avoid, those were the very things he did.
Is that where you find yourself? Trust me, you have plenty of company. LOL. I want to ask a favor of you. oI want you to do a little spiritual introspection, if you feel led, just you and God.
When you read Paul's words, do you hear the desperation in his words? He felt himself trapped in a prison of sin and self. He truly hated that part of him, the part that either couldn't or worse yet, wouldn't obey God. When we read the whole chapter in its entirety, we find not one place where he accepted this as the best God had for him. He would not rest until he had more, a life that glorified his savior.
As we read his words, we realize that he saw his failure to walk pleasing to God as a great shame and his heart broke because of it. We hear his broken man crying out 'O wretched man! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
Guys, should this not be the attitude of every child of God who is found still caught in the web of sin? Indeed, it should. But..... is it? Is that how you feel? I am not talking about a 'theoretical' disappointment about being a sinner, with a quick "but hey, of course I sin, I am only human. That is why Jesus came and died for me." that pats us on the back, making everything alright.
No, I am talking about the hating that part of us that Jesus said we MUST come to hate if we are to please God. Real brokenness. Why is this so important? Because until this happens in our lives, until we feel we cannot take another step until we get free from the self part of us that refuses to bow the knee to God in every instance, we cannot experience what Paul experienced at the end of Romans 7.
You see, despite what we have been taught, Romans 7 was not Paul's ending testimony. He did not end up miserable and imprisoned to sins of his flesh. We here him declaring in his epistle to the Phillipians.... 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" I pray we see this. Paul, imprisoned in self, cried out for God to do what he wanted to do so badly but could not..... deliver him from the power of darkness. And praise God, that. exactly what God did!
I fear we have made Romans 7 a haven of rest short of the promised land, and multitudes of His people, even well intentioned people, have made Romans 7 their ceiling of what God can accomplish in their lives, effectively placing a limit of what God can do in their lives. But God has ordained that faith unlocks access to dwelling in Him and just as surely, unbelief limits Him.
So concerning this critical chapter, we see who it is speaking about, and.... who it is not. Paul made clear in the very first verse of Romans 7 who he was speaking. to.... those who knew the law. Not the mosaic law. Romans was written to gentiles, remember? What law? The law of sin and death. The law of self effort in trying to obey God.
Yes, as we put our minds to obeying our God, we fail in our trying. No, in our own strength, we cannot be holy, or live in victory, no matter hard we try. But you see, we have stopped there, content with forgiveness and have failed to embrace the brokenness that such a realization was meant to bring about within us. As wonderful as it is, we were never meant to simply be pardoned children of God, yet remain imprisoned to our fleshly appetites. Jesus promised to set us free indeed.... free from committing sins, not just delivered from the penalty for our sins, but delivered from the power of sin itself!
So as we read on in Romans 7, and Paul cries out "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?", he does not atop there, assuming he had to make the best of it. He does not resign himself to never escaping his prison cell of self, and start to spruce it up and paint his cell walls. No, brother. No, dear sister. Paul wastes no time in providing us with the answer we need so desperately to here in these last days. Who will deliver him? . "I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord." Glory!
God has told us clearly that we are to seek Him AND His righteousness. Jesus told us that blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they SHALL be filled, amen? We have been destined to reign in life, not remain imprisoned to out lower nature, and in these last days, God is beginning to open our eyes to the depths of His grace that goes far past just forgiveness. Yes, He forgives when we fall. But do our hearts long to be freed from our fleshly nature, our love for sin, our contentment without Godliness?
That is the critical question, and I pray you take it before the throne of God and ask Him to give you His heart on the matter. He will not disappoint. The testimony of every child of God will soon be planted in Romans 8, not Romans 7, for here God tells us a truth we have up til now believed and accepted with our heads, but because our hearts have not hungered after it, we have failed to see its amazing potential.
What truth is this? What are we now being awakened to? The truth that we are not in the flesh any longer, but in the spirit, and that we owe the flesh NOTHING. Yes, we still have fleshly bodies and will till we meet the Lord face to face, but our natures? They are no longer fleshly. They are brand new.... Christ iN us. And when we finally have the scales of unbelief fall from our eyes and see the truth that the old us does not need to die, it already IS dead, and we, by faith, clothe ourselves with it, the joy of the Lord will overwhelm us beyond what we even think possible.
Huge changes are coming. And as the world seems to spin further out of control, the hearts of His own are about to be lifted up and planted in victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. Are you ready? I am.
blessings to all,
Gideon
Is that where you find yourself? Trust me, you have plenty of company. LOL. I want to ask a favor of you. oI want you to do a little spiritual introspection, if you feel led, just you and God.
When you read Paul's words, do you hear the desperation in his words? He felt himself trapped in a prison of sin and self. He truly hated that part of him, the part that either couldn't or worse yet, wouldn't obey God. When we read the whole chapter in its entirety, we find not one place where he accepted this as the best God had for him. He would not rest until he had more, a life that glorified his savior.
As we read his words, we realize that he saw his failure to walk pleasing to God as a great shame and his heart broke because of it. We hear his broken man crying out 'O wretched man! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
Guys, should this not be the attitude of every child of God who is found still caught in the web of sin? Indeed, it should. But..... is it? Is that how you feel? I am not talking about a 'theoretical' disappointment about being a sinner, with a quick "but hey, of course I sin, I am only human. That is why Jesus came and died for me." that pats us on the back, making everything alright.
No, I am talking about the hating that part of us that Jesus said we MUST come to hate if we are to please God. Real brokenness. Why is this so important? Because until this happens in our lives, until we feel we cannot take another step until we get free from the self part of us that refuses to bow the knee to God in every instance, we cannot experience what Paul experienced at the end of Romans 7.
You see, despite what we have been taught, Romans 7 was not Paul's ending testimony. He did not end up miserable and imprisoned to sins of his flesh. We here him declaring in his epistle to the Phillipians.... 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" I pray we see this. Paul, imprisoned in self, cried out for God to do what he wanted to do so badly but could not..... deliver him from the power of darkness. And praise God, that. exactly what God did!
I fear we have made Romans 7 a haven of rest short of the promised land, and multitudes of His people, even well intentioned people, have made Romans 7 their ceiling of what God can accomplish in their lives, effectively placing a limit of what God can do in their lives. But God has ordained that faith unlocks access to dwelling in Him and just as surely, unbelief limits Him.
So concerning this critical chapter, we see who it is speaking about, and.... who it is not. Paul made clear in the very first verse of Romans 7 who he was speaking. to.... those who knew the law. Not the mosaic law. Romans was written to gentiles, remember? What law? The law of sin and death. The law of self effort in trying to obey God.
Yes, as we put our minds to obeying our God, we fail in our trying. No, in our own strength, we cannot be holy, or live in victory, no matter hard we try. But you see, we have stopped there, content with forgiveness and have failed to embrace the brokenness that such a realization was meant to bring about within us. As wonderful as it is, we were never meant to simply be pardoned children of God, yet remain imprisoned to our fleshly appetites. Jesus promised to set us free indeed.... free from committing sins, not just delivered from the penalty for our sins, but delivered from the power of sin itself!
So as we read on in Romans 7, and Paul cries out "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?", he does not atop there, assuming he had to make the best of it. He does not resign himself to never escaping his prison cell of self, and start to spruce it up and paint his cell walls. No, brother. No, dear sister. Paul wastes no time in providing us with the answer we need so desperately to here in these last days. Who will deliver him? . "I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord." Glory!
God has told us clearly that we are to seek Him AND His righteousness. Jesus told us that blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they SHALL be filled, amen? We have been destined to reign in life, not remain imprisoned to out lower nature, and in these last days, God is beginning to open our eyes to the depths of His grace that goes far past just forgiveness. Yes, He forgives when we fall. But do our hearts long to be freed from our fleshly nature, our love for sin, our contentment without Godliness?
That is the critical question, and I pray you take it before the throne of God and ask Him to give you His heart on the matter. He will not disappoint. The testimony of every child of God will soon be planted in Romans 8, not Romans 7, for here God tells us a truth we have up til now believed and accepted with our heads, but because our hearts have not hungered after it, we have failed to see its amazing potential.
What truth is this? What are we now being awakened to? The truth that we are not in the flesh any longer, but in the spirit, and that we owe the flesh NOTHING. Yes, we still have fleshly bodies and will till we meet the Lord face to face, but our natures? They are no longer fleshly. They are brand new.... Christ iN us. And when we finally have the scales of unbelief fall from our eyes and see the truth that the old us does not need to die, it already IS dead, and we, by faith, clothe ourselves with it, the joy of the Lord will overwhelm us beyond what we even think possible.
Huge changes are coming. And as the world seems to spin further out of control, the hearts of His own are about to be lifted up and planted in victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. Are you ready? I am.
blessings to all,
Gideon