Even Paul Wrestled With His Flesh! Series

1. Do you ever feel like you’re alone in the battle?

• Like, wow, I’m the only one going through this. I’m the only that has this kind of fight. I’m the only one struggling with this…

• IT’S NOT TRUE! -- If we were to survey the room around us… put out a question on the radio, a poll on our web site.

• We would find that the battle for purity, holiness, and righteous living is alive and well in the church today!

• All over this room there are struggles & wrestlings, battles & fights, ups & downs… they happen all the time.

The Christian has enemies: The world, the flesh, & the devil!

• We have our own FLESH wanting our old life back.

• We have the WORLD trying to drag us back.

• And we have the DEVIL making sure it all goes according to plan!

YES: Every believer faces constant spiritual battles.

• The only difference is degree & intensity!

NOW… let’s change the question a little here…

• Yes, we agree, everyone OUT THERE has struggles & battles.

• But REALLY, Pastor Ed, do you struggle? Do spiritual leaders & pastors & Sunday School Teachers & Billy Graham? Struggle?

• YES WE DO!!! -- No one is immune to the fight…

• EVEN THE APOSTLE Paul WRESTLED WITH HIS FLESH.

• One thing that constantly dogged him was… THE LAW!

REMEMBER back in v1, Paul turned his attention to those who knew Jewish Law, those trained and reared under the LAW.

• The good news of Jesus, the message of grace could have easily confused them as they may think the LAW is worthless!

• It’s not… Paul concluded in v12, the Law is Holy, Just & Good!

• The Law is not sin, it’s the epitome of perfection!

• What the Law has done is shown me my weaknesses & sin.

• It was coveting in the heart of Paul that the Law revealed!

• Let’s pick up on v13..

1. (7:13-14) What is good death to me?

a. What a place to be in our lives, seeing that sin is exceedingly sinful.

b. With that kind of attitude, we’d avoid it all costs!

c. Achan in Joshua would have never hidden the garments under his tent… destroying his family.

d. With that attitude, Ananias & Saphira would have never lied against the Holy Spirit… destroying their own lives.

It’s interesting because a person that walks that path, a person that tends to cling to the Law, a person that begins to mock the grace of God…

• IS A person who hasn’t been spending time with the Lord!

• It’s that distance from the Lord that deceives us into not thinking about the exceedingly sinfulness of sin!

• In Isaiah CH 1,2,3,4,5… Isaiah is saying:

• Alas Sinful nation… The Day of the Lord shall come upon the high and lofty… Woe to those… Woe to You…

• Flip over now to Isaiah 6:1-5… it all changed. WOE IS ME!

• I’m a man of unclean lips.

• In the presence of the Lord, Isaiah realized what came out of his lips, what was in his heart was filthy!

• The Lord was so good that He sent an angel to touch those lips!

• Paul was in the same place, oh what coveting is in my heart!

He concludes in v14, I am carnal… sold under sin!

The Bible speaks of 3 types of man…

#1 – NATURAL MAN – This is the man, the woman who is unconverted. We would say they are an unbeliever!

• They live according to their nature.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV) 1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

#2 – SPIRITUAL MAN. – This is the believer, indwelt by, empowered by, walking in the Holy Spirit!

Romans 8:14 (NKJV) 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

#3 – CARNAL MAN. This is the person that is born again, but he’s living in the energy of his flesh.

• We usually think of the CARNAL PERSON as one who is living FOR HIS flesh, that can be for sure.

• But really, it’s the PERSON that is living IN HIS flesh.

• It’s not just the person that lives in the world and for the world…