LIVING WITH THE STRONG MAN
Rom 7:14-25
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Monday the Dallas Cowboys signed on a new player that weighed about 380lbs and 6’ and forever tall. I said to my wife as we were watching the news, “Look at this guy.” I couldn’t believe my eyes. This guy was huge. I thought that the only way I could ever hurt that guy would be accidentally while I was trying to get away from him.
If he got a hold on me, he could turn me any way he wanted to hurt, or abuse me however quickly he wanted to, and then kill me at his will.
That Strong Man would have total control of me.
The only way I could get victory over him would be to kill him some how, because if I just broke and ran, likely with his power he would overtake me.
Rom 7:14-25 “The message” (Listen to Paul)
14 "I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?" Yes. I’m full of myself — after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. 15 What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. 16 So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.
17 But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! 18 I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. 19 I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. 20 My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. 22 I truly delight in God’s commands, 23 but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Why can’t I do what I know is right?
Because the Strong Man controls my behavior.
I’m not talking about demon possession, I’m asking, why don’t we lay aside the sin that so easily keeps us from being our best for God.
The problem today is that we are living with a strong man.
The 380lb giant that controls our behavior.
There is no greater influence in this world, harder to resist, than that which appeals to the flesh.
The law of sin is the strong man in your lives and must be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We’ve invited him into our lives not realizing that he possessed so much power and some of you have brought him into your relationship with God, and he is still living with you today.
We know that he needs to go, now, and there are times when we are offered an opportunities to rid our lives of the Strong Man, but we do not take it. Why?
1. Because the strong man, is a provider. He provides the pleasure and entertainment you desire, even though we know that it is sin.
He supports your interest, and tells you that they are more important than anything else.
(And sometimes interest and entertainment in itself is not sin, but it becomes sin when we replace our spiritual commitments with them.)
2. Because the strong man, feeds our egos. (Self-centeredness, selfishness, the, “its all about me,” problem that some Christians have, pride)
Why do we not rid ourselves of this guy?
3. Because the strong man, gratifies our flesh. (Through media, (If its not racy enough, we know where the video store is), substance abuse, (Smoking, etc.), and personal indulgence, (Over dress, under dress, over eating, wrong associations).
4. Because the strong man, knows that you are right and agrees with you, when others will not. (You do not have to forgive people or do them right when you have all the facts and you know they did you or someone wrong.)
5. Because the strong man, protects your wealth. (tithe, support the church and the building program? That’s crazy, you need that money for yourself!)
We hate the Strong Man, yet we love the Strong Man.
Just think how boring life would be without him? After all, your kids know him now and he provides for them too.
If you raise them everyday, watching you yield to your flesh, they will do the same.
Transition
The Bible says that your body houses the Holy Spirit.
2 John 10 (To the lady elect)
“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house,)
Take this in a spiritual sense. If any influence that is in violation to Scripture tries to appeal to you, do not invite it into your spiritual house.
2 John 10:11(The Message)
If anyone shows up who doesn’t hold to this teaching, don’t invite him in and give him the run of the place. 11 That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.
Could Goliath have ever been beneficial to the children of Israel if they could have done something with him other than killing him?
For Israel, he was better off dead.
He had to die for them to have complete victory.
The Strong Man must die.
What is the Strong Man in your life?
We wrestle with him daily, don’t we?
Is it coming to church, coming to prayer meeting, giving, praying in general, reading our Bibles, certain people, our rights, modesty, purity, etc.
I’m talking about things that control us instead of us taking authority over them.
So, now we’ve come to an understanding of who the Strong Man is, how do we kill him?
You have to die with him.
Both of you must be crucified with Christ.
Rom 6:11-14 (The Message)
11 From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did.
12 That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. 13 Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time — remember, you’ve been raised from the dead! — into God’s way of doing things. 14 Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life.
Eph 4:27 “Neither give place to the devil.”
James4:7-8 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him run. Say a yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Hit your knees, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before Christ; it’s the only way you’ll get victory over the Strong Man.
