Do you have a strategy for your struggle against sin? There are FOUR Key Verbs in Romans 6:11-13 that describe for us the manner in which we are to overcome temptation. These four keys will unlock your potential to experience the victory Christ promised in overcoming sin.
Paul introduces a MILITARY concept. In Romans 6:13 we see the words, “instruments of wickedness.” This word “instruments” is better translated weapons.
In Romans 7:23 "but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members."
We are at war and we need spiritual weapons! We need a strategy to win the battle of temptation. Do you have a strategy for your struggle against sin?
The strategy is outlined in FOUR Key Verbs in Romans 6:11-13
The FIRST ver is found in Romans 6:11. Recognize Your New Life in Christ.
The Verb is “logidzomai.” In the NIV it is translated, “count yourself.” In the KJV it is “reckon.” It means that we are to have a change in THINKING.
Logidzomia is used 41 x in NT, 19 x in Romans. It means “To count something or take it into account.” One of those usages is found in Romans 4:3 "What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” The word “credited” is the same word. Abraham’s disposition toward God was changed because of Abraham’s faith.
Have you ACCEPTED the CHANGE God accomplished in you?
Illus - “The LION KING.” Simba turns away from his BIRTHRIGHT. He returns to Pride Rock and ASSERTS the Rights that belonged to Him
We must “take into account” the FACT that we are dead to sin.
Christ’s Victory over Death is our Example/ Pattern. The way that we “reckon” our death to sin is “In the same way” that Christ conquered death!” (Rom 6:8-10).
Paul doesn’t just tell us to have faith without describing the content of that faith.
The only way that we can do this is through FAITH. In Romans 6:8, Paul writes, “now if we believe. . .”
Romans 6:9 = KNOWLEDGE (for we know. . .)
Romans 6:11= ACTION (In the same way. . .)
PRACTICALLY, We must live in accordance to the status that we have been given.
Illus - Before days of airline travel. . . Man saves for many years to purchase his passage to America. . . . He packs his few possessions and some biscuits and jerky for the long voyage to America. . . He is HAPPY to be on board. . . He looks with envy at the fancy meals that the other, more wealthy passengers eat, but he contents himself with his biscuits and jerky. A day before reaching port, a steward notices this man eating his biscuits while the other passengers are enjoying their dining room meal. “But sir, when you purchased your passage, all was included. You’ve been eating biscuits when you could have been eating wonderfully prepared meals!”
Now we come to the SECOND VERB in our strategy against sin. Present Your Life to God in Complete Surrender. Rom 6:13b
This is the MAIN verb of the text. It is the Greek word paristhami. It is used 41 x in NT. 8x in Romans. It means to place beside. “Put yourself at God’s disposal” (BAGD)
This is in the POSITIVE
This is in the SECOND PERSON PLURAL (a command)
This is in the AORIST (a one time action) and means to SURRENDER your life COMPLETELY to God
Here we are talking about something theologians call progressive sanctification. As believers, God intends and has provided that we are growing closer to him. We are destined for this (Romans 8:28-30). But what happens when this is not our experience? This is a theological difficulty: Christians whose growth is stunted.
For MOST OF US, there comes a time of DECISION. A time in our lives when we unlock allo of the doors of our life to the Lord. NO ROOMS are left unopened.
In the short booklet “My heart, Christ’s Home,” Robert Boyd Munger describes our lives as a home, and Christ as our special guest. We are eager to allow Christ to see the Living Room, and Kitchen, but he longs to go to the closed in the basement. We want to keep certain parts of our lives hidden from the Lord, but he is not truly Lord of the house until he has complete and unfettered access. It is then that we know that our lives are completely his.
The BARRIERS can be
An unyielded spirit
An unrecognized weakness
An unrepented sin
An uncontrolled habit
An unforgiving attitude
An unhealed wound
A fear that COMPLETE surrender will limit your happiness.
A.W. Tozer wrote, “Everything is safe which we commit to the Lord and nothing is safe which is not so committed” (Tozer. “The Pursuit of God”)
Next is our THIRD VERB in the strategy for Victory over sin
Choose the Ruler of Your Life. Romans 6:12 “do not let sin reign”
In the Greek, it means “do not let sin act as king over you.”
It is in the PRESENT TENSE, meaning ongoing action. This must be the active, ongoing decision in our lives.
Sin will not reign in our HEAVENLY body
Sin cannot reign in our MORTAL body unless we allow it!
This MORTAL body is dying. Live for what will matter in eternity!
EVIL desires = passions of the flesh. 1 John 2:15-17
“The cravings of sinful man” (lust of the flesh KJV)
“The lust of his eyes”
“The boasting of what he has and does” (sinful pride of life)
EVE faced these temptations in the GARDEN. Genesis 3:1-4.
The tempter said “Did God really say you must not eat?” Satan appealed to the cravings of sinful man.
The tempter said, “You will not surely die. . .” Satan appealed to the boasting of what he has and does.
The tempter said, “Your eyes will be opened. . .” Satan appealed to Eve’s physical sense of sight.
JESUS faced these temptation in the WILDERNESS. Matt. 4:3-8
“Tell these stones to be turned to bread” Cravings of sinful man
“Throw yourself down from the highest point” Sinful pride of life
“All these kingdoms I will give to you.” Lust of the eyes
Do you get the picture? This is the source of the temptation in the Garden. The same three fold temptation was presented to Jesus. They are the same temptations that affect us today and are common to us all. 1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
Finally, we have the FOURTH PART of our STRATEGY.
Live for Godly Joy, Not Worldly Pleasure. Rom 6:13a
“Do not offer the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness”
Also, this is in the Present tense
It is the Same word as 6:13b “but rather offer yourselves to God” (aorist)
We are not to battle temptation in a gloom and doom attitude! We should be having a Crisis of Happiness! We should serve God with DELIGHT, not just DUTY.
Satan wants us to believe that Complete Surrender will deprive us of happiness. This is one of his greatest lies! Just the opposite is true.
John Piper more than any other modern author dispels this debilitating false belief. He uses the term “Christian Hedonism” to describe the joy and delight that we ought to have in serving God. It is right and holy to pursue happiness - a godly happiness that is deeper than the superficial, temporary happiness of the world.
This is the kind of delight that Jesus wants for us. John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
This is the kind of delight that John, the “apostle of love” desired for his disciples. "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." (3 John 4).
This is the delight spoken of in the opening of the book of worship, the Psalms. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:1-2)
This is the delight of the psalmist in Psalm 119. "I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight." (Psalm 119:174)
This is the delight of Christian brothers and sisters walking in unity. "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1)
There is pleasure and joy in serving the Lord! "Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant." (Psalm 135:3) . "May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth." (Proverbs 5:18).
Jesus used the words “Blessed is the man” in the beattitudes.
Of this kind of attitude, John Piper wrote, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” J Piper
Are you TRUSTING GOD for your happiness?
Christian musician Damaris Carbaugh once said, “I thought that surrender to God would mean the death of my happiness. The truth is, pursuing our dreams usually brings death to us.” (Damaris Carbaugh in concert at Word of Life, summer 2006)
So here is a four part strategy for winning the war against temptation
RECOGNIZE that God has given you everything necessary for victory.
PRESENT your life in complete surrender
CHOOSE the ruler of your life
LIVE for Godly joy, nor worldly pleasure.
What is the Promised result when we adopt this strategy for our warfare? We discover it in Romans 6:14 “Sin shall not be your master.”
No more defeat! No more surrender!
(Romans 6:9) "For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him."
What is your strategy for victory over sin?
