The Secret To Victory

And what is true of my relationship with my wife is also true with my relationship with Christ. There are moments when I feel like I am standing on the Mountain of Transfiguration and the glory of the Lord is shining upon me. But there are also moments when sin crouching at my door and I think, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.” My emotions are low. But I do not count on my emotions. I count on the finished work of Christ. I died with him, and I have been raised. Consider it done.

3. Do not let sin boss you around. (vv.12-14)

Look what he says in these verses.

Paul says, “You no longer serve the master of sin. So stop listening to him. Offer your service to God, who is your rightful master.”

Do we have any business owners here today? (Find a volunteer and discover what kind of business he owns.)

Let’s pretend that this man, Dale, comes up after the service and says, “Ben, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. We’ve got a lot to get done this week. We’re swamped, so if you could plan on putting in 50 hours this week and coming in tomorrow morning at 6 AM, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

And just as he begins to walk away, I say, “Dale, I’m sorry. There must be some misunderstanding. I don’t work for you. You are not my boss, and so with all due respect, I don’t have to listen to you. You have no power over me.” And I would be telling the truth.

The same is true with your sinful nature. It doesn’t rule over you any more. The cross has cancelled it’s power and it no longer rules. So you don’t have to put up with it any more. You don’t have to give in to temptation. It has been said this way…

Christians who deliberately sin are people who have yielded themselves to the old nature instead of to the Holy Spirit. They are living beneath their exalted position in Christ. They are living like slaves when they could be reigning like kings.

–Warren Wiersbe

So many Christians walk on this earth, eating scraps from the trash, when they could be feasting from the table. They have yielded to sin, they have given up, they have put their mitt under their arm, and surrendered to the wrong master.

This week, I met a guy named Jeff. Jeff came to my office to interview me for a radio program promoting the mayor’s prayer breakfast. He came to listen to me talk, but as it turned out, I was the one doing the listening because I asked a simple question, “Jeff, tell me your story.” And this is what he told me.

Jeff was saved at age 10, but became a heavy drug and alcohol user in high school. He knew it wasn’t right, but he made a decision to serve the master of sin. And he lived under conviction for almost 10 years—following his own flesh to ruin. Then one night he went to a concert. Hank Williams, Jr., Confederate Railroad, and Shenandoah, three big names in country music were playing nearby. He was completely drunk and stumbled out of that concert with the girl he had been living with, and when he came out of the concert, one of the buses for the bands was parked right there. He decided to wait and see if any of the stars came by. Just then, the lead singer for Shenandoah came up to him and said, “Can I ask you a question?” Jeff nodded. The man went on, “Do you know Jesus?”