“We know that our old self was crucified with [Jesus] in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.”

Romans 6:6-7

When we were first saved, the Holy Spirit awakened within us a desire to live a radical life for Jesus Christ. This new desire, to love Jesus and live for Him, was a miracle that God performed in our hearts. The Prophet Ezekiel describes this work of God’s Spirit this way, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone…And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26-27). This new heart of ours, this born-again heart, is a heart that loves Jesus and desires to follow and obey Him.

Our story doesn’t end there though. Even with our new heart that has new desires to love and follow Jesus, every Christian has experienced what the Apostle James calls, “temptation.” He wrote, “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed” (James 1:14). When pride, anger, lust, envy or jealously tempts us, and we sin, something happens to our love and passion for Jesus. It begins to grow cold. And many Christians have lost their desire to live radically for Jesus because of their struggle with sin.

In Romans 6, Paul the Apostle, provides us with an important truth every believer must understand if they are to conquer their personal sins and recapture their passion for God. Paul tells us that when we were born again, we also died with Jesus on the Cross, so that, “the body of sin might be brought to nothing.” The phrase, “brought to nothing” means to “render inactive” or put another way, “to paralyze.” Our capacity to sin against God hasn’t been removed. It will be when we get to heaven. But while still alive on earth, it’s still present. BUT it has been paralyzed. On the Cross, Jesus broke the neck of sin and left it powerless and paralyzed. Because sin is still present, we can be tempted. But because its also been paralyzed, we can resist it. God’s grace doesn’t just pardon our sin. It also gives us the power to overcome it.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
We’ve all heard of horrible stories of children being bullied in school. Imagine being one of those kids. Someone bigger and older than you using his strength to intimidate you into doing everything he tells you to do. You’re forced to hand over your lunch money, do his homework, clean up after his messes. Then one day, this bully gets into an accident. His neck is broken and he becomes paralyzed. A group of friends visit him in the hospital and you reluctantly go along. When you see him, the bad memories and fears begin to rise up. And sure enough, when he sees you, he begins to bark orders again. But then it dawns on you…this old bully can’t move anymore. He can’t force you to do anything. He can’t overpower you. All he can do is yell and scream. He’s “present” in your life but he no longer has any “power” over you.

This is what Jesus did to our “old bully.” On the Cross, He broke its neck and rendered him “paralyzed.” Sin can still yell and scream at us. Lust can still talk to you. Pride and anger can still bark orders. But sin has had its neck broken. It cannot overpower you. It cannot force you to obey. When we realize this, we understand that because we have died to sin, and Jesus has “brought it to nothing”, we can resist it, overcome it, conquer it, and get back to living radically for Jesus. (Pastor Davin Yokomori)

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“Jesus has broken sin’s neck. It no longer has any power of me. I choose to resist all temptation and live radically for Jesus.”

TODAY’S BIBLE READING

• Old Testament: Ezra 4-5; Proverbs 3
• New Testament: Luke 13:22-35; 1 Timothy 2