Daily Devotion

October 28, 2014

Overcoming Our Carnal Nature


“The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”                                     Ro 8:2
Overcoming Our Carnal Nature
Paul addresses the daily battle that’s waged between our old nature and our new one: “The power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions…I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway…Something…within me…gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, 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. 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?” (Ro 7:18-24 TM). If that sounds like a description of your life, read on: “The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has…cleared the air, freeing you from a…lifetime of…tyranny at the hands of sin and death” (Ro 8:2 TM). When you fly in an airplane the law of aerodynamics overcomes the law of gravity by lifting you above it. And Jesus does that for us. The “law of sin” can rule only if your flesh is alive. So the answer is—die to self! That’s the tough part, for just when you think you’re dead your old nature rises up again. Thank God, a new power is in operation, and the closer you live to Jesus the more that power will work in your life.

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