From my reading in Romans 7 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

All people, Christian and non Christian alike struggle with sin!

Even the Apostle Paul struggled with the pull of his sinful nature.  He was in the battle.

 “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” Rom 7:15

If you meet anyone who can’t identify with this statement they are lying!

We all have things in our lives that we struggle with. We don’t want to be lazy but we sleep in. We don’t intend to gossip but it comes out of us.

If you are a Christian you are in a battle.

You have the Holy Spirit living in you. He is giving you new good desires but you also still have the sinful nature in you with bad desires.

If we are not filled with the Spirit and relying on him daily you will naturally slip back into old sin patterns.  Even those of us with the best intentions we can’t achieve perfection. The most mature Christians still struggle with sin until they get to heaven! Paul said,

“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” Rom 7:21-24

Who is the one who frees us from being dominated by sin? Paul continues,

“Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” Rom 7:25

The good news is that only through Jesus we have to power to say no to sin.

People who try to obey by will power alone will never win the battle against sin. Jesus gives us the power to say no to sin and yes to God.  Unfortunately we still often choose to give in to our sinful nature. Next time you find yourself doing something you really don’t want to do confess that sin to God.

Ask Jesus to forgive you and ask the Spirit to fill you and give you the self control to say no next time!

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