““VICTORY OVER LEGALSIM ANDVICTORY OVER LEGALSIM ANDSELF-DEPENDENCE”SELF-DEPENDENCE”

Through the Power of the Holy SpiritThrough the Power of the Holy Spirit(Romans 7:15-8:4)(Romans 7:15-8:4)

STRUGGLING WITH SIN?STRUGGLING WITH SIN?

Romans 7:15 – 7:25Romans 7:15 – 7:25

II.II. YOUR STRUGGLE - THE SIN YOUR STRUGGLE - THE SIN

NATURE VERSUS THE NATURE VERSUS THE NEW NATURE!NEW NATURE!

• Have you ever approached a situation with the Have you ever approached a situation with the

best of intentions to do what’s right and honor best of intentions to do what’s right and honor

the Lord, only to fail miserably? the Lord, only to fail miserably?

• Have you ever wondered why sin is sometimes Have you ever wondered why sin is sometimes

as much of a problem in your Christian walk as as much of a problem in your Christian walk as

it was before you were saved?it was before you were saved?

• Have you ever thought that sin is more Have you ever thought that sin is more

of a problem as a believer than it was of a problem as a believer than it was

as an unbeliever? as an unbeliever?

II.II. YOUR STRUGGLE - THE SIN YOUR STRUGGLE - THE SIN

NATURE VERSUS THE NATURE VERSUS THE NEW NATURE!NEW NATURE!

• Have you ever wanted to give up in despair Have you ever wanted to give up in despair

because of frustration – wanting to do what’s because of frustration – wanting to do what’s

right, but failing over and over again? right, but failing over and over again?

• Have you ever resolved to try harder to live a Have you ever resolved to try harder to live a

life that pleases the Lord, only to find yourself life that pleases the Lord, only to find yourself

completely inadequate and unable to live up to completely inadequate and unable to live up to

those resolutions?those resolutions?

II.II. YOUR STRUGGLE - THE SIN YOUR STRUGGLE - THE SIN

NATURE VERSUS THE NATURE VERSUS THE NEW NATURE!NEW NATURE!

• Have you ever tried to change and improve in Have you ever tried to change and improve in

your walk with the Lord, only to find yourself your walk with the Lord, only to find yourself

failing over and over again?failing over and over again?

• Have you ever wondered if there is ever going Have you ever wondered if there is ever going

to be real to be real victoryvictory in your daily walk, and if so, in your daily walk, and if so,

how it can be realized?how it can be realized?

II.II. YOUR STRUGGLE - THE SIN YOUR STRUGGLE - THE SIN

NATURE VERSUS THE NATURE VERSUS THE NEW NATURE!NEW NATURE!

* Can the inner conflict you experience as a believer be baffling at times? (7:15a) 

Romans 7:15Romans 7:151515 For what I am doing, I do not For what I am doing, I do not

understandunderstand. For what I will to do, that I do . For what I will to do, that I do

not practice; but what I hate, that I do. not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

YES!!YES!! 

* Can the Christian life be lived * Can the Christian life be lived

by your sheer willpower and by your sheer willpower and

strength? (7:15b)strength? (7:15b)  

Romans 7:15Romans 7:151515 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I dopractice; but what I hate, that I do..

NO!!NO!! 

* Can you actually end up doing * Can you actually end up doing

the opposite of what you desire in the opposite of what you desire in

your Christian walk? (7:15c-16)your Christian walk? (7:15c-16)

Romans 7:16Romans 7:161616 If, then, If, then, I do what I will not to doI do what I will not to do, I agree , I agree with the law that with the law that it isit is good. good.

YES!!YES!! 

* What is the real source of your * What is the real source of your

spiritual defeat? (7:17)spiritual defeat? (7:17)

Romans 7:17Romans 7:171717 But now, But now, it isit is no longer I who do it, but no longer I who do it, but sinsin that dwells in me. that dwells in me.

THE SIN NATURE!!THE SIN NATURE!! 

* Who is your greatest problem? * Who is your greatest problem?

(7:18a) (7:18a)

Romans 7:18Romans 7:181818 For I know that For I know that in mein me (that is, in my flesh) (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but with me, but howhow to perform what is good I to perform what is good I do not find. do not find.

YOU!!YOU!! 

* Does God change your flesh at * Does God change your flesh at

salvation? (7:18b)salvation? (7:18b)

Romans 7:18Romans 7:181818 For I know that in me (that is, in For I know that in me (that is, in my fleshmy flesh) ) nothing good dwells; nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

NO!!NO!! 

* Why do believers live in spiritual * Why do believers live in spiritual

defeat? (7:18c-20) defeat? (7:18c-20)

Ignorance Ignorance (not knowing Romans 6-8)(not knowing Romans 6-8)

False Teaching False Teaching (i.e. legalism)(i.e. legalism)

Willfulness Willfulness (just choose to sin)(just choose to sin)

Self-Dependence Self-Dependence (Paul in Romans Ch. 7)(Paul in Romans Ch. 7) 

* What will the believer * What will the believer

experience when he seeks to live experience when he seeks to live

the Christian life by law and the Christian life by law and

seeks victory and fruit through seeks victory and fruit through

his own strength? (7:21-24) his own strength? (7:21-24)

FAILURE AND FRUSTRATIONFAILURE AND FRUSTRATION 

* While knowing the truth of * While knowing the truth of

Romans 6, and desiring to serve Romans 6, and desiring to serve

Jesus Christ, how did Paul end Jesus Christ, how did Paul end

up in Romans 7?up in Romans 7?

• He defaulted into self-dependence He defaulted into self-dependence instead of dependence upon the Lord! instead of dependence upon the Lord!

• In doing so, he focused on himself instead In doing so, he focused on himself instead of Christ as His life of Christ as His life

• and began living by law instead of by and began living by law instead of by grace.grace.  

Not everyone, by any means, has had the experience of the seventh of Romans, that agony of conflict, of desire to do what we cannot do, of longing to do the right we find we cannot do. It is a great blessing when a person gets into the seventh of Romans and begins to realize the awful conflict of its struggle and defeat; because the first step toward getting out of the struggle of the seventh chapter and into the victory of the eighth, is to get into the seventh.

Of all the needy classes of people, the neediest of this earth are not those who are having a heart-breaking, agonizing struggle for victory, but those who are having no struggle at all, and no victory, and who do not know it, and who are satisfied and jogging along in a pitiable absence of almost all the possessions that belong to them in Christ.

Christians in the main groan and strive and struggle largely on the basis of human effort where the grace of God, though acknowledged, is scarcely operative—only to come to grief. Even at their best, they find the purpose of the Lord Jesus remains an ideal infinitely beyond their reach. The trouble lies in the fact that they are proceeding on the wrong basis.

God does not expect them, as a result of their own endeavors, to be like the Lord Jesus. He expects them to realize the utter impossibility of such a thing (as in Romans Seven, where Paul comes to the end of himself). He expects them to know the Lord Jesus as their very life, disowning any other. He expects them to realize their position of absolute oneness with Christ, for He “has blessed them with every spiritual blessing in heavenly palaces in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

III.III. YOUR POWER SOURCE TO LIVE YOUR POWER SOURCE TO LIVE

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE—THE HOLY THE CHRISTIAN LIFE—THE HOLY

SPIRIT!SPIRIT!

III.III. YOUR POWER SOURCE TO LIVE YOUR POWER SOURCE TO LIVE

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE—THE HOLY THE CHRISTIAN LIFE—THE HOLY

SPIRIT!SPIRIT!

You were You were INDWELTINDWELT (Rom. 8:9), (Rom. 8:9), SEALEDSEALED

(Eph. 1:13), (Eph. 1:13), BAPTIZEDBAPTIZED (1 Cor. 12:13), (1 Cor. 12:13),

REGENERATEDREGENERATED (John 3:3-7), and (John 3:3-7), and

GIFTEDGIFTED (Rom. 12:4-7) by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:4-7) by the Holy Spirit

the very moment you were born again the very moment you were born again

and blessed with all spiritual blessings in and blessed with all spiritual blessings in

Christ. Christ.

The Holy Spirit now wants to minister to The Holy Spirit now wants to minister to

you each day by…..you each day by…..

• TEACHINGTEACHING you the Word of God (1 Cor. you the Word of God (1 Cor.

2:12-13)2:12-13)

• Enabling you to have Enabling you to have VICTORYVICTORY over the over the

flesh (Gal. 5:16)flesh (Gal. 5:16)

• Giving you Giving you POWERPOWER to live the Christian life to live the Christian life

(Eph. 5:18-20)(Eph. 5:18-20)

• Producing spiritual Producing spiritual FRUITFRUIT in your life (Gal. in your life (Gal.

5:22-23)5:22-23) 

What was the rationale and need behind What was the rationale and need behind

God giving the Holy Spirit to permanently God giving the Holy Spirit to permanently

indwell and empower you?indwell and empower you?

Person Mission Ability

The believer in Christ

to glorify Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:20-21)

totally inadequate(2 Cor. 3:5)

The Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus Christ(John 16:14)

totally adequate(Zech. 4:6)

GOD’S SOLUTIONGOD’S SOLUTION: to place the : to place the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit

permanently permanently INSIDEINSIDE every believer in Christ every believer in Christ

(Romans 8:9).(Romans 8:9).

Galatians 5:16 Galatians 5:16 1616 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall

not fulfill the lust of the flesh. not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

“Things” of the Flesh “Things of the Spirit

Focus on self Focus on Jesus Christ(Phil. 1:21)

Occupation with human viewpoint Occupation with divine viewpoint(Romans 12:2)

Living for the temporary Living in light of eternity(2 Cor. 4:16-18)

Desiring the world’s purposes and pursuits

Desiring the Lord’s purposes and pursuits

(Romans 12:2)

Operating out of pride and self-dependence

Operating out of humility and Christ-dependence (grace thinking Romans

12:3)

Living as if you are still in Adam Living in view of your identity in Christ(Romans 6 & 8, Col. 3:1-4)

What are some of the “things” of the flesh that you can, but should not, set your mind on?

PRINCIPLE TO REMEMBER:PRINCIPLE TO REMEMBER:

The Christian Life Is a Walk of “The Christian Life Is a Walk of “Faith”Faith” in in

CHRISTCHRIST as Your Life through the as Your Life through the

Empowerment of the Empowerment of the HOLYHOLY SPIRITSPIRIT. .

Galatians 2:20 Galatians 2:20 2020 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no I have been crucified with Christ; it is no

longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and

the the lifelife which I now live in the flesh I live by which I now live in the flesh I live by

faith in the Son of God, who loved me and faith in the Son of God, who loved me and

gave Himself for me. gave Himself for me.

Colossians 2:6–7Colossians 2:6–766 As you therefore have received Christ As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 77 rooted and rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. with thanksgiving.

John 15:4–5 John 15:4–5 44 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. in Me. 55 “I am the vine, you “I am the vine, you areare the the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. can do nothing.

2 Corinthians 3:5 2 Corinthians 3:5 55 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as think of anything as beingbeing from ourselves, from ourselves, but our sufficiency but our sufficiency isis from God, from God,

Romans 15:13Romans 15:131313 Now may the God of hope fill you with all Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Spirit.

* Is there victory available over sin and * Is there victory available over sin and

the power necessary to be fruitful for the power necessary to be fruitful for

Jesus Christ?Jesus Christ?

ALL BY GOD’S GRACE!!ALL BY GOD’S GRACE!!

IV.IV. YOUR APPEAL BY GOD - STOP YOUR APPEAL BY GOD - STOP

BEING CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD BEING CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD

BUT BE TRANSFORMED TO DO HIS BUT BE TRANSFORMED TO DO HIS WILL!WILL!

Romans 12:1–2Romans 12:1–211 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the

mercies of God, that you present your mercies of God, that you present your

bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to

God, God, which iswhich is your reasonable service. your reasonable service.

22 And do not be conformed to this world, but And do not be conformed to this world, but

be transformed by the renewing of your be transformed by the renewing of your

mindmind, that you may prove what , that you may prove what isis that good that good

and acceptable and perfect will of God. and acceptable and perfect will of God.

……be transformed… be transformed…

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