Well welcome back, when we
left before the break we were
00:00:06.25\00:00:10.86
looking in Romans 7, addressing
the idea of the flesh and the
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Spirit and the fight that
goes on inside every person.
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Drawing from that reference
in Galatians we came over to
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Romans to take a look.
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Romans 7:25 word says, "so
then, with the mind I myself
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"serve the law of God, but
what the flesh the law of sin. "
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So we have this
conflict inside the person.
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The idea of this is that
someone here is going through a
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process where the
Holy Spirit has been
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working upon the heart.
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The Lord Jesus is revealing
Himself to a person, His will,
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yet there is this
battle because they are missing
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the vital ingredient of
the Spirit of God that will
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enable them to be able
to live in the way that
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God is calling them to.
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What we talked about is
the fact that sometimes we can
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settle down at this spot
and say, God knows my heart.
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He knows that I want to do
what is right, but I have this
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problem with certain
things, but He knows deep down
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what my intentions are.
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The apostle Paul says that
is not where the fight ends.
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There is victory
that can be gained.
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It is not just for someone
who is first coming to the Lord
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Jesus, but this can happen
for someone who has been with
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the Lord Jesus for a long
time and in some other new area
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of their life that the
Lord Jesus has revealed to them
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they go through
a similar struggle.
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What happens is he cries
out, and just to back up for a
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moment, in verse 24 he
says, "O wretched man that I am,
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"who will deliver me
from this body of death?"
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This is a cry of need.
Then he says, "I thank God
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"through Jesus
Christ our Lord. "
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Then leading into verse
one of Chapter 8 he gives this
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beautiful declaration,
"there is therefore now no
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"condemnation to those who
are in Christ Jesus, who do
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"not walk according to the
flesh, but according to the
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"Spirit. " So this reiterates
what the apostle Paul is
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saying, walking in the
Spirit gives you a victory,
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peace with God, and the
knowledge that you are not
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under condemnation
of the law any longer.
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That's right, I think Jim
it is important to note that
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the man in verse
24 is in the flesh.
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If we want to hang out in
verse 24 we have to reckon we
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are in the flesh and in
verse 25 the way he words it,
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people get mixed up.
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He says, I thank God, in
other words the man in verse 24
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is wanting
deliverance from his condition.
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He is not saying this
is fine, this is who I am.
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I'm just a center and we
are all sinners and nobody is
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perfect, he wants deliverance
so he cries out and because
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he cries out for deliverance
he finds deliverance in Jesus
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Christ and he thanks God
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Then he says so than with
the mind that people assume that
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this the delivered
condition, but he is not.
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It does not and here in
verse one of Chapter 8, you know
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the chapter breaks weren't
there in the original text.
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He is just
carrying his thought on.
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He is describing what he
has found in his condition.
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"so then, with my
mind I myself serve
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"the law of God, but with
the flesh the law of sin. "
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This is the condition we
come into when we accept Jesus.
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He gives us that new mind
and He gives is that new heart.
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But we still have the flesh
and so then we have a choice
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to make and that is where
verse one comes in Chapter 8.
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"There is therefore now no
condemnation to those who are
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"in Jesus Christ, who do not
walk according to the flesh,"
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who have chosen to walk
not according to the flesh but
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have chosen to walk
according to the Spirit.
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They are walking according
to the mind that wants to serve
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the law of God instead of
a flesh that wants to serve
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the law of the flesh.
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That's right, now in some
translations, some of the newer
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translations, the NIV and
others this second half of the
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verse isn't there.
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It says, "there is therefore
now no condemnation to those
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"who are in Christ Jesus. "
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It does not say who do not
walk according to the flesh but
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according to the Spirit.
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But that doesn't need to
confuse anybody because all we
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need to do is to look over
to verse 13 and we'll start in
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verse 12 of Chapter 8, it
says, "therefore brother and,
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"we are debtors-not to the
flesh, to live according to the
00:04:07.29\00:04:10.48
"flesh. For if you live
according to the flesh you will
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"die; but if by the Spirit
you put to death the deeds of
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"the body, you will live. "
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So life depends upon putting
to death the deeds of the
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body, the deeds of the flesh,
the works of the flesh which
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I believe the
apostle Paul talks about.
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That's right we are going to
go back to Galatians and look
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at these works of the flesh.
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We don't need to be
confused about what the works of
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the flesh are because
Paul spells it out here in
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Galatians 5:19 he says,
"now the works of the flesh are
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"evident," in other words
these are things we can all
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see and reckon we can
know, "which are adultery,
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"fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness, idolatry, sorcery,
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"hatred, contentions,
jealousies, outbursts of wrath,
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"selfish ambitions,
dissensions, heresies, envy,
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"murders, drunkenness,
revelries, and the like,"
00:05:05.10\00:05:08.04
I think it is important
that we note he puts murders
00:05:08.08\00:05:10.98
right in the list
with envy and revelry.
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He doesn't say well now you're
a murderer and way bad off,
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know they are all
works of the flesh.
00:05:17.89\00:05:19.24
- right. - then he
says, "murders, drunkenness,
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"revelries, and the
like," - add that onto the list.
00:05:23.28\00:05:26.10
In other wards if there is
something I haven't mentioned
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here, or anything like
this other stuff or remotely
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resembling it, those
are works of the flesh.
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"I wish I tell you before
hand, and just as I also told
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"you in time past, that
those who practice such things
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"will not inherit
the kingdom of God. "
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He says something similar
again in 1 Corinthians 6 and
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just so we get
another take on this.
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1 Corinthians 6:9 because
notice he says, that those who
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practice such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God.
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He is very plain, there's
no excusing by saying you know
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this is just the way I am,
well fine you are not going to
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inherit the kingdom of God
unless those practices change.
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That is what he is
saying and he picks it up in
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1 Corinthians 6:9 where he
says, "do not know that the
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"unrighteous will not inherit
the kingdom of God? Do not
00:06:12.95\00:06:16.85
"be deceived. Neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
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"adulterers, nor homosexuals,
nor sodomites, nor thieves,
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"nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor
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"extortioners will
inherit the kingdom of God. "
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And then in verse 11 he says,
"and such were some of you. "
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I think we need to understand
that God is not trying to
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downgrade one person
or one sin over another.
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But we have to reckon that
it doesn't matter what my sin
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is, whether my sin is
fortification or adultery or
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homosexuality or
drunkenness or the like.
00:06:49.12\00:06:53.71
Whatever it is I'm a
sinner in need of salvation.
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I mean that is the
point and he says in verse 11,
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"and such were some of you,
but you were washed, but you
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"were sanctified, but you
were justified in the name of
00:07:03.35\00:07:06.69
"the Lord Jesus and by
the Spirit of our God. "
00:07:06.73\00:07:09.03
So it doesn't
matter what the sin is.
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If you are
willing to a knowledge it,
00:07:10.67\00:07:12.21
God can wash you from it.
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And in that passage there
are, as such were some of you.
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I can think to
myself such a person I was.
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When I think back to my early
experience I'm always drawn
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back when I read this verse
to one time when I read it,
00:07:25.72\00:07:30.02
which was
different than any other.
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I had been a Christian
for just a few short weeks.
00:07:31.37\00:07:34.16
I had started to read my Bible
and the Lord was working on
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my heart, but all the changes
that come from exposure to
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the Word of God had
really happened yet.
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In fact there was a special
party that was planned just
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three weeks after my
conversion experience and
00:07:47.77\00:07:51.09
I remembered I was
supposed to go to this party.
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I started thinking, old
boy this is going to change
00:07:54.77\00:07:58.35
my life but I am learning.
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I started wondering for the
first time should I be going
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to this? I hadn't really
thought that much about the
00:08:03.26\00:08:06.53
changes that were going to come.
00:08:06.56\00:08:07.72
Well I was struggling
and wrestling with this and
00:08:07.76\00:08:11.17
I remember going into my dads
bedroom and sitting down and
00:08:11.20\00:08:14.42
talking to him, he had
just started reading the Bible.
00:08:14.45\00:08:17.47
You remember he used to
have his bed and there was bed
00:08:17.50\00:08:20.24
right across and I would
sit on that bed and just talked
00:08:20.27\00:08:22.97
to him about
things that were my heart.
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I remember talking to him about
the struggle that was going on.
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I said, does God really want
me to stop drinking and going
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to parties because I'm
not really hurting anybody?
00:08:32.47\00:08:34.77
Does He really want me to do
that? Does He not know that if
00:08:34.80\00:08:37.07
I do that
everything will be over?
00:08:37.10\00:08:39.34
My friends are not going to
want to hang out with me or my
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whole life is going
to be over as I know it.
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My dad looked at me and
said, um, I think you're asking
00:08:43.45\00:08:48.89
the wrong person.
That struck my heart.
00:08:48.93\00:08:53.52
He was basically saying I
didn't tell you these things
00:08:53.55\00:08:57.59
were not something
you should be doing.
00:08:57.63\00:08:59.39
That was the Holy Spirit,
you need to be talking to God.
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Oh I resisted that thought
and dad had on his tray right
00:09:03.52\00:09:07.64
by his bed, his Bible open
and I pulled his Bible out and
00:09:07.67\00:09:11.76
read just what
happened to be there.
00:09:11.79\00:09:13.89
We have both been talking
about the Bible those last few
00:09:13.92\00:09:16.08
weeks and I pulled out and
looked at what he had there.
00:09:16.11\00:09:19.38
It was Galatians 5:19-21
where it talks about the works
00:09:19.42\00:09:22.85
of the flesh and it included
in there drunkenness and
00:09:22.88\00:09:26.28
revelry, exactly
what I was going to do.
00:09:26.31\00:09:28.81
And it said, "of which I
tell you before hand and just as
00:09:28.85\00:09:31.31
"I told you in time past
that those that practice such
00:09:31.35\00:09:33.78
"things will not
inherit the kingdom of God. "
00:09:33.82\00:09:35.69
I started thinking, oh, I
will not inherit the kingdom
00:09:35.73\00:09:39.25
of God and I started wrestling
with this thought and the
00:09:39.29\00:09:42.78
Spirit of God was
working on my heart.
00:09:42.81\00:09:43.78
I resisted, I thought I
can't imagine not doing this and
00:09:43.79\00:09:48.09
losing out on these friends.
00:09:48.13\00:09:51.03
So I went on ahead
and went to the party.
00:09:51.06\00:09:52.48
I smiled and what have
you but there was turmoil and
00:09:52.52\00:09:58.16
I was miserable inside.
00:09:58.20\00:09:59.72
The next day was church
and I went to church and the
00:09:59.76\00:10:04.13
speaker preached a sermon,
this speaker normally didn't
00:10:04.17\00:10:08.51
speak very
challenging types of sermons.
00:10:08.54\00:10:11.97
But this particular day
he talked about how we can't
00:10:12.00\00:10:15.13
serve two masters, it's
either one or the other.
00:10:15.17\00:10:18.23
While I was sitting there
with that guilt on my heart
00:10:18.26\00:10:21.75
I started to weep in my
chair and I started to recognize
00:10:21.79\00:10:25.24
that I can't serve two masters.
00:10:25.27\00:10:27.36
As that guilt began to be
washed away I said Lord Jesus
00:10:27.40\00:10:30.75
it is not worth it, it is
not worth it, this life that
00:10:30.79\00:10:33.43
I'm living, I want that peace
with You that I have gained
00:10:33.46\00:10:35.99
these last three weeks.
00:10:36.02\00:10:37.44
I'm going to let this
stuff go, the works of the flesh
00:10:37.48\00:10:39.61
are going to go and
when I did peace and joy came
00:10:39.65\00:10:42.37
into my heart.
00:10:42.41\00:10:43.72
The flesh when it died
and the Spirit came in, what
00:10:43.76\00:10:47.21
happened was described by
the apostle Paul in verse 22.
00:10:47.25\00:10:50.94
It says, "but the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace
00:10:50.98\00:10:54.64
"long-suffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,
00:10:54.68\00:10:56.85
"gentleness, self-control,
against such there is no law. "
00:10:56.89\00:11:00.46
You see now I wasn't under
guilt because there was no law
00:11:00.50\00:11:03.70
against these things, I was
now in harmony with the law.
00:11:03.73\00:11:06.90
The law is against
the works of the flesh not
00:11:06.93\00:11:08.25
the fruit of the Spirit.
00:11:08.28\00:11:09.25
- exactly and that next
verse says, "those who are
00:11:09.28\00:11:11.47
"Christ's have crucified
the flesh with its passions and
00:11:11.51\00:11:14.76
"desires. " And that is exactly
what happened in my life.
00:11:14.80\00:11:18.01
The Lord Jesus had
convicted me and I let it go.
00:11:18.05\00:11:21.34
I allowed it to be crucified
with Christ and joy and
00:11:21.37\00:11:24.63
peace filled my life.
00:11:24.66\00:11:25.92
Well you know Jim it goes
on there and he tells us to do
00:11:25.96\00:11:28.76
just what you did in verse
25, "if we lived in the Spirit
00:11:28.80\00:11:31.89
"let us walk in the Spirit.
" Sometimes people say what
00:11:31.92\00:11:34.57
does that mean? How am I
supposed to walk in the Spirit?
00:11:34.61\00:11:37.23
We are going to
jump to Romans 8:5 again.
00:11:37.26\00:11:40.13
Paul says something here
that we need to take to heart
00:11:40.17\00:11:43.75
and to put into practice.
00:11:43.78\00:11:44.91
Romans 8:5 says, "for
those who live according to the
00:11:44.95\00:11:48.66
"flesh set their minds on
things of the flesh, but those
00:11:48.69\00:11:51.59
"who live according to the
Spirit, things of the Spirit. "
00:11:51.63\00:11:54.19
When you were thinking about
that party it was a thing of
00:11:54.23\00:11:56.76
the flesh, you had
set your mind on it.
00:11:56.80\00:11:58.41
We have to realize, and so
few really seem to grasp, that
00:11:58.45\00:12:02.71
when we give our hearts to
Christ we still have the flesh
00:12:02.75\00:12:06.98
battling against the Spirit.
00:12:07.01\00:12:09.17
- that's right. - we need to,
in essence we have two natures
00:12:09.20\00:12:12.57
there are going to
battle for the ascendancy.
00:12:12.61\00:12:17.46
Whichever one we happen
to be feeding is going to
00:12:17.49\00:12:22.30
be the strongest nature.
00:12:22.34\00:12:23.66
So if I continue to set
my mind on the things of the
00:12:23.69\00:12:27.11
flesh, if all through my
week I live for the world and
00:12:27.14\00:12:30.52
then I come to church on
the weekend, that is not setting
00:12:30.55\00:12:33.89
my mind all the
things of the Spirit.
00:12:33.93\00:12:35.41
I am setting my mind on
the things of the flesh.
00:12:35.44\00:12:37.04
But if when the Spirit of
God convicts me of my sin, and I
00:12:37.07\00:12:40.87
choose to mortify it in
Romans 8:13, put to death those
00:12:40.91\00:12:44.82
fleshly desires and
choose what the Spirit of God is
00:12:44.86\00:12:48.74
telling me is right.
00:12:48.77\00:12:50.02
Like you choosing to resist
those parties and drunkenness
00:12:50.06\00:12:53.11
and revelry, when I choose
the right the Spirit of God
00:12:53.15\00:12:57.23
comes in and gives me a new
heart, a new life, new desires
00:12:57.26\00:13:01.31
and reconciles me to God's will.
00:13:01.34\00:13:04.28
- Amen. - Amen!
00:13:04.31\00:13:06.40