A Changed Lordship
Most Christians have a desire to live their lives for the Lord. However, many find themselves agonizing in prayer, seemingly without getting victory over sin and without enjoying the promise of Romans 6:6-7, “For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”
Scores of books have been written on how to live a victorious life. Many church attendees are reading books that teach, “just stop trying and start trusting” or “let go and let God.” Sadly, most Christian books are like eating your favorite candy, satisfying the taste buds but only clogging the arteries. Even after digesting the best selling Christian books, most Christians are living with the frustrations that come with pride, jealousy, materialism, impatience and lust. Most Christians eat too much, waste their time, criticize each other, shade the truth just a little, and indulge in a dozen other sins, all the time robbing themselves of an intimate relationship with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Jerry Bridges wrote, “Years ago, a Christian friend warned me, ‘Satan will confuse the issue of what God has done and what the Christian’s priorities are.” Lack of Biblical understanding on the truth of pursuing the holiness of God is what is keeping the children of God from enjoying God’s holiness.
The whole of Scripture teaches that dominion of sin has been broken for those who have Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. Christians have been set free from the realm of sin, so they can choose to live a life of righteousness. (Romans 6:18) The Bible teaches that people not under the Lordship of Christ are dead in their transgressions and sins, because they follow the ways of the world and the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 2:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:26)
Our modern day style of presenting the Christian life has given the children of God a wrong perspective. Before Christians can grasp the need of total surrender to Christ, they must believe that Jesus won the battle for them. (Romans 6:18; Colossians 1:13-14) However, there is still an enemy who wants to devour their relationship with God. (John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8)
The Christian battle on earth is like warfare. In any nation any two competing factions can be fighting for control of a country. Eventually, often with the help of an outside army, one side assumes control. Rather than giving up, the losing side changes their tactics, sometimes adopting guerilla warfare. Guerilla warfare is so aggressive that the country supplying the outside help cannot withdraw its troops. Galatians 5:17 describes the Christian’s constant warfare, “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”
In this realm where bad things happen, and sin so easily ensnares there is only one solution, choose not to say as Christ’s enemies, “We do not want this man to be our King.” (Luke 19:14) Christians who say “No” to lord sin and “Yes” to Lord Jesus turn lust into healthy natural desires, indulgence into natural appetites, immorality into healthy sexual desires, materialism into practical clothing and shelter. Let Christ have Lordship of your entire life!
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