I am going to go
through this passage of
scripture verse by verse. There
are other scriptures and
thoughts in between the verses
in this chapter.
Verse1-3. So what do we do,
then? Do we persist in sin so
that God’s kindness and grace
will increase? 2 What a terrible
thought! We have died to sin
once and for all, as a dead man
passes away from this life. So
how could we live under sin’s
rule a moment longer? 3 Or have
you forgotten that all of us who
were immersed into union with
Jesus, the Anointed One, were
immersed into union with his
death?
Jesus paid for us to have new
life in him. If we are walking
in that old life, and old
ways...but expecting to reap the
benefits of our new life in
Jesus...is like thinking a
person who has died can continue
on with life. When we accept
Jesus and his sacrifice we
become dead to this world and
alive in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 2-19-20 TPT
19 For through the law I died to
the law, so that I might live to
God. 20 My old identity has been
co-crucified with Christ and no
longer lives. And now the
essence of this new life is no
longer mine, for the Anointed
One lives his life through me—we
live in union as one! My new
life is empowered by the faith
of the Son of God who loves me
so much that he gave himself for
me, dispensing his life into
mine!
We need to be dead to this world
and it's temptations. Only if we
remain dead to our old
life...will we be able to enjoy
the new life.
Verse 4&5. Sharing in his death
by our baptism means that we
were co-buried with him, so that
when the Father’s glory raised
Christ from the dead, we were
also raised with him. We have
been co-resurrected with him so
that we could be empowered to
walk in the freshness of new
life. 5 For since we are
permanently grafted into him to
experience a death like his,
then we are permanently grafted
into him to experience a
resurrection like his and the
new life that it imparts.
Giving ourselves over to
God...studying the
word...spending time in
prayer...and spending time in
His presence through praise and
worship and also quiet
meditation...that is how we gain
the strength to resist the devil
and his plan to draw us back
into our old ways.
Verse 6. Could it be any clearer
that our former identity is now
and forever deprived of its
power? For we were co-crucified
with him to dismantle the
stronghold of sin within us, so
that we would not continue to
live one moment longer submitted
to sin’s power.
Jesus took away sin's power over
us. But we must walk in
that...and stand
strong...because Satan will do
whatever he can to detour us
from living the life that Jesus
paid for.
1 Peter 5:8-9
8 Be well balanced and always
alert, because your enemy, the
devil, roams around incessantly,
like a roaring lion looking for
its prey to devour.
If he is looking for who he can
devour...that means he can't
just devour or destroy anyone he
pleases. But it does say that he
can devour you...if you let him.
We have to do what the next
verse says...
9 Take a decisive stand against
him and resist his every attack
with strong, vigorous faith. For
you know that your believing
brothers and sisters around the
world are experiencing the same
kinds of troubles you endure.
John 8:44b Speaking of Satan
He’s been a murderer right from
the start! He never stood with
the truth, for he’s full of
nothing but lies—lying is his
native tongue. He is a master of
deception and the father of
lies!
Verse 7 & 8. Obviously, a dead
person is incapable of sinning.
8 And if we were co-crucified
with the Anointed One, we know
that we will also share in the
fullness of his life.
We need to keep this in mind
when the devil comes to tempt
us. If I am dead to sin...then I
will reap the rewards of new
life and not walk in fear of
what the devil will do to me. As
long as we are living our lives
according to scripture...he
can't touch us.
This is not saying that every
person that has been attacked by
some kind of sickness, or
disease was walking in sin.
Jesus was attacked and we know
that he never sinned
Satan will attack whoever he
decides...but if that
happens...we do need to check
ourselves and repent of whatever
sin may be in our life that we
might not be aware of and then
confess scriptures for whatever
we are being attacked with and
believe God for deliverance.
All attacks come because Satan
comes to steal the word. Mark 4
explains that clearly. He could
care less about you...he wants
to steal the Word from you...you
are simply a casualty of war. If
we have no Word in us...we are
open prey to his devices. We
have no defence against him.
Philippians 3:14-16
14 I run straight for the divine
invitation of reaching the
heavenly goal and gaining the
victory-prize through the
anointing of Jesus. 15 So let
all who are fully mature have
this same passion, and if anyone
is not yet gripped by these
desires, God will reveal it to
them. 16 And let us all advance
together to reach this
victory-prize, following one
path with one passion.
Be passionate about the Word and
it will protect you. The more
you read the Word, study it and
ask for revelation...the more
you are protecting yourself.
Verses 9-11. And we know that
since the Anointed One has been
raised from the dead to die no
more, his resurrection life has
vanquished death and its power
over him is finished. 10 For by
his sacrifice he died to sin’s
power once and for all, but he
now lives continuously for the
Father’s pleasure. 11 So let it
be the same way with you! Since
you are now joined with him, you
must continually view yourselves
as dead and unresponsive to
sin’s appeal while living daily
for God’s pleasure in union with
Jesus, the Anointed One.
We have this power...through
Jesus Christ...to stand against
whatever Satan throws at us.
Jesus destroyed death and it's
power over him...and he wants us
to walk in that truth and live
as he did...pleasing the Father.
Sin’s Reign Is Over
Verses 12-14. Sin is a dethroned
monarch; so you must no longer
give it an opportunity to rule
over your life, controlling how
you live and compelling you to
obey its desires and cravings.
13 So then, refuse to answer its
call to surrender your body as a
tool for wickedness. Instead,
passionately answer God’s call
to keep yielding your body to
him as one who has now
experienced resurrection life!
You live now for his pleasure,
ready to be used for his noble
purpose. 14 Remember this: sin
will not conquer you, for God
already has! You are not
governed by law but governed by
the reign of the grace of God.
We cannot let sin reign in our
lifes...in any capacity. Even
the smallest sin will open the
door. Remember all sin, no
matter how great as sin or how
small...in God's eyes it is all
the same. So if you think that
gossiping or complaining is not
really bad enough to get over
into the devil's
territory...think again.
The devil will tempt you will
all manner of evil...Satan will
try to tell you that the Word of
God doesn't work. But we know
that he is a liar and the Father
of lies. Don't believe anything
contrary to the Word of God. But
in order to do that...we need to
know the Word. It is our defense
against the evil's of this
world. And quick repentance will
bring up back to where we should
be.
1 John 1:9
9 But if we freely admit our
sins when his light uncovers
them, he will be faithful to
forgive us every time. God is
just to forgive us our sins
because of Christ, and he will
continue to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
Grace Frees Us to Serve God
Verses 15-16. What are we to do,
then? Should we sin to our
hearts’ content since there’s no
law to condemn us anymore? What
a terrible thought! 16 Don’t you
realize that grace frees you to
choose your own master? But
choose carefully, for you
surrender yourself to become a
servant—bound to the one you
choose to obey. If you choose to
love sin, it will become your
master, and it will own you and
reward you with death. But if
you choose to love and obey God,
he will lead you into perfect
righteousness.
We need to "Choose Wisely" and
the only wise choice is God's
Word. Never side with the devil
and his lies...no matter how he
tries to convince you that "It
wasn't really sin...you were
justified to respond that
way...or any such lie he would
try to feed you.
Verses 17 & 18 And thanks be to
God, for in the past you were
servants of sin, but now your
obedience is heart deep, and
your life is being molded by
truth through the teaching you
are devoted to. 18 And now you
celebrate your freedom from your
former master—sin. You’ve left
its bondage, and now God’s
perfect righteousness holds
power over you as his loving
servants.
Don't live in bondage to
sin...no matter how "Small" the
sin may be...it's still sin and
will be the seed to have
something bigger grow. Sometimes
things happen...and we start to
dwell on it...and the more you
think about it...the bigger it
gets and we start to "Imagine"
things that actually are not
true.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
For although we live in the
natural realm, we don’t wage a
military campaign employing
human weapons, using
manipulation to achieve our
aims. Instead, our spiritual
weapons are energized with
divine power to effectively
dismantle the defenses behind
which people hide. 5 We can
demolish every deceptive fantasy
that opposes God and break
through every arrogant attitude
that is raised up in defiance of
the true knowledge of God. We
capture, like prisoners of war,
every thought and insist that it
bow in obedience to the Anointed
One. 6 Since we are armed with
such dynamic weaponry, we stand
ready to punish any trace of
rebellion, as soon as you choose
complete obedience.
King James Version
4 For the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down
of strong holds;
5 Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience
of Christ;
6 And having in a readiness to
revenge all disobedience, when
your obedience is fulfilled.
The devil will present you with
an idea...thought or
imagination...if we dwell on
it...it will become a
stronghold. We need to stop it
in the first stage. Recognize it
for what it is...and get rid of
it. How do we recognize it? If
it is contrary to what God's
Word says...is it not God. But
in order to be able to do
that...we need to know God's
Word.
Verses 19&20. I’ve used the
familiar terms of a “servant”
and a “master” to compensate for
your weakness to understand. For
just as you surrendered your
bodies and souls to impurity and
lawlessness, which only brought
more lawlessness into your
lives, so now surrender
yourselves as servants of
righteousness, which brings you
deeper into true holiness. 20
For when you were bound as
servants to sin, you lived your
lives free from any obligation
to righteousness.
Choose whether you want to be
bound to sin or bound to
righteousness.
Verses 21-23. So tell me, what
benefit ensued from doing those
things that you’re now ashamed
of? It left you with nothing but
a legacy of shame and death. 22
But now, as God’s loving
servants, you live in joyous
freedom from the power of sin.
So consider the benefits you now
enjoy—you are brought deeper
into the experience of true
holiness that ends with eternal
life! 23 For sin’s meager wages
is death, but God’s lavish gift
is life eternal, found in your
union with our Lord Jesus, the
Anointed One.
I want to live in the joyous
freedom from the power of sin.
Weigh the consequences of sin.
Is any time that you have
strayed from the Word of God
worth any moment of false
satisfaction...that can lead to
death? Yes this life is a
struggle sometimes...but God is
always there to turn to. Keep
short accounts with God. If you
sin, repent and get back in
right standing with Him. Don't
beat yourself over the head with
it. Don't wallow in self pity
because you "Failed". Everyone
fails...but it is how you handle
failure that counts.
1 Corinthians 15:54-56
54 And when that which is mortal
puts on immortality, and what
now decays is exchanged for what
will never decay, then the
Scripture will be fulfilled that
says: Death is swallowed up by a
triumphant victory! 55 So death,
tell me, where is your victory?
Tell me death, where is your
sting? 56 It is sin that gives
death its sting and the law that
gives sin its power.
TPT
John 14:23
The Passion Translation
"Loving me empowers you to obey
my word. And my Father will love
you so deeply that we will come
to you and make you our dwelling
place."
It's always a good day to die to
self. Never turn down an
opportunity to die...to self or
sin. To reject an opportunity to
die is to reject and opportunity
for a miracle. We have to die to
self to live for Christ. It is a
relational journey of trust
If a fruit tree remains
connected to life...it will bear
fruit. If you cut off the life
source...it will quickly stop
bearing fruit and will
eventually die.
Abiding in a relationship to God
causes answers to prayer.
We will bear fruit. If we stop
abiding...we stop being a
disciple.
If you say no to what you want
to do...it gives God the ability
to do what he wants to do in
you.
The beauty of choosing to
represent the Lord...by dying to
what you would naturally do, He
will step in and handle whatever
you need for you.
When I struggle to make things
happen in my life...when I try
to take God's place and say...I
can handle this...it becomes
difficult to discern what He
brought into my life and what I
brought in, and it becomes
blurry to see when He is
directing and I am directing my
life. And that is a bad and
dangerous place to be. You begin
to get over confident and
boastful. Your conversation will
be all about what "I" did and
not what God did. When I hear
someone always talking about
what they did and not what God
did...warning signs start
flashing. Without God's
Grace...all of us would be
doomed. So never take credit for
what God has done in your life.
It needs to be total dependence
on him...to bring things to pass
as they should be. Sometimes it
may look like we are having
victory...but if it is not based
on the Word of God it will fall.
We need to live the Resurrection
Life so the enemy can't attack
us. As soon as we start to
compromise or fall back into our
old ways...we open ourselves up
for the enemy to attack. Remain
Dead to Sin and he will have no
power over you. Remember...he
can't hurt you if you are
dead...to sin.
If things aren't working out the
way you expected...check your
"Dead to Sin" statis. Eliminate
gossip, complaining, anger,
un-forgiveness, bitterness,
offence, resentment and so
on...from your life because they
are sin and God can't protect us
if we are operating in the realm
of sin. It opens the door to
sickness and disease and death.
Be diligent to not allow these
things in your life...and if you
do fall into the "Sin Trap"
repent immediately. Give no
place to sin!
The devil has a goal.
John 10:10
NKJV
10 The thief does not come
except to steal, and to kill,
and to destroy.
If he can distract you long
enough that he can pull you away
from the Word of God and enter
back into the world of "Death by
Sin" that is his mission. I am
not talking about physical
death...that will happen to us
all...but I am talking about
something far worse...Spiritual
death. He wants to rob you of
your salvation. And yes this can
happen...it has happened before.
Jesus has a goal as well.
TPT
John 10:10 But I have come to
give you everything in
abundance, more than you
expect—life in its fullness
until you overflow!
You Choose...and choose wisely.
Stay dead to sin...And live and
walk in the abundant
Resurrection Life
