Preparing for Victory

30 June 2013 AM – Romans 6:8-23 – Scott Childs

Introduction: Soldiers must prepare for victory. New recruits must get in shape. They must learn to use their equipment. They must learn how to survive difficult situations. They must learn all they can about the enemy’s tactics and locations. They must learn how to avoid stepping on landmines. They must learn to fight with a passion to win.

Christians are also in a battle. Preparation is vital. Failure to prepare for victory can cost the Christian far more than the failure of a soldier to prepare. A Christian’s failure will have eternal consequences.

Transition: This morning we are going to examine five steps you must take in preparing for victory.

I.              Realise You Are Dead to Sin and Alive to God (8-11)

We studied the foundation of this last week (Rom 6:1-7).

A.     Christ died to sin and lives to God

1.      Christ was sinless. How then did He die to sin?

a)      When Christ died for the sins of the human race, He died to sin by paying the full penalty of human sin and by breaking the power of indwelling sin in the believer’s life.

b)      Christ died once for all with no need to ever die again. He defeated sin eternally.

2.      Christ lives to God.

a)      He lives to promote God’s glory.

b)      His death was once for all, but He is living continually and eternally to honour the Father.

B.     God states that believers died to sin and live to God

1.      Speaking to those who were crucified with Christ, (8), Paul begins verse 11 with “likewise” which means “in this manner.” In other words, die and live just like Christ did.

2.      Believers are to reckon (realise, impute, credit) that what God states is absolutely true. Accept it as fact. You cannot trust feelings. God does not lie.

a)      Your spirit is dead to sin, just like Christ is dead to sin. Sin’s penalty is paid and sin’s power is broken.

b)      Your spirit is alive to God. God has set you free from sin so you can now live for His glory.

c)      This guarantee is through (in) our Lord Jesus Christ. He did this for you. It is not something you do.

Colossians 2:13-14  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Realise You Are Dead to Sin and Alive to God

II.            Reject Sins Attempts to Boss You into Obedience (12)

A.     Based on the fact, stand your ground

1.      “Therefore” points you back to the fact that Christ died for sin and lives to honour God and you died with Him and live so you can honour God.

2.      On that basis, stand firmly against your sin nature.

B.     Do not let sin reign in your mortal body

1.      You belong to Christ. Your spirit has been made new. The Holy Spirit indwells you.

2.      Your sin nature has no right to boss you into obedience. Reject its attempts. Say “NO” and run to Christ for help.

James 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Realise You Are Dead to Sin and Alive to God

Reject Sins Attempts to Boss You into Obedience

III.           Refuse to Yield Your Body to Unrighteousness (13, 16)

A.     Refuse to allow any of your body parts participate

1.      Your “members” are your various body parts that are capable of sin (i.e., eyes, ears, hands, feet, mind, mouth).

2.      Do not yield these members to become tools (instruments) to do unrighteousness (sin).

B.     You choose who will control your body parts (16)

1.      You have a choice who uses your members.

a)      You choose what your eyes look at.

b)      You choose what your ears listen to.

c)      You choose what your hands touch and where your feet go.

d)      You choose what your mind thinks about.

e)      You choose what goes in your mouth and what comes out of your mouth.

2 Timothy 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2.      If you allow yourself to think about a sin, or make the excuse that just once won’t hurt, or keep temptations around just in case, or go to a place of temptation, or spend time with friends that encourage you to sin, or go to a tempting website or TV channel, you are preparing to sin. That is wrong.

Romans 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

3.      God holds you accountable for your choices.

a)      You cannot blame the devil. You died with Christ and you are no longer Satan’s slave.

b)      You cannot blame your sin nature because your new spirit cannot unite with your sin nature anymore.

c)      You cannot say you are helpless because you have the Holy Spirit living in you, urging you to do right

Realise You Are Dead to Sin and Alive to God

Reject Sins Attempts to Boss You into Obedience

Refuse to Yield Your Body to Unrighteousness

IV.          Resolve to Yield Your Body to Righteousness (13, 17-19)

A.     Make up your mind to yield to God (13)

1.      Your spirit is alive from the dead.

2.      God designed your members to be tools of righteousness to serve and glorify God.

3.      God wants you to yield yourself to Him.

4.      Settle it in your heart. Give yourself wholly to God.

5.      Stay close to the Lord. Read your Bible daily. Meditate on what you learned. Pray continually. Confess all sin immediately. Obey God in every area.

James 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

B.     Your flesh is weak so resolve before the temptation

1.      We all struggle with the infirmity of the flesh (19). Our flesh is weak. Thus, we must resolve to do right. It is helpful to make yourself accountable to a godly friend who will check on your progress.

2.      In our past, we passionately yielded our members as servants to uncleanness and lawlessness, producing more lawlessness.

3.      With the same passion, we now must yield our members as servants to righteousness to produce holiness in our lives.

Realise You Are Dead to Sin and Alive to God

Reject Sins Attempts to Boss You into Obedience

Refuse to Yield Your Body to Unrighteousness

Resolve to Yield Your Body to Righteousness

V.           Rejoice That Your Slavery to Sin is Ended (22)

A.     Slavery to sin is shameful bondage

1.      When enslaved to sin, you could not do right.

2.      Bondage to sin brings shame and death.

B.     God has made you free from sin

1.      If you are a Christian, God set you free from sin. That is a completed historical fact. (perfect, passive verb)

2.      God made you a servant to God. That is also a completed historical fact. (perfect, passive verb)

3.      God made you to be producing fruit unto holiness. He gave you everlasting life.

4.      REJOICE and claim the victory through Christ. Remember this promise:

1 John 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Conclusion: If you are a Christian, you CAN have victory over sin if you will prepare for victory as we learned today. (Review) Will you take these five steps today? Did you write them down? (see web) If you need help or encouragement, please come and see me.

Song: There is Power in the Blood – 198