Enter: The Struggle Imagine a house. Its blinds are drawn, the lights are out. The doors are locked, no sound escapes it. Inside that house, there's a war. On one side, there is pure intent. On the other, there is deceptive intent. When pure intent is wanted, Christ is called upon and praised. When deceptive intent sees Christ worshipped, it becomes jealous and raises its claws, rifling with agony. This mindset is not of one delivered.
That deceptive intent is sin. The house is a person. The light is Jesus. The deceptive intent could be a particular sin. For this purpose, the names will be Apathy and Depression. They clash and claw at each other for dominion over the house that leaves the house tired, angry, cold, shut off, and the spirit quenched.
The War on Sin: The Flesh vs The Spirit
This war is the struggle every Christian fights: the flesh vs. the spirit. "For our struggle is not of flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)
As a Christian, sin's power has been defeated on the cross. But that doesn't stop it from entering into lives daily because the flesh, the earthly body, (even though defeated) has a fallen nature. I often find myself wrestling with the same sin for a season. Although God has freed me in the areas of apathy and anger, it is still an entrapment. Paul depicted it best when he discussed two conflicting natures.
"For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin for what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; but the doing of the good is not." (Romans 7:14-18, NASB)
I connect with Paul's statement here. It is a battle that is tiring and confusing and yet God has still spared us from it. Christians have to speak truth to sin and bring their bodies into submission and that can only be accomplished by God’s help, through a regenerate soul and a renewed mind. We can speak truth by meditating on scripture and taking every though captive.
What the Bible Teaches About Spiritual Deliverance from Sin and its Consequences
For my quiet hour, I listened to John MacArthur's sermon titled "Deliverance: The Neglected Doctrine."How often it is for the Christian to know about deliverance, but yet not practice it.
There are two Greek words that exemplify the meaning of deliverance in the context of being delivered from danger or distress.
Rhuomai: "rescue"
Exaireo: "take out of"
The historical accounts of the Old Testament fade into the background in the New Testament in the sense that it is a new form of transition in the language being used. Evil impulses often don't just cradle the heart and mind but strangle them and leave them gasping. Such is the way of sin and the human nature to bury the key to escape. Being delivered is a choice for the Christian, yet pride often blinds this truth. Those who are converted, they are no longer condemned and God’s wrath does not remain on them.
John MacArthur outlined five concepts in his closing statements of his sermon regarding the Christian and their deliverance that sets them apart from false Christians and the carnal:
lies to truth (error to truth)
sin to virtue (ungodliness to Godliness)
from fear to joy (wrath to blessing)
the love of the world to love of the church
delivered from Satan to God
Further Reading
Psalm 40:17
Colossians 1:13
Romans 11:26
Psalm 70:5
Matthew 7
Psalm 144:1-2
Foundational Knowledge
I'm going to attach links to two blogs that further explain spiritual struggles
https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/deliver/
https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-41-war-within-romans-721-25.
They further explain theology and application of Scripture. The bottom line is that there is freedom in choice when the choice is God and not sin, joy over misery. Choose to be delivered today.
If any have similar struggles, leave a comment or a message! See the Attributes of Godpost to showcase how God's love will bring rescue.
See this post on We Heart It: https://weheartit.com/articles/339056693-delivered-speaking-truth-to-the-clutches-of-sin
God bless!
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