family10_19_10603

Posted: 10/3/03

LifeWay Family Bible Series for Oct. 19

Strength to fend off temptation is available

Romans 8:12-16, 26-30, 35-39

By David Jenkins

New Hope Baptist Church, Big Sandy

Every Christian is “a walking civil war.” When we received Christ as Savior, we became new creations in him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Still, the old nature of Adam remains with us. The tendency of this old nature is to resist God's will and to influence us to follow our own selfish desires.

Thus a major function of the Holy Spirit within a believer is to provide the spiritual strength necessary to follow Christ and deny self. These two natures within us are locked in mortal combat, although we are confident that he (Christ, in the person of the Holy Spirit) that is in us is greater than he (Satan) that is in the world (1 John 4:4). In this third of the four sessions dealing with the many-faceted ministry of the Holy Spirit, we shall examine some of the ways he strengthens us to be effective servants.

A basis for assurance

Many Christians live defeated lives because they are convinced they do not have the spiritual stamina to withstand the demands of the old, sinful nature with which they must contend. Continually giving in to its pressures will ultimately result in the destruction of one's testimony for Christ. When we try to overcome our misdeeds by sheer determination, we are doomed to failure. Yet when we surrender to the Spirit's guidance, we have laid the foundation for an assured victory.

This is a special ministry of the Holy Spirit within the life of a believer. It is the “mortification,” or putting to death, of the misdeeds of the body. Paul said he had to “die every day” to the temptations of the flesh (1 Corinthians 15:31).

We experience this daily dying to self as we commit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we do this, we prove we are indeed the children of God. The Spirit within us gives a death blow to fear and an assurance that our relationship to God through Christ qualifies us to pray to him in the intimate terms of children addressing their father. Those who submit to the Holy Spirit within them never have reason to doubt they are the children of God.

The ultimate prayer partner

When we truly seek God's will in what we should pray for, we often encounter inner conflict. Because we cannot see beyond today, we cannot know truly what is best for ourselves, or for those for whom we are interceding in prayer.

Because God knew this would happen, he made provision for the Holy Spirit to become our constant “prayer partner.” The comforting fact is the Holy Spirit speaks to God in our behalf. He is the Paraclete, the one called to our side to help us. As a true advocate, he comes to us in our weakness, takes our part and prays for us in a way we could not pray for ourselves. He knows our inner needs and is continually concerned about us.

Our inability to express the deep longings of our souls often results in wordless, agonizing groans. The Holy Spirit who is ever searching our hearts knows what these groanings mean. The Holy Spirit is our perfect prayer partner because his praying for us is always done within the boundaries of God's will.

A promise of victory

Believing God loves us with an everlasting love is not difficult when life is good. On the other hand, when we run headlong into the storms of life, we often find ourselves wondering where God's love could possibly be. We pray, and it seems our prayers bounce right back. So the question looms before us: “How can we reconcile Christ's love for us with the suffering he allows to come into our lives? Could he not intervene and remove the pain?

Paul might well have had these same thoughts when he and Silas were beaten and thrown in the Philippian prison (Acts 16:22-24) or when he was stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). Yet Paul was convinced Christ could no more cease to love him than the Father could have failed to love his Son when he allowed him to endure the suffering of the cross.

Christ told his followers they could expect trouble in the world (John 16:33). Paul quoted Psalm 44:22 to remind believers that God's people have always suffered. Ideally, Christians who suffer must realize that, in the midst of their troubles, they are identifying with Christ and should rejoice that they are counted worthy to suffer for his sake (Acts 5:41).

Verses 37-39 contain a veritable explosion of joy as Paul overflowed with praise to God because of the victory God has promised his people. Because of Christ's supreme act of love–his death on the cross–we are promised victory over whatever adversity comes upon us. Paul brought to a thrilling climax the results of our justification. Nowhere in holy Scripture can we find such a profound recital of specific ways in which Christ's love has been showered upon us.

Question for discussion

How can Christians caught in difficult trials remain assured of God's love for them?