Holy Spirit - Part 17: Freedom from the Power of Sin

Romans 8:2

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death”.

Paul could not have written clearer words to perfectly describe what the most wonderful lesson of his conversion had brought to him. He soon discovered that beside the law of God outside of him, which was holy and just and good, there was another law inside him directly contrary to the law of God outside of him. A fierce combat existed between these two things where the holy and just a good law outside was in war with the other law of his members in flesh. The law which his mind told him was holy and righteous was at times losing battles to the sin of his body. 

Paul's attempt to keep the good law was a total failure.

He found himself sinking deeper and deeper into the muck and mire of sin, feeling constrained and dragged down by this inclination to sin in his flesh. This war was so difficult that he finally cried out in his anguish.

Romans 7:24

“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death”?

Like us at times, he had found himself utterly helpless to prevail in this warfare, until he looked up to the Holy Spirit to do for him what he could not do for himself. He came to know, as we must accept, that only when we submit all desires and purposes to the control of the Lord's Spirit in our lives, this Holy One will take control and will indeed set us free from the power of sin that also indwells us from birth. This victory is a moment to moment, hour to hour, day to day victory.

There are Christians who live daily in the experience Paul described in Romans 7:9-24, existing in constant defeat and thinking that this type of existence IS the normal Christian life. But Paul is so clear to tell us in 7:9 that in that time the commandment came and “... I died...”. The purpose of that verse is to tell all who will read it for all time that only when we no longer place our priority on “I”, and give over control to Him, change arrives.

In that chapter (Romans 7) we see the use of “I” over 30 times. What do we see in the next chapter?

Romans 8:9

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit...”.

Now in the beauty of chapter 8 Paul allows the inner view of the true Christian life. Here is victory over sin and death which has lived in us because life is no longer ruled by the flesh. When the Spirit controls life, all life changes for the better. What is the blessed result?

Romans 8:14

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God”.

Moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, the Spirit puts to death the deeds that the body of flesh would have us do.

This victory is NOT in ourselves, nor in any strength of our own. Left to ourselves, we are helpless and remain mired in the sin of our flesh. Here is the profound truth that all victory is found in the power of the Holy Spirit when He assumes control.

What did Jesus himself teach us about this very matter?

John 15:5

“... without Me ye can do nothing...”.

We must live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit if we would have continual victory over sin and spiritual death. The vitality of the life in the Spirit is assured by the study of the Word and by prayer.

John 8:32

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.

That truth is the Word of God, and through that Holy instrument, the power of the Holy Spirit works within us to make us free. It is of no value to talk of the Holy Spirit indwelling us if we neglect the Word. If we are not feeding on the Word, we are not walking in the Spirit and we shall not know victory. Our proof rests in the Psalms.

Psalm 119:11

“ Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”.