A Battle for Dominace (A Christians struggle with sin)

Pastor Michael Huffman

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Introduction:

Romans 7:22–25 AV

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

I. Paul’s Delight (vs. 22)

Romans 7:22 AV

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

The Apostle speaks regarding two areas of his delight and why this added to his struggle with sin.

A. The Law of Delight (vs. 22a)

Part of the issue for Paul that made his struggle with sin so real is that he did, in fact, find absolute delight in God and in His law.

In fact, the source of his struggle with sin was his strong delight in the law of God.

For without delight in the law of God there would be no struggle with sin.

There must be a reason for your struggle.

A source.

And for you to really have a struggle with sin you must have a passionate love for the law of God.

Because that love makes you struggle to not sin against the law you love.

Paul’s love for the law of God made his hatred of his sin what it was.

It as well was the source for his struggle.

Just what does it mean to delight in the law of God.

This word delight here means to take a high degree of pleasure or mental satisfaction in.

So Paul is saying I take a high degree of pleasure in the law of God.

It is literally where I find my mental satisfaction.

My soul, my mind, and heart delight in obedience to the law of God.

What is the law of God?

His Word.

Paul is saying that in obeying the infalliable, unchangable, Words of Almighty God, this is where he finds his source of satisfaction.

This is true of all real believers.

For there is no greater joy for any believer than when they are walking in accordance to the Word of God.

We need as Christians to also delight in the very person of the LORD.

Isaiah 61:10 AV

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Job 22:26 AV

For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

Our hearts should find immense pleasure in the very person of Christ.

In the One who has clothed us with his righteousness.

In the one who though while we were sinners He made himself sin for us who knew no sin.

How can we not find immense satisfaction and delight in our Lord?

We as well need to delight in the very words of God.

Psalm 19:7–14 AV

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

This very Word that changes the heart.

This very Word the makes wise men look simple.

This very Word that brings joy to the heart.

This very Word that is to be desired more than honey.

This is the very law that keeps warned the followers of Christ, to keep them from sin.

And in the obedience of this law we find great reward.

Psalm 1:2 AV

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 119:24 AV

Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

Psalm 37:4 AV

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psalm 43:3–4 ESV

Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.

Isaiah 58:13–14 AV

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Psalm 119:47 AV

And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

ps 43 3

is 58 13

ps 114

Jeremiah 15:16 AV

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

This is the very law that keeps warned the followers of Christ from sin

And in the keeping of this law there is great reward.

The very Words of almighty God is a rich fountain of satisfaction for believers.

It the foundation by which we live.

It is where we find our immense pleasure.

So Paul found his delight and satisfaction in the very Words of his Lord.

Everything about Him made him want to shout for joy.

Just where was his delight, where was it to be found?

B. The Location of Delight (22b)

Romans 7:22 AV

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

rom 7

I want you to pay close attention to this part.

For this part is very crucial in understanding the underlying struggle of Paul that will be explained later in the message.

We have already established that Paul delighted in the very Words and person of our Lord.

But just where was this delight to be found?

Paul tells us in his inward man.

This is to mean that in his very inner heart and soul of who he is.

What makes Paul, Paul.

His soul.

His mind.

The very thing in him that makes decisions decided to delight in the law of God.

All of him finds delight in the Law of God.

All of who was was desperately devoted to delighting in the law of God.

So in this part we have found out that Paul so desperately delighted in God.

In His Law.

In His very person.

With everything in him he delighted in God.

But Paul saw another side of himself.

Something still inside of him.

What is this.

II. Paul’s discernment (v. 23b)

Romans 7:23 AV

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Though so much of Paul was passionately in love with Christ.

Though he so desperately wanted to serve his Lord.

Paul saw another part of himself.

He saw another side of him that remained.

I want you to again notice where he saw this other side of him.

He said “in my members.”

In other words you could say in my inner being or what makes me who I am.

The same place where he saw a love and delight in God, he saw a war

And he saw a war breaking out between these seemingly polar opposite sides of himself.

A. Combat

Paul saw within himself something literally waging war against the things that his heart longed for.

He was in a hard spiritual battle for what would rule and reign in his life.

Paul said that there was a literal war taking place inside of him.

Or would it be the law of

There was a true battle for dominance going on inside of him.

Paul said he saw one side of him that desired to serve Christ and one part of him that was pulling him toward his sin and their going at it.

We as believers have this same battle.

Galatians 5:7 ESV

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Galatians 5:17 AV

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

This passage is so clear that we have two members inside of us.

One that minds the things of the Lord and one that is contrary to that dragging you to things of the flesh.

This is an on going raging battle with one purpose.

To keep you from doing the things that you so desire to do.

This indeed is the great division of the soul.

Where one part of you desires God and one sin.

Paul himself was experiencing this battle.

Because of this war going on.

Because of this battle taking place.

We see what the sin that still remains in paul does to him.

B. Captivity