Obtaining Victory Over Sin - NetBibleStudy.com

Victory Over Sin 46Are you thirsty? Do you feel like an apple tree trying to grow in a desert? Thenyou are a candidate for the Spirit’s life and power.Life in the SpiritThere is a direct connection between walking in the Spirit and breaking a sinfulhabit. Today there are many people suffer from drug addition. Perhaps they begangetting high just for kicks, but now they are hooked. In New Testament times, drugs aswe know them today were not available. But many became addicted to wine. Speakingto that issue, Paul says, “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with theSpirit.” – “Don’t get high on temporary stimulates, but, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Tothose who are struggling with addiction of any kind, the Bible offers a different master;be controlled by the Spirit, rather than drugs or alcohol or any other stubborn habit.The Spirit’s control will replace sin’s control. His power is greater than the power of allour sin.Here we stand, weighted down with a sin we can’t shrug off. It hangs on like aviper; if it leaves us alone for a day, it is back the next. The question is, “How do we getthe Holy Spirit’s help?”We begin by clearing the deck, that is, confessing our sin -- and the sin must beconfessed – and then receive God’s forgiveness. We need to claim 1 John 1:9, “If weconfess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from allunrighteousness.”Then, we must remember that the Holy Spirit desires to energize us! Don’t everthink that He is reluctant, wanting to be coxed into the driver’s seat of our life. Hebecame a resident when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior -- with the express purpose ofbecoming president. But He will not exercise His power apart from our faith and thedecision of our will. If we ask Him to control us, we must believe that He will.Perhaps we feel unworthy, or think that there will be a more convenient time,however, just as we took forgiveness from the hand of the dying Christ, we take thepower of the Holy Spirit from the hand of the living Christ.How were we saved? By depending on the death of Christ. How do we receivethe power of the Holy Spirit? By depending on the ascension of Christ. Both come byfaith. That’s why Paul wrote, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walkin Him” (Colossians 2:6).We receive the Spirit’s filling by faith, not by having a particular feeling. I thankGod for heart-felt experiences we have with Him, however, it is wrong to trust infeelings, or sensations. There are times when we experience waves of joy, andoverwhelming sense of God’s presence, but we must walk daily by faith and not bysight – or feelings. We must take God at His Word and by faith receive what He haspromised us – even when there is no feeling, or outward evidence. God’s Word is true!