Latest / The Daily Word / August 22 – Free from Ongoing Sin
Transcript
- Robert Rosales: Hey, good morning and welcome to the Daily Word podcast. I'm Robert Rosales, and alongside my wife Yolanda, I have the privilege of serving as the campus pastor on our Gastonia campus. Thank you so much for taking some time to invest with me in God's Word. Whether you're listening on your morning commute, enjoying a cup of coffee, or beginning your day with the Lord. My prayer is that this time encourages you and draws you closer to Him. Just as a reminder, each day as a church, we are reading through the Bible together using the Life Journal Reading Plan. And today we'll focus on the New Testament passage. One of the things I've learned over the years is that God often speaks in the quiet moments when we simply slow down and listen. That's why I like to keep my time with him simple. My Bible, my journal, a pen, and definitely a highlighter to mark up what I hear the Lord speaking to me. And sometimes I'll use a trusted study resource to better understand the biblical context. But remember, God's word is always our foundation. As we read, we're using the SOAP method. SOAP. It stands for Scripture. Observation, application, and prayer. It's a simple framework that helps move God's word from the page into our everyday lives. So while we're reading, you're looking for a specific scripture verse that pops out. You're looking for an observation. In other words, what do you see in this text? What is God saying? And then the application. How does it apply to our lives? And then a simple prayer. Now, before I share with you today's scripture that I captured, would you just agree with me and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to us and lead us? Father, thank you for this new day and for the privilege of opening your word. Quiet the distractions around us and the noise within us. Give us hearts that are teachable, minds that are attentive, and lives that are ready to obey whatever you reveal. Holy Spirit, Illuminate the scriptures and help us not only understand them but live them out today. We asked this in the name of Jesus, and everybody said, Amen. Well, friends, today's passage for August 22nd is in First John chapter 3, not the Gospel of John, way over to the back, 1 John chapter 3, and I journaled from verse 9. Let me read it to us out of the NIV version. It says this no one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them. They cannot go on sinning because they have been born of God. Listen to that again. They cannot go on sinning because they have been born of God. Friend, that's great news. The title of my journal entry is simply this: Free from Ongoing Sin. Come on, say it with me. Free from ongoing sin. This is my observation. This is what I jotted down. This verse declares that those born of God will no longer continue to sin because God's seed remains in them. Yet this seems like a contradiction compared with 1 John 8. Which says believers deceive themselves if they claim to have no sin. The key to understanding what John is saying here in verse 9 is in the words, will continue to sin, and they cannot go on sinning. See, John is not saying Christians never fail or never sin. He's saying because they are born of God, are sons and daughters of God. Now It is not in their new nature to live in habitual sin. This is powerful. God's people can catch revelation of this truth. And it will enable us to partner with the Spirit of God at a deeper level so we can walk in who we really are. We are free from the grip and bondage of ongoing sin. How does this apply to our lives? This is what I wrote down. Friends, do you struggle with the habit of sin? Is there something you keep doing that you know is wrong, but you can't seem to break free? Well, this verse says that we are already free. If we want to live free from habitual sin, there are three things we have to lay hold of. Number one, as children of God, we have a new nature. Come on, somebody say, I've been born again. I have a Christ-like nature. Nature, the Holy Spirit lives in me. That's not just a great idea, that's biblical fact. Number two, our new nature is not inclined toward sin. I love what the apostle Paul says. He says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life that I now live in this human experience, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Friends, we've got this new nature in us. It's the nature of Christ. And Christ is not inclined to sin. We have to remember that. And here's the third thing I think we have to lay hold of if we want to walk this out. We have authority over temptation and the devil. Come on, say amen. Now, moving forward, when the devil tempts us with sin, we must remember 1 John 3:9. Declare it, lay hold of it, and walk in it. How? By realizing we have a new nature, we're no longer inclined to sin, and we have authority in Jesus' name. Now ask the Holy Spirit to help you as I do the same. To walk in who We really are, and what we have been really given freedom from ongoing habitual sin. Amen, church. Come on, pray with me. Father God, thank you for speaking to us today through your word. Thank you for our salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. By the grace of God, we have a new nature and we walk in the authority of Jesus over sinful habits. I am free. I am yours. I believe this and I receive this fresh and anew. In Jesus' name, amen. Lakeshore family, as you go about your day, my prayer is that you continue to grow in your love for Jesus and His Word. As you invest time with Him, may He give you fresh insight, strengthen your faith, and guide your steps. Thanks for joining me today on the Daily Word podcast. I pray you've been encouraged to stay in God's Word and walk closely with the Holy Spirit. God bless you and we'll catch you again tomorrow.