“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25)
In Romans 7 the apostle complains that his existence is bound by death due to sin. Paul came to faith and he has turned to Jesus; however, he is still confronted by the power of sin. This grieves him and he experiences his impotence when trying to conquer sin. He doesn’t think, “everyone makes mistakes”. No, God is holy and he hates sin. So Paul sees his sin as a huge depressing problem for which he needs deliverance.
But then Paul focusses his attention on the Holy Spirit who has the power over the sin that is burdening Paul. The Spirit grants new life in Jesus Christ. Paul thanks God, our rescuer, and changes his tone and writes in chapter 8: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
The Lord Jesus lives in your heart through the Holy Spirit. If you have given Him the lordshiop of your life, He will keep you from sin and protect you from evil influences, and from the temptations of Satan. Jesus desires to live in you by His Spirit to overcome the power of sin.
Do you see the power of sin in your life? What do you do about it?