The believer can become convinced that Satan is somehow involved when they sin but are hard pressed to explain how Satan does that. The reality is that any believer who says 'Satan made me do it' is wrong. This commencement of a new series looks at Christ the Lion and the power of sin, the witch, and how you can live what the Bible states you can be in the Lion, who is Christ.

What does the Bible teach about sin? The English word for 'sin' is not the same as the Greek in the New Testament. The Greek speaking church of the New Testament was not confused in the slightest about sin as our culture is.

If this was a theater stage how many actors are in this verse? There is one who Paul refers to six times in the word 'I.'

How many actors in this verse? There are two Paul calls 'I' and 'sin.'

Again, how many actors? There are two Paul calls 'I' and 'sin.'

Lets talk about what the power of sin is and how it operates in you, yes, in you. You are not flying solo in your life. The power of sin is in the co-pilots seat but you are accountable for all you do. The power of sin keeps a low profile and asserts itself in your mind as the fist person using words like 'I, me, myself, mine and my.' If the believer does not know what Christ has done in them they will be convinced that the sinful thinking they have from time to time originates with them.

The word 'sin' is a noun meaning a personified power not an actual act or that would be a verb.

The word for 'sin' is a verb where Paul is saying that the power of sin dwells in your flesh but the act of sinning is not part of you. Between Romans chapter five and eight 'sin' is mentioned 41 times. 40 times it is always a noun referring to the power of sin not the act of sinning.

There was an exchange of natures when you gave your life to Christ.

God gives you a new nature. It is important that you not only believe but also confess that the old nature has been crucified with Christ.

Or rendered powerless. You must also believe and confess that you have a new nature.

If I am not fully persuaded that this is true I leave myself open to the power of sin that dwells in my flesh and that I have two natures: that of the first Adam born of the earth to return to the earth from dust to dust, and, that of the second Adam who is the life giving spirit born not from the earth but from above.

· A dead man cannot go to war against a new man created in you.

· A dead man cannot resurrect himself and Satan cannot resurrect anything

· When Christ was crucified your sinful nature was crucified with him. When he was resurrected he left behind your old sinful nature. The only one to be resurrected was Christ.

· The sinful, fallen, excluded, separated, hostile and alienated nature is history just like a dinosaur.

· The new nature you have is not a 'sin nature' (Romans 6:6) "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin may be done away with…" It is a divine nature that you partake of.

· Water baptism is the celebration and proclamation of the old nature buried and not resurrected and the new nature given to you.

Look with me at a good number of scripture references to the power of sin.

The power of sin will convince the believer using first person words like 'I, me, my, myself, mine' that the origin must be from your own nature swearing that the old nature is somehow resurrected or was never crucified in the first place.

But what about the believer who sins? The believer can sin without a sinful nature. The difference is that the sinful nature loves to sin but the new nature hates to sin. No believer actually loves to sin. When a believer does sin the result, like Paul, is a miserable person. The battle is not the old nature and the new nature but the new nature and the power of sin. One dwells in your spirit the other dwells in your flesh. Our opponent is the power of sin that dwells in the flesh. In every war there are two sides: the power of sin in your flesh is one side that supports Satan, the other is in your spirit supporting God.

The believer wants to obey God. The believer can be tempted to sin but does not want to.

When you realize the thoughts you are having are not yours but from the power of sin that dwells in your flesh take it captive.

The believer is not dead to sinning but they are dead to the power of sin. The believer can literally say 'this thought is not mine because the old me is dead.' Confess that sin has no control over you. Look at four real example with me:

Power of sin: 'I want her even though she is not my wife.'

Believer: 'I confess that this thought did not originate in me but from the power of sin in my flesh. Sin is trying to make it mine by using first-person terms like 'I' and 'my.' Thank you for my wife who is more than enough for me. You joined us together to become one and what you put together no one can separate. Thank you for the touch of my wife and her caress. While we are apart my eyes will be diverted from sin that entices my flesh. I take captive this sinful thought and stop it not in the will power of my flesh but in Christ who dwells in my spirit.'

Power of sin: 'I have no friends because I am a worthless loser.'

Believer: 'I confess that this thought did not originate in me but from the power of sin in my flesh. Sin is trying to make it mine by using first-person terms like 'I.' Thank you that I am your chosen treasure and the apple of your eye. You saw in me something worth dying for. I am not a loser or worthless. Thank you for my church where I can build safe relationships that is not business, sensual or shallow but meaningful. I take captive these thoughts of worthlessness and stop it not in the will power of my flesh but in Christ who dwells in my spirit.'

Power of sin: 'I cannot handle this anymore.'

Believer: ''I confess that this thought did not originate in me but from the power of sin in my flesh. Sin is trying to make it mine by using first-person terms like 'I.' I confess that you do not take anyone beyond what they can cope with. I confess that you always equip in advance of a difficult situation. I confess that there is a table of opportunity spread before my enemies in this valley that will grow me in you. I take captive this sinful thought and stop it not in the will power of my flesh but in Christ who dwells in my spirit.'

Power of sin: 'If I had her looks and figure my husband would love me and look at me like he used to do.'

Believer: 'I confess that this thought did not originate in me but from the power of sin in my flesh. Sin is trying to make it mine by using first-person terms like 'me' and 'my.' I confess that when you talk to me through your Word you use words like beautiful, lovely, darling, precious, desirable, treasure and betrothed. I take captive this sinful thought and stop it not in the will power of my flesh but in Christ who dwells in my spirit.'

Can the believer make a promise and keep a promise? These are two different things. The organization Promise Keepers is an excellent group who do more for men that a single church. I attend the events and fully support their work. But we must go beyond making a promise in our own flesh in an accountability group. The power of sin in your flesh will get you in its snare if the authority is anything less than Christ in you. You cannot be on the lookout for thoughts from the power of sin in your flesh.

Looking for sinful thoughts will lead to death. Set your mind on things above.

This teaching is part of a new series The Chronicles of Christ. Other teaching series can be found by clicking the links below

If you would like to see previous transcripts or hear audio available in the last series Discovery.God you can find them here.:

• Promise Land to Promise Life Series
  
• Discovery.God Series