“Who do you think you are?” The messenger of Satan accused. “You are no good! You were a murder.”
Constantly, this demon pummeled Paul’s mind with accusations until his flesh weakened and he began to doubt God’s act of salvation upon his life.
Those were bad thoughts he did not want to think about because doubting God is like tempting God as the Israelites did at Massah and Meribah when they tempted God and sin (Exodus 17).
Paul prayed earnestly to God to remove this demon that had become a thorn in his flesh but God told him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
“Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” (Romans 5:20)
Those words are promises of God’s divine protection when you trust Him completely.
Thus, Paul recognized that the grace of God will prevent him from returning to the sinful past.
The grace of God can keep him in this sinful world. “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so, might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:21).
So, Paul had to learn to live with this demon and keep his flesh under subjection because he knows that God is the source of his strength.
And, in Romans 7: 24 he declares, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
The sinful nature is a slave to the law of sin but through the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul realized he was no longer under the law of sin but he was delivered and now a slave to God’s law (Romans 7:25).
Paul learned through hardship and trials the ‘making of a Godly man‘ and that he only needed the approval of God and not man’s or his constant accuser – the demon of Satan.
Likewise, you and I!
Though wretched and entrapped into a sinful flesh, God can deliver us from that death-ridden body.
He can deliver us from the thorn of past sin and set us on the path of righteousness.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ, we are dead to sin but alive in Him (Romans 6:11).
God has given us a new name!
Therefore, we do not have to let sin reign in our mortal body that we should obey its lusts.
We do not have to present our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness to sin.
We do not have to yield to the temptations of the devil.
Instead, we can present our bodies as an instrument of righteousness to God because we are a new person through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, sin shall not have dominion over us (Romans 6:14).
We are no longer under the law where it makes us a slave to sin but we are under the Lord Jesus Christ thus becoming slaves to righteousness.
In other words, we have determined in our hearts that we are committed to living a holy and righteous life to God.
We have decided to follow the cloud and the fire.
This journey is not smooth and easy because the enemy lurks in the bushes along the path to attack every now and then.
But, never fear, walk patiently.
God is with us and we will overcome because evil will slay the wicked and the righteous will flourish.
We live in this world but we are not partakers of this deceitful world.
Remain steadfast in the beloved who will sustain you with cakes of raisins and refresh you with apples (Solomon 2:2-5) until He returns.
AMEN!
In case you missed it, here are some fun posts that were featured in the months of June and July 2021.
Enjoy your holidays and be blessed 🙌.
Becoming the Oil and Wine 
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