Becoming Easy Prey

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:15-25 NIV)

Sometimes we can underestimate the power of sin in our lives and its lingering grip on us.   I remember being a new believer and thinking my days of anger and cursing were behind me.  Then one day, with my parents and my girlfriend present, I boiled over with frustration and went into an obscenity-laced tirade.  Like many new believers, I had this impression that once I accepted Jesus, then everything would change. I was shocked and humbled.  Like Paul, I had to admit that what I did not want to do, I kept on doing.  

When we turn our lives over to Jesus, He indeed forgives our sins and they are no longer counted against us; but we still continue to sin.  The rebelliousness that we inherited stubbornly remains in us and the enemy will not cease to attempt to exploit it.  Like a trainer working with a wild animal, we must always be alert to the danger of being attacked, no matter how safe we feel at the moment.  

The other mistake I made was not to see my need for the Lord’s strength every day, every hour, every moment.  I was coasting on my conversion experience and felt strong, but it was an illusion because I was relying on my own emotional high and confusing it with spiritual strength.  I can imagine the enemy, that roaring lion (I Peter 5:8), licking his chops.

Countless times I have seen students come back from mission trips and conferences, or out of the waters of baptism full of excitement and confidence, only to be mercilessly attacked and fall because their confidence was based on their own emotional high of the moment. Paul gives us a winning strategy in our struggle with sin.  Who will rescue us from the jaws of our enemy?  Jesus Christ our Lord! Emotional highs after our conversion or an exciting experience are great and should be enjoyed, but they should never be seen as providing us with any protection from sin.  Only Jesus can do that.

Today, recognize your need for the Lord’s strength and protection.  No matter how strong and confident you may feel, apart from Him you are easy prey.

© Jim Musser 2016