The Middle is Miserable

 

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  2 Corinthians 5:17

What is really gone?

 

 

  • Being separated from God is gone 

 

 

In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.Ephesians 2:12

 

 

  •  The penalty of sin is gone 

 

 

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23 

 

 

  •  The bondage to sin is gone 

 

 

4 ways to defeat the old life of sin and death

 

 

  •  Be led by the Spirit

 

 

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!  Galatians 5:22-23

 

 

  •  Identify your Signature Sin 

 

I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.Romans 7:15

 

 

  • Develop New Desires

 

 

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.Psalm 37:4

Chase after God and He changes our desires 

 

  •  Get out of the middle 

 

 

Part of maturity is to let go of one wish so you can have another 

Henry Cloud 

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Romans 6:16

 

We are a slave to 

 

Sin or Obedience 

 

Sin and Death 

 

Obedience and life 

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,Galatians 5:19

 

Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.  

 Romans 6:18

 

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.Matthew 6:24

How do we keep out of the middle?

  • 1st: We all have a choice
  • 2nd: Every choice leads to a predictable outcome
  • 3rd: The middle is miserable
  • 4th: No matter what you’ve done, you can start a new life today

 

 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

 

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