Romans 7:23-24, 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. [24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? A lot of people they go to religious activities and think that they on their own can lift themselves up, up to God and become holy. There’s no such thing you cannot do it on your own. It is impossible. Why? You have a nature that is sinful. It tends to sin. Notice, how many of you when you pray after three minutes tulog ka na? The surest way to go to sleep, read your bible. Isn’t it true? Why, ask yourself? Sinful nature. Some people don’t even want to read the bible. If you are falling asleep, something, I’m telling you you’re won the battle. You’re loosing the battle. God will not junk you. Look at the question in v. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? It is not a thing, it is not an organization, it is a who. And let me tell you if its another human being only, kaya ka bang irescue? All human being have a sinful nature, no matter what your position is in the church you have a sinful nature, you will sin. So it’s not a religion, it is a who, it is a person. Who is that? Romans 7:25, Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! Did you notice when St. Paul speaks anytime you make any connection to God, it is always through whom? Through Jesus. So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. And people would say, see! It’s all right to sin. It’s all right to struggle but it’s not okay to sin. Look at the conclusion. Who will set me free? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!. Jesus will set us free. What is His now conclusion. Therefor there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In other words, does it makes sense, here you are he’s saying, there’s a large struggle inside you in the inner man versus your body. You don’t like to do bad things pero nagagawa mo. Sabi niya, ang answer diyan, God—through Jesus. Now look at his conclusion. Therefore, there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Does that make sense? Why there is no more condemnation? Because through Jesus Christ the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death for what law was powerless to do that was written by the simple nature, God did by sending His own Son. Many people do not understand this verses so we shall now explain it very clearly and you can win a victory over sin. Where is the problem. We believe which is in the problem the lack of understanding about salvation. To have a divine nature what must you understand, you are a sinner then God sent His Son to pay for all of your sin. If you accept Him, if you accept that payment what has happen? You are already save, you have eternal life. What has happen there? Christ has paid the penalty of our sin but that’s one thing. People rejoice in that but you know many people yan lang ang alam. What else happen on that cross. When Christ died I will come into you, the Holy Spirit is in us. What does Christ presence? Therefore those who are in Christ, what does His presence do for us? Let’s read the bible. There is therefor now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Why? Because through Christ Jesus, the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. If you are in Christ, what are you? He’s giving us freedom, freedom from what? In the NIV, Because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life has set me free from this other law. There are two law. The law of gravity. If you take your wife and you let go what will happen to her? She will drop. It has control, wala kang choice, babagsak talaga yan. The law of sin says that you will sin. Sin has you. When Jesus Christ comes into your life He will set you free from that. In other words, how can I set his free? Put it on a balloon, put it on space, it’s no longer subject to gravity. How does he do it. Let’s read from Romans 8:5-8, Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. [6] The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; [7] the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. [8] Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. The key word: Mind. In other words the battle is in your mind. Therefore so that you will set free. So Jesus can set you free, where should your mind be? On what the spirit desires. Most of the time when you’re sinning your mind set is not on that, it’s not on what God wants, it’s not what on the spirit wants, it’s what you want. In other words what you like if you see a man whose mind is set on what he likes leave him, go far away from him. Because that mind is hostile to God. See the issue on identity is who is God. You or God. I will set your mind on what you like or what God like. It’s really like that, to win over the simple nature. It’s in your mind. Romans 8:8-9, Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. [9] You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. The identification of a Christian has nothing to do with his outside, it has everything to do with his inside. If you do not have the spirit of Christ no matter where you go, you do not belong to Christ, that’s why we urge the singles marry somebody whom you are sure the spirit of God is in him. If not he does not belong to Christ. I want to leave you a very simple illustration. Look at Romans 8:2, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Kumaha ka ng bato, ibato mo sa swimming pool, anong mangyayri dun? It will go to the bottom. What law is operational. Now how can I fix that? Think of it, kunyari may bato kang ganon tapos magtali ka ng wood to the stone, tapos tinapon mo yung stone, anong mangyayari? Lulubog muna tapos tataas. Do you understand. There’s no way you can keep that stone down, it will go up, ganon din ang believer, ganon din ang image dapat ng believer. Put that in your mind, your that little stone, Christ is the wood, pag bagsak mong ganon sa mundo.. ganon ang ibig sabihin, you have been set free. Nababasa ka pero, lumulubug ka pero nakalutang. You are set free. That’s the key. Most of us we are fooled, "Hinde ko kaya." Do you hear that from a lot of Christians? Christ can do it, the rock might sink but Christ will keep me of float. I want you to walk away here today knowing your identity, you are with Christ. Christ is your identity and therefor if you are in Christ there is no more condemnation. That means you are accepted by God. The most important being in this universe, thinks you are great, you are accepted. Don’t try to become somebody else, you’re already somebody. You have a divine nature with Christ, there is no more condemnation. You’re set free. Every morning say to yourself, through Christ Jesus I have been set free from the law of sin, I don’t have to sin. I will do and put my mind where God desires and purposes are. Lord what would you have me do today? Get up out of the water. Let’s end with a great verse. Philippians 4:13, What does that verse say? Philip. 4:13, I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. You can do all things in obedience to Christ, you can obey, there’s no problem with that, you can do everything that the devil wants you to do. The one who can do all things naka focus lang siya kay Christ. I’ll teach you my little secret, it’s very simple. I only play to two eyes, God not man, I don’t care what man say, it does not bother me. Your identity is being determined by God. Don’t look around you for your identity. Live your life with two eyes God, all the rest will follow. Will people hate you? some people will, will people love you, some will, will God love you? Yes, will God ever hate you? Never. Will He ever live you? No, can you do all things through Christ? You play to two eyes God, nobody else. So the truth is Christ presence gives us Power over sin. That’s why the bible says if you continue on sin there is no way you can tell yourself you’ll go to heaven. Absolutely, positively no way because that’s means His presence is not there because if that presence is there thanks be to God, I have been set free, you don’t have to sin. You can do all things, don’t let your pass scare you. Let us pray.