I can say NO to sin. Before I realized that sin no longer had power over me thanks to my death in Jesus, I continued to obey him! This is why we must consider ourselves dead to sin, as Paul commands: “In the same way, consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6.11) It is an awareness of a spiritual reality that allows us to act accordingly. Concretely, my death with Christ gives me the power to say NO to sin. But often, the idea that sin is stronger prevents us from saying NO with confidence and authority.

To illustrate this concept, I want to talk to you about elephant training. From a young age, they are tied to a stake with a small chain. Not being strong enough to break the chain, the young elephants resign themselves and no longer try to break it. Once they have grown up and could easily free themselves from this chain, their resignation means that they remain attached without trying to break this bond.

This is what sin has done in you without Jesus. You tried, but after all your efforts, you found that you were doing what you didn’t want to do. You accepted the power of sin and obeyed it without resisting. Hence this cry which rises within you and which Paul expresses: “Wretched that I am, who will free me from this body of death? (Rom 7.24) Understand here that this verse is not Paul’s daily life, it expresses what the man without God feels.
It is this resignation that prevents you from experiencing the full freedom that Jesus acquired for you on the cross. Too many Christians live resignedly comparing their strengths with that of sin, but it is the power of Jesus that you must oppose to that of sin. You must not rely on your past wasted efforts, but on what Jesus accomplished on the cross: he destroyed the power of sin for us!

I invite you to say this statement out loud:
“Today I get up, I leave resignation and I choose to say NO to sin. Thank you, Jesus, for breaking my chains.”
Now read Romans chapter 7, for more details.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!

 – WILLY SEVERE