“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.” (Rom. 6:6 NLT)

1960’s comedian, Flip Wilson, became famous for his punchline, “The devil made me do it.” It always brought regales of laughter when he said it. But the truth, based on God’s Word, is that the devil doesn’t have any power to make you do anything; he can only lie to you, deceive you, tempt you, threaten you, scare you, and lead you to do things. But what you do is entirely your own choice.

We are free from the power of sin

“For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.” (Rom. 6:7 NLT)

 Consider yourself dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus

“When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 6:10-11 NLT)

Control yourself and live under the freedom of God’s grace

“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” (Rom. 6:12-14 NLT)

You are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God

“When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:20-23 NLT)

Therefore

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NKJV)

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8 ESV) 

The above passage warns us to watch out for several things that could trap you:

• Philosophy: Philosophy has to do with matters concerning existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. A personal philosophy is summed up by one's ethical beliefs and/or goals in life for achieving success, love and happiness. There are many definitions for this, but it all boils down to whether your personal philosophy of life comes from a worldly point of view or comes from the Word of God. 

“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” (1 Cor. 2:6-7 ESV)

• Empty deceit: Deceit is defined as anything to do with  deception, duplicity, double-dealing, fraud, cheating, trickery, fake, lying, pretense, treachery, crookedness, or scheming. The opposite of deceit is truth. “The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others.” (Psalms 15:2-3 NIV) 

• According to Human tradition: “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” (2 Thess. 3:6 ESV)

• Elementary spirits of the world: “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.” (Col. 2:20-22 NIV)

• And not according to Christ: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” (Col. 2:9-10 NIV)

Therefore

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13 ESV)

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:13 ESV)

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 ESV)

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Cor. 5:21 NLT) 

The above passage is the gospel (good news) stated very simply and clearly in only one verse. Let’s look at and define the verse a few words at a time:

• FOR GOD - The Father, creator, maker, ruler of the universe, and the source of all moral authority 

• MADE – caused, compelled, assigned, appointed

• CHRIST – Jesus the Messiah, the chosen one, the anointed  one, the King of Kings, the Lord of lords.

• WHO NEVER SINNED – a man of pure and perfect nature, untouched by sin.

• TO BE THE OFFERING – to be the acceptable gift sufficient to pay the total cost. 

• FOR OUR SIN – for our transgression against God’s moral laws which have separated us from Him.

• SO THAT WE COULD BE MADE RIGHT – so that we could be made righteous, blameless, and irreproachable in God’s sight

• WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST – and have peace with God through what Jesus has done.

Therefore

“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15 ESV)

“And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” (Phi. 1:6 ESV)

“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Prov. 29:20 ESV)

Today, someone made a comment on my social media feed about the President of the United States. Almost immediately, people began responding emotionally, and the discussion quickly spiraled into an ugly exchange. It was very negative and discouraging to witness. Unfortunately, this kind of hostile commenting happens regardless of who is in office—some responses are filled with anger and harsh, inflammatory words. I eventually hid the entire comment thread because it had devolved into such a negative diatribe.

Does God care about your words?

Yes, He does! The Bible is filled with verses that emphasize the importance of the words we speak. Before you’re tempted to post a harsh comment on social media or respond with anger, pause and reflect on what God says about your speech:

• Let your speech always be gracious

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Col. 4:6 ESV)

• By your words you will be justified or condemned

“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:37 ESV)

• Put away all obscene talk from your mouth

“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” (Col. 3:8 ESV)

• Guard your mouth!

“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Prov. 13:3 ESV)

Therefore

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” (James 1:19-20 NLT)

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (Rom. 5:1-2 NLT)

Privilege defined

Privilege comes from the Latin word privilegium, and means a benefit enjoyed by an individual or group beyond what's available to others. Being a member of an exclusive club, organization, or group brings privileges for its members. Family members have privileges that only apply to family members.

We have many privileges as members of God’s family

The Bible passage at top says we have “undeserved privilege” provided to us through faith in Jesus Christ.

We are adopted in God’s family which  brings many wonderful privileges

• Privilege of being a co-heir  with Christ “Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…” (Rom. 8:17).

• Privilege of having bold access to God “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:16 NKJV)

• Privilege of having a new home waiting in heaven “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13 NASB)

• Privilege of being Blessed  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Eph. 1:3 NASB) 

• Privilege of using His Name “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14 NASB)

• Privilege of having all of God’s promises “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ.” (2 Cor. 1:20 NIV)

• Privilege of sharing the good news with others “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15 ESV)

Therefore

“In every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.” (Acts 24:3 ESV)

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,” (Heb. 12:28 ESV)

“For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” (Rom. 1:11-12 NLT)

Encouragement Is Greatly Needed!

Encouragement is something we can freely and generously offer to one another. To encourage is to give support, build confidence, and to stimulate spiritually. Encouragement is defined in the dictionary with many synonyms: to applaud, boost, brighten, buck up, buoy, cheer up, comfort, console, embolden, energize, enhearten, enliven, fortify, galvanize, gladden, hearten, inspire, inspirit, praise, prop up, rally, reassure, refresh, restore, revitalize, revivify, rouse, and strengthen.

Encouragement is a powerful gift we can freely offer to one another

It involves uplifting others by providing support, boosting confidence, and nurturing spiritual well-being.

God Is the Source of True Encouragement

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” (Rom. 15:5 NIV)

Since God Himself is the giver of encouragement, and since we are called to lift one another up in faith, let us be intentional encouragers—strengthening each other with our words, actions, and presence, as we grow together in Christ.

Therefore, Look for Ways to Spur One Another On

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25 NIV)

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11 NIV)

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:23 NASB) 

Faithful: loyal, steadfast, committed, devoted, dedicated, dependable, reliable, constant, and unwavering.

God is faithful to all generations!

“For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5 NASB)

“Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” (Deut. 7:9 NASB) 

“God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:9 NASB)

All His Work is done in faithfulness

“For the word of the LORD is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.” (Psalm 33:4 NASB)

Therefore

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Cor. 4:2 NIV)

“So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left.” (Deut. 5:32-33 NASB)

^“16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸ having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,” (Eph 1:16-20 ESV)

How you should pray

If you ever wonder how you should pray for those you’d like to become followers of Christ, the above passage has some guidelines for you to follow.

• Begin by thanking God for them in prayer  (verse 16)

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” 

• Pray that God will give them revelation in the knowledge of Him (verse 17)

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,”

• Pray that God will open the eyes of their heart so that they will become enlightened concerning the hope He has called them to (verse 18)

“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,” 

• End by thanking God for His immeasurable power towards those who believe (verses 19-20)

“and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places…”

Therefore

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 516b NLT)

“And He said to them, ‘When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?’ They said, ‘No, nothing.’” (Luke 22:35 NASB)

You Will Not Lack Anything

Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China, once said, “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” How true that is!

When I was hired in August of 1971 to be the director of Whatcom County Youth For Christ (YFC), I was told they didn’t have the funds to hire me. However, they assured me they would pay me each month—if the money was available. I accepted the position, fully aware of those conditions, and stood on God’s promise in Philippians 4:19:

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

And He certainly did!

I served as the YFC director for twenty years and never missed a single paycheck. God was always faithful to meet every need, often in remarkable ways. More than once, several checks would arrive in the mail on the last day of the month—each for a different, seemingly random amount—that together equaled exactly what was needed.

Even beyond finances, we would sometimes wake up to find bags of fresh fruit, vegetables, and groceries left on our porch. What a blessing those times were!

Therefore

God Equips You for Every Good Work!

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8 ESV)

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb. 13:20-21 NASB)