Jesus, what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature in my body, God did by sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in me, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in me, because I do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:3-4).

For what the law was powerless to do: Jesus, help me start treating myself, other people, and God’s plan with right, good, and righteous thoughts, feelings, words, and deeds. No matter what the laws of the Bible, my conscience, or the laws of the land told me to do, I broke them pretty frequently.

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature: Jesus, no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I made up my mind, no matter how guilty I felt, no matter what kind of outside help I got, and no matter how much punishment I experienced, I kept thinking, feeling, saying, and doing things to myself, other people, and God’s plan that were wrong, bad, and evil. Heal me of these weaknesses in my body and in my life.

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering: Jesus, just because I couldn’t improve my relationships didn’t mean God couldn’t. So, I have turned to You and You made me one of God’s children and a citizen in His Kingdom. Now, my life has moved into the rights, privileges, and opportunities provided to all God’s children. BUT, there are a lot of God’s children who are living far below all their rights, privileges, and opportunities. Since God won’t force anything on me, there are some things I am going to have to do to get all God has provided for me. Teach me what they are and empower me to be able to take advantage of them.

And so He condemned sin in sinful man, IN ORDER THAT the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us: Jesus, teach me that first, the righteous requirements of the law were fully met in me by God crediting me with forgiveness for all my past, present, and future sins; AND, He also credited my record with fulfilling all the good things required by the law; that made my record declare me PERFECT with God. Thank You for giving me this perfect record with You so I can have access to all You have to offer me.

Teach me that secondly, the righteous requirements of the law are BEING fully met in me through spiritual growth (sanctification). You are empowering me to start only doing good to myself, others, and God’s plan. Show me that once I start ACTUALLY treating myself, others, and God’s plan with right, good, and righteousness, it won’t just be on my record with God. I will start getting good records with those around me; they will start getting the benefits of me being born again. Teach me that because of my perfect record with God, I have access to His power; and, because of His power, I start getting great relationships with others.

In order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Jesus, teach me and empower me to live on the basis of these two parts of living according to the Spirit.

PART ONE: Jesus, I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that, based on God’s record, I am NOT living according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that the reason it isn’t showing up on my record with God is because I have this attitude: Rom 7:15 (NIV) I do not understand what I do. For what I WANT to do I do not do, but what I HATE I do. You have given me this WANT and HATE so I can “do what it takes” to start doing right, good, and righteous things to myself, others, and God’s plan.

PART TWO: Jesus, based on the way I treat myself, others, and God’s plan, I AM living according to the sinful nature AND NOT according to the Spirit. However, I now confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that as I learn how to cooperate with You and yield to Your power, I will GRADUALLY quit living according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. I will do this in my ACTUAL relationships with myself, others, and God’s plan. The more I yield to and COOPERATE WITH You and the control of the Holy Spirit, the more I will have wonderful, successful relationships with the people around me.

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it (Rom 8:12). Jesus, show me that once I allow myself to really appreciate all that You have done for me, I will feel an obligation to COOPERATE WITH You. Rather than feeling obligated to do and cooperate with what my friends, associates, employers, employees, and people in general want me to do, help me feel a much stronger obligation to please and cooperate with You. And, help me believe that when I do please and cooperate with You, I and those around me will find out that Your way was in fact the best way. Help me realize that I will upset people in the beginnings; but, I will end up treating them the way I would want to be treated myself.

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live (Rom 8:13). Jesus, teach me this vital procedure for living the Christian life; and, through it, empower me to be extremely successful in life. First, help me understand that if I ever want to go back to living according to the sinful nature, I will die (be separated from You and my heavenly Father). Second, BUT, if BY the Spirit I put to death the misdeeds of the body, I will live. Keep me being aware of the fact that right now my record with God credits me with BY the Spirit I AM putting to death the misdeeds of the body. That is because I need time to learn how to treat myself, others, and God’s plan.

If BY the Spirit YOU: Jesus, teach me that here are five words I could just read over and not even notice them. BUT, they are five words that can change my entire Christian life. In my workbook I took Romans 8:11 and made some confessions with my mouth and believed in my heart that He Who raised You from the dead GAVE life to my mortal body through His Spirit, Who lives in me. Teach me that now, when the Holy Spirit speaks to my conscience and tells me I am now or am about to do something the wrong way, I have Your power to STOP and ask for Your help to do it the right way. AND, if I go ahead and mistreat someone, I can STOP and ask for You to empower me to go back and make it right.

But, if BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live (remain in God’s family and Kingdom). Jesus, teach me that allowing myself to feel a great obligation to You for all You have done for me will influence my DESIRES. Show me that this will help me STUDY and find out all the information, instructions, examples, and truths that will help me know how to live the best way. Show me that once I get each truth, I will be able to PRAY and ask You to empower me, train me, and help me base my life on those truths. Then I will be ready to ask You for Your faith so I can confess with my mouth and BELIEVE in my heart that I have the answers to my prayers. And, from there I will be ready to take FAITH-ACTION and start living on the basis of the fact that You have produced these great things in me.

Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Rom 8:14). Jesus, Matthew 6:9-13 and Romans 10:8-10 led me into experiencing being a child of God; now teach me that Romans 8:14 is telling me how to LIVE as a child of God. Teach me that the Holy Spirit and the Bible are speaking to my conscience telling me what is right, good, and righteous. Help me understand that this INSTRUCTION is part of the leading by the Spirit of God and that it helps me LIVE as a son of God. Teach me that the POWER part of the Holy Spirit’s leading is when BY the Spirit I put to death the misdeeds of the body. I am actually empowered to MAKE my body do right, good, and righteous things.

But if BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Jesus, teach me how to BY the Spirit put to death the misdeeds of the body. Teach me how so I will live (remain as a child of God).

Teach me that it is just a matter of me continuing to DESIRE to put to death the misdeeds of the body, continuing to STUDY how to put to death the misdeeds of the body, continuing to PRAY to put to death the misdeeds of the body, continuing to ask for Your faith so I can keep confessing with my mouth and BELIEVING in my heart that I am putting to death the misdeeds of the body, and taking FAITH-ACTION and keeping on living on the basis of the fact that I AM putting to death the misdeeds of the body. Show me that by doing this I am now being led by the Spirit. Rom 8:14 (NIV) Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.