Rom 8:13 (NIV) 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. Jesus, show me that it not only takes faith to fulfill this Scripture, it takes training. I must know what salvation is doing for me; and, I must learn how to apply another process to my body. Help me understand that salvation opened the door for me apply the principles of sanctification to my body and win over it. Explain salvation and sanctification to me.

Eph 2:8-9 (NIV) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. Jesus, help me appreciate the fact that I got my perfect record with God through grace. Teach me that grace is a free gift from God that I can’t deserve, earn, buy, trade for, steal, or demand. When I did what Romans 10:9-10 told me to do, help me be thankful that I got saved and justified through the gift of God’s grace. I instantly became a child of God, a member of His family, and a citizen of His eternal kingdom. I thank you very much for it!

Rom 8:13 (NIV) 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. Jesus, teach me that those things were sins that I used think, feel, say, and do against the Bible. And, remind me that Romans 6:23a (NIV) says: For the wages of SIN is death.... So, if You forgave me of my sins yesterday and I sinned today, help me see that I would be facing death today. If I didn’t do what it took to “get saved” again, I would die in my sins. But, show me that Your blood was a much more powerful cure than that.

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. Jesus, teach me that because I have this attitude, the things that I think, feel, say, and do that are against the Bible are misdeeds and not sins. This gives me time to learn how to BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body. Help me always remember that as long as I have this WANT and HATE attitude, I am free from my misdeeds becoming sins that would kill me. And, I am demonstrating that I have them by pursuing the SOLUTION to my misdeed problems.

1 Cor 6:19-20 (NIV) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is IN you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your BODY. Jesus, since I have been trained by the Holy Spirit from the Word of God on how to resist, and since I have the Holy Spirit’s empowerment to resist, and since I have faith in God’s Word and the Spirit’s empowerment, show me that I can do what I could not do before. BUT, also show me that I may not be aware of the fact I CAN do it.

Rom 7:24 (NIV) What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Jesus, take me from “O wretched man”, which is an intense desire to start living a godly life with myself, other people, and God, to 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. And so He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be FULLY MET in me, who does not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:3-4 ).

Jesus, teach me that “Fully met in us” is talking about salvation AND sanctification (spiritual growth). Teach me that the first part of “fully met in us” is through salvation: the righteous requirements of the law are FULLY MET in me during my grace period. Now that my sins have been turned into misdeeds, help me see that, that gives me the time I need to learn how to actually think, feel, say, and do those things the Bible requires me to do. Make it clear to me that this perfect record keeps me pure WHILE I am learning how to live a pure life. Help me take total advantage of my grace period.

Jesus, teach me that the second part of “fully met in us” is through sanctification: the righteous requirements of the law might be FULLY MET in me, who does not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Teach me that the two parts to this Scripture are currently being CREDITED to my record, WHILE I am learning how to live the righteous requirements of the law. Show me what this means.

• God CONSIDERS me as having the righteous requirements of the law being FULLY MET in me while I am learning how to actually live them.


• God CONSIDERS me as being one who does not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. while I am learning how to actually live according to the Spirit.

Jesus, help me understand the me learning how to actually live according to the Spirit is the PROCESS of transformation. Show me that through sanctification, transformation is taking place where I am actually living more and more of the Christian life. Those things that were “credited” to my record, as if I WERE living them, are now starting to be TRULY lived out in my life.

Jesus, help me understand that prior to this, my mind could make all the decisions it wanted to and I would still be controlled by my body. Now with the creation power of the Bible, and the power and training of the Holy Spirit, and by me BELIEVING that God is providing me the power, help me see that I am starting to DO what I am wanting to do.

Rom 12:10 (NIV) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Rom 12:18 (NIV) If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Jesus, make it clear to me that when my behavior is only credited to my record with God, Biblical requirements and enhancements are missing from my life. Teach me that the way I actually treat myself and others is basically the same as it was prior to my salvation. But, as I learn how to appy sanctification to my life, my behavior improves in a beautiful way.

Jesus, help me see that the miraculous results I got from doing what Romans 10:8-10 instructed me to do will happen in my sanctification process. Teach me that confessing with my mouth and believing in my heart are the tools that walk me through the various processes of sanctification. Teach me that the basic meaning of sanctification is spiritual growth. I will be moving away from the influences of my body, the world, and the devil. I will be making myself available to You, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible.

Jesus, in my next study and prayer time, I ask You to break down into smaller steps the process of starting to DO or starting to live through sanctification (spiritual growth). Spend some time with me looking back at the time when I made You Savior and Lord of my life. Help me remember telling people that I was a Christian. Help me remember telling people that You are my Lord. Help me remember when I first started realizing that God raised You from the dead. If I can’t, help me accept that it is okay. Teach me what it was all about.