Jesus, sometimes I find myself saying things I know I shouldn’t say. I have done things I knew I shouldn’t do. I have also thought and felt things I knew I shouldn’t. Teach me that this is my battle with my body. That is my body making me a PRISONER of the law of sin at work within my MEMBERS. Teach me that salvation produced a special attitude of WANTING to do the right things. And it also produced an attitude of HATING doing the wrong things. But, help me see that up to this point, I haven’t had success with resisting my thoughts, feelings, words, and deeds through renewal.

Rom 7:22-24 (NIV) For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 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. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this BODY of death? Help me understand that because I haven’t “done what it takes,” my mind hasn’t been able to control my body. Show me that this Bible passage is telling me that my body is making me a prisoner. What can I do about that?

Jesus, make it clear to me that salvation provided me with a perfect record with God. But, it didn’t change the drives, motivations, and demands of my body. Teach me that renewal does what salvation only opened the door for me to move into. Rom 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your BODIES as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Now that I am a child of God, help me see that You through the Holy Spirit are going to teach me Scriptures that will help me bring my body under control. Teach me that this is called, offering my body as a living sacrifice.

Rom 7:18-20 (NIV) I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I WANT to do; no, the evil I do NOT WANT to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Jesus, help me see that God looks through Your blood and sees me as perfect. And He does it even though I am thinking, feeling, saying, and doing things I shouldn’t. But, help me understand that God’s attitude is influenced by my attitude.

Jesus, help me understand that this is the attitude God requires to exist in me: 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. Make it clear to me that as long as I keep praying and asking God to empower me with this WANT and HATE attitude, I will be empowered to fight this battle while having a perfect record with Him. But, show me that God requires that I have this want and hate attitude or He will remove my perfect record. I must not try to misuse this perfect record to get by with anything the Bible speaks against.

Jesus, teach me that the want and hate attitude means I am failing to do what I know I should be doing and WANTING to start doing it. It also means that I am doing things I know I shouldn’t be doing and HATING it. Help me see that as long as I keep praying and asking God to keep these two attitudes in my heart and mind, I qualify as a true Christian. But, if I PURPOSELY try to hide behind my perfect record with God and start WANTING to do wrong, bad, and evil things, God will remove my perfect record. Gal 6:7 (NIV) Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Rom 7:24 (NIV) What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Jesus, show me that this is the attitude I must want. Show me that this is a miracle of salvation giving me a true Christian attitude. Teach me that the Holy Spirit will respond with power in my life, as I use the want and hate, provided through salvation. He will respond as I cry out to God with the deep desire of Romans 7:24. So, who is going to rescue me from this body of death? Who is going to help make my body do what my mind is now wanting to do? Help me see that the Holy Spirit is.

Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus, help me understand that the Holy Spirit is going to make it possible for me to go from prisoner of the body to being able to use my mind to yield to the control of the Holy Spirit. By me working together with the Spirit I am going to be able to present my body as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1).

Rom 8:9 (NIV) 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. Jesus, help me realize that the moment I gave my life over to You was the moment the Holy Spirit started living in me. Also help me realize that the moment I received the Holy Spirit, was the moment I had power to be a true, godly witness for You. I received the power to start living a life that exemplifies what You are all about.

1 Pet 2:12 (NIV) Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good DEEDS and glorify God on the day He visits us. Mat 5:16 (NIV) In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good DEEDS and praise your Father in heaven. Jesus, teach me that these Scriptures are describing Holy Spirit power. Now that I HAVE that power, let this next verse show me how to use 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, make it clear that I have Him. Help me understand that I just have to learn how to work with Him. Teach me that working together with the Holy Spirit is a faith issue. Whether I “feel” the power or not isn’t what matters. Acts 1:8 says I WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON me. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that this is the Word of God and that is Truth.