I heard a funny but instructive story from a man of God during my teenage years. He was returning from the church office when some sets of prostitutes approached him for their usual business. His response to them made them take to their heels; “You are talking to a dead man.” The pastor meant that as a believer, he’s dead to sin and the works of the flesh.
Friend, are you a dead man? Truly, the born-again man is dead to sin but alive unto God in righteousness (Romans 6:11-14). You can always tell how much of the work of sanctification is ongoing in your life by your attitude and response to sin and the works of the flesh. A dead man does not respond to the stimulus of the flesh (Colossians 3:3).
Since you are dead and your life is hidden in Christ, you need to live as one. You need to stay conscious of this reality in your daily walk and work (Colossians 3:1-3). This is how to live outwardly the inward work of salvation and sanctification. It is not meant to be a struggle, but a consciousness in you that causes you to say no to sin and the flesh (Philippians 2:12-13).
Victory over sin is attainable on this side of eternity (Romans 6:12). The fact that you fall into sin does not mean that you have not been given dominion over it via Jesus’s finished work on the cross. It only means you have not allowed that finished work to find expression in your day to day life and living (Titus 2:11-12).
Victory over sin begins with understanding your identity in Christ and your identification with what He has done on your behalf on calvary (Romans 6:3-6). If you don’t identify with the fact that when Jesus died, you died with Him, and when He rose, you rose with Him into newness of life, you would keep struggling to live in victory.
Like the man in our opening story, you need to constantly tell yourself that you are dead to sin and the flesh (Romans 6:11). When the motions of sin try to work in your body, let your spirit man rise with superior understanding, reminding your flesh that you are dead. When sin and sinners entice you, do not consent (Proverbs 1:10). Dead men don’t respond to stimuli.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria