Today, Pastor Ness preached from Romans 7 about The Enemy Within. He contrasted the sin that we allow the flesh to hold on to versus living a life submitted to Jesus Christ and living by the power of Holy Spirit. He used the example of sin taking up residence, like a squatter in a rental home. He shared about the difficulties that can arise as on tries to evict sin from their life, how it takes time, money and effort, just as it takes to evict a squatter.
As he spoke, I was reminded of a recent conversation I had online within our community, where squatters really do cause havoc in empty houses. In the online community, someone made the comment that the squatters didn't have a right to be there. While this is true, I shared, that New Mexico as well as all fifty states, have squatter right laws of varying degrees. An illegitimate tenant can take legal ownership of a home from anywhere from five years to thirty years dependent on the state and other factors in the state laws.
When we bought our home, it had been renovated by the previous owners. Our neighbor shared that prior to the previous owners purchasing the home, squatters had taken up residence in the home in the early part of COVID. The squatters used the drywall in the fireplaces to stay warm. The home was in utter destruction from their actions. I don't know if they had hoped no one would realize they were there and they could own it, or if they saw an opportunity for shelter and just took it.
The sin of our flesh, I believe does the exact same thing in our lives. I don't think most people act on a sinful temptation with the idea that they will make it a habit. Yet, when we live by the desires of our flesh we become in bondage to sin. If it is not addressed it can take up illegal residence in a believer. It can end up taking control, just as a squatter does. It may claim a right to possess us if it is left unaddressed too long.
But Romans 7:24-Romans 8:2 shares that we are not bound to this law.
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
How do we accomplish this in life? By surrendering our life to Christ. By feeding our spirit more than we feed the flesh. John the Baptist shared the secret, which is often quoted backwards.
He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30
If we decrease, before He increases there is empty space left for sin to once again try to fill, making things worse than before. Jesus warns of this:
"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation." Matthew 12:43-45
As followers of Christ we have to be so filled with Christ there is not room for the work of the flesh. We do this by feeding our Spirit through daily time reading the Bible for ourselves. We do this in communion and fellowship with God through prayer. We pray in the Spirit and stir up our faith. We praise and worship the Lord and share openly about what He is doing in our lives.
Our human desires that lead to sin, the flesh is our greatest enemy. If it is not submitted to Christ, and the Holy Spirit given access to every area of our life, the flesh will claim squatter's rights in our life. This will lead to death, spiritually and physically. There is no condemnation in Christ when we confess our sin and seek forgiveness, seeking Him and submitting to Holy Spirit instead of our flesh. We need to be full more of Him and less of us.
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