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By Charles M Smith As human beings we all have two primary things in common we were all created in the image and likeness of God and because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden we are all born with a sin nature. In psalms 51:5 As David repents for his sins he appeals to God’s awareness of his sin nature when he says: “Behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me”. This verse tells us clearly that we are all born with a need to be set free from the power of the sin nature and Make no mistake, the sin nature is powerful. In fact, it is the primary force behind all of the misery,pain,heartache,destruction and death that we see in the world in which we live. Let’s stop for a moment and look at two words david mentions in the previous verse iniquity and sin. Iniquity- means to be perverted or crooked, it speaks of something or someone being out of alignment, bent in the wrong direction it means to be changed from a pure state to a defiled state. it also speaks of something that is inherent or woven like a pattern into ones nature and character. This is exactly what happened to mankind when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden (Genesis 3) they became perverted,crooked,out of alignment with God,bent in the wrong direction and defiled. like a vicious virus released into a computer hard drive sin made man corrupt and full of error messages. Man began to malfunction this is the power of iniquity, and Iniquitous patterns have been handed down from the first man through out all generations of men on earth. The next word David uses is Sin. Sin- literally means to miss the target or goal, due to a violation or an offense. Because of the inherent bent towards wrong,man is constantly violating Gods laws, offending the Holy nature of God and missing the destiny that God has planned for his life. There is not one person on the earth who can claim to be sinless. The bible declares without apology that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All means all and even as believers (those who claim to have a born again experience) we need to understand that we still battle with the sin nature and often fall short of Gods Glory. The Apostle John was speaking specifically to believers when he said “if we say we have no sin we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. if we(believers) say we have not sinned,we make him a liar, and his word is not in us(I John 1:8-10). In Galatians 5:19-21 the Apostle Paul gives us a vivid picture of the sin nature when he says: Now the deeds of the flesh (the sin nature) are evident which are: 1.Immorality 2.impurity 3.sensuality 4.idolatry 5.sorcery 6.enmities 7.strife 8.jealousy 9.out burst of anger 10.disputes 11.dissensions 12.factions 13.envying 14.drunkenness 15.carousing and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul was speaking here by revelation to believers,he was challenging them not to let the old sin nature with all of its selfish, self-centered urges and tendencies dominate their new life in the spirit. Paul learned how to do this through understanding and revelation. The Apostle Paul explains to us in Romans chapter 7:14-25 that there is a war going on inside of us. It is the principle of Good and evil both wrestling within us. Paul noticed in his life that although he desired to do what was right in the sight of God he often found himself struggling with urges to do wrong and for a while it was puzzling, because as new believers we often think that we are not ever supposed to have urges to sin and if we do there must be something wrong with us. When the bible clearly teaches that we will be tempted (Read James 1:13-15). Being tempted is not sin it is when we yield( give in) to temptation that it becomes sin.The Apostle Paul discovered that there were two natures working with in him one was the New nature he received when he gave his life to Christ (which is the restoration of Gods image in us that was lost during the fall (read Genesis 3,Ephesians 4:22-24) and there was the old sin nature fully operating and fully intact even after being born again. Paul refers to this fleshly or carnal nature when he says “for I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh(carnal nature) for the wishing( the will) is present with me, but the doing of the good is not (Rom 7:18). He goes on,”for the good that I wish (or will to do), I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish (Romans 7:19). He goes on to say,”but if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good(Romans 7:18-21). Paul continues: For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the Inner Man(the new nature in Christ, the spirit man), but I see a different law in the members of my body,waging war against the law of my mind(imagination), and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members (Romans 7:22-23). It almost sounds like a losing battle, but then paul declares: “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 (Romans 7:24-25). Paul by revelation came to understand the power and the purpose of the sacrifice or Christ on the cross for all humanity. Our Lord and Saviour came to the earth to take on our sin nature to literally become sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) then to completely subdue and overcome our sin nature by experiencing temptation like we do but never giving in to it ( Romans 8:3,Hebrews 4:15). Then he was willingly nailed to the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins receiving the judgement that we should have received, and dying the death that we should have died. Romans 6:23 declares ” for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our lord. His shed blood atoned for our sins, and that is not all, he also rose up from the dead on the third day breaking the power of death and giving to us the advantage over the sin nature. Paul writes in I Corinthians 15:55-57: “O Death, where is your victory? O Death where is your sting? the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. And why did he do all of this? Because he loves us(John 3:16),this is the power of the gospel message and the good news that changes lives. So how do we appropriate all that Jesus accomplished on the cross and in the grave to overcome the sin nature. It begins by first acknowledging that we need to be free from the power of the sin nature and then embracing and most importantly believing the truth that Jesus Christ is the only one who can set us free and give us power over the sin nature. This is what the term being “Saved” is all about ,it means to be rescued and delivered from the power of the sin nature. Romans 10:9 says ” if we confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead we shall be saved (from the power and effects of the sin nature). The effects of the sin nature are many we can see them all through out our society and culture. Lets face it we live in a self-centered,violent,greedy,over sexed culture where good is called bad and bad is called good and it affects us more than we know. Yet beneath the callous hardened skin of a society and culture that rejects God there are souls crying out for freedom from the power of the sin nature and we proclaim that the atoning work of Jesus Christ is still the key to spiritual freedom and liberty. In Galatians 5:22-23 paul shows us the difference between the power of the old sin nature and the greater power of the Holy Spirit to produce a new nature in us when he says: The fruit of the Spirit is 1.love 2.joy 3.peace 4.patience 5.kindness 6.goodness 7.faithfulness 8.gentleness 9.self control, against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Chist Jesus have crucified the flesh (sin nature) with it passions and desires. We appropriate this great power by allowing Jesus to live his life through us. In Galatians 2:20 the Apostle Paul says it this way: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh (my mortal body) I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved me and gave himself up for me. To be crucified with Christ simply means that we choose to stop living according our sinful urges and tendencies and we choose to let Christ live through us and the good news is he gives us his Spirit and his Grace to do this when we call upon His Name. If you are reading this article and you are ready for a radical lifestyle change pray this simple prayer out loud. Lord Jesus I have receive your word,and my heart is ready for change. I have lived my life my way all this time,but now I call on your name. Lord forgive me of my sins those I know about and even the things that I never understood to be sinful. Deliver me from every iniquitous pattern in my life. I confess with my mouth that you are Lord and that through your shed blood I am redeemed, I believe in my heart Lord Jesus that you were raised from the dead to empower me to live an abundant life ,and for all you have done for me I am eternally grateful. I give you my heart and my life ,let your will be done in me I am yours forever Amen. Charles M. Smith is a worship leader, songwriter, author, and full time Minister. He is the founder of CMS Ministries and Clearzone Music Inc. for more information or to receive our free newsletter and E-courses on victorious christian living Email us at: cmsministries@aweber.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_M_Smith http://EzineArticles.com/?Breaking-The-Power-Of-The-Sin-Nature&id=420803 kamagra cheap viagra off line order form sildenafil citrate where to buy viagra in england order viagra prescription