Willpower Won’t Solve Your Problem

Willpower Won’t Solve Your Problem

BY RICK WARREN — OCTOBER 23, 2014

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“I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.” (Romans 7:22-23 NLT)

You have a war inside of you that will rage for your entire life between who you used to be and who you’ve become in Jesus Christ. Paul, the most decorated missionary in the history of Christianity and the author of most of the New Testament, battled with it.

The Bible says in Romans 7:22-23, “I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me” (Romans 7:22-23 NLT).

I hate to tell you this, but you’ll always have this battle. You’ll never outgrow it. You can’t read enough Scripture to make the temptations go away. You can’t hide from them.

Until you get to Heaven, you’re stuck with an all-out battle between your two natures. I’ve been a believer for a long time, but my old nature is still there. My old nature wants me to be prideful, lustful, self-centered, deceptive, and just downright sinful sometimes.

The question is, what are you going to do about it?

Willpower won’t solve the problem. Just because you want to change and put everything into making that change doesn’t mean you’ll make the change. It may work for a bit, but you’ll get tired and stop the effort.

In your spiritual walk, you want to choose to follow your new nature, meaning you choose not to follow your old nature. For instance, if you’re tempted with lust but you immediately remove yourself from the temptation, you’ll starve the old self. If, when you’re tempted with pride, you remember your dependence upon God, your old nature can’t last long.

Talk It Over

• In what ways do you see your old nature struggling with your new nature on a daily basis?
• How can you set yourself up for success in these situations?

Greater Than the Past

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,” says the LORD Almighty. “And in this place I will grant peace…"
(Haggai 2:9, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD:

God wants to amaze you with His goodness! We are living in a day where God is increasing His favor. Maybe you have seen God’s goodness to a certain degree in the past; but in reality, you haven’t seen anything yet! God has favor in your future that will supersede anything that you’ve seen! 

The scripture talks about how the glory of the latter day will be greater than the glory of the former day. That means what God did for your parents or grandparents, He’s going to surpass in your generation. The blessing and favor of past generations were good, but we serve a God of increase! He has greater things in store for your future! 

Today, get your hopes up! Enlarge your vision. Be expecting God to bring opportunities across your path. Be expecting to meet the right people and get the right breaks. Prepare your heart and mind to receive the increase and expect to see greater things in your future!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, thank You for blessing and increasing me. I believe that You have great things in store for my future. I surrender every area of my mind, will and emotions to you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

​PS... ​

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mITRKCDel44