But now we are released from the law having died to that which held us captive so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
– Romans 7:6
What a verse. This building crescendo in the book of Romans talking about the power of the gospel. It saves us by grace through faith in Christ to cause us to be justified and have peace with God. Romans 5. Romans 6, And by the power of the Spirit in us to live in righteousness before God. Which then leads to this picture in Romans 7. We’re released from the law. We’ve died to that which held us captive so that we now. Follow the language here. We serve in the new way of the Spirit, capital S. Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Romans 7:6 Reminds Us We Don’t Live the Christian Life in Our Own Power
And I want to lead us to pray according to this verse. Because I am convinced many, maybe most Christians, at least in the church culture around me, are missing this and I’m prone to miss it. Most Christians, I think it’s most, are trying to live the Christian life in the flesh, like in our own power, in our own strength instead of in the new way of the Holy Spirit.
And even as I say that there are so many different directions this could go. We could spend hours right now talking about this and thinking about this together. And challenging one another when it comes to the role of the Holy Spirit. But let me just summarize by saying, when you put your faith in Jesus, you weren’t just forgiven of your sins so you can go to heaven in eternity. Yes that and praise God for that.
But you weren’t just forgiven of your sins at that moment. You were filled with the Holy Spirit and you have the supernatural Holy Spirit of God living in you right now. If you’re a follower of Jesus, that changes everything. You don’t live in the flesh anymore. Nor do you do anything in your own strength, in your own power. You don’t fight against sin in the flesh. We prayed about that according to Romans 6 yesterday.
Romans 7:6 Reminds Us We are to Live by the Power of the Spirit
And you don’t walk through trials and tribulations and suffering and just whatever each day holds in this life in the flesh. You don’t pray in the flesh. Nor do you read the Bible in the flesh. You don’t worship in the flesh. But you pray in the Spirit. You read God’s Word in the spirit and communion with the Holy Spirit, directing you, illuminating your mind, and transforming your affections and you walk today in step with the Spirit.
You obey God in the power of his Spirit. And you proclaim the gospel to others in the power of His Spirit. Remember, that’s why his Spirit’s in us. We might be witnesses wherever we go and witnesses to the end of the earth. We have supernatural power to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth by his Spirit in us. Why are there three billion unreached people in the world?
Surely it’s because we’re not walking in step with the Spirit. We’re not serving and living in the new way of the Spirit. So can we just pray in light of Romans 7:6? God, help us to live in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code of trying to live. Help us obey you even, trust you, and carry out our faith in our flesh. God, we know where the flesh gets us.
This Verse Encourages Us to Live Spirit-led Lives
Just think about reading Judges recently. That’s where the flesh gets us or even our attempts to obey you will always fall short, will always lead to wickedness in our hearts when they are done in the flesh. We need, oh God, we need your Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out, to transform the way we think, to transform what we feel and desire, what we want. We need your Spirit to transform our perspective, and our entire outlook on life, and to empower us to live according to your Word. To empower us to share your Word. Oh God, we’re so often so silent with the gospel. Not sharing it with people around us. God, change us by your Spirit. We want our worship to be Spirit-led. We want our time in your Word to be Spirit-led. Lord, we want our prayer life to be Spirit-led.
We want our marriages to be Spirit led, our parenting, or our obeying parents to be Spirit-led. We want our lives at work and school to be Spirit-led. God we pray, make us a people who are serving in the new way of the Spirit. And God, please lead us by your Spirit in your power to proclaim the gospel to people around us and to people around the world.
Prayer for the Aralle People
Holy Spirit, set apart some people to go to the Aralle people of Indonesia, to this tiny people group on the island of Sulawesi who don’t know your love for them in Jesus, who haven’t even heard about your love for them in Jesus. God, we pray. Send somebody, send some team by the power of your Spirit to spread your love among the Aralle people of Indonesia and bring salvation to them.
By the power of your Spirit, bring them supernatural life, eternal everlasting life through Spirit-empowered proclaimers of the gospel who go to them. And God, we pray that for all the peoples of the world. God help us in our day to follow the leadership of your Spirit to serve in the new way of your Spirit until all the nations are reached with the gospel. We pray for spiritual awakening in our day oh God. Help us as your church to wake up to what your Spirit wants to do among all the nations and to follow you however, wherever you lead us, starting right where we live. Help us to serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. In Jesus’ name, we pray, according to Romans 7:6. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
