Two of the Most Powerful Words in the Bible

Are you feeling stuck in your spiritual life? Is there a secret sin you just can’t seem to gain victory over? There is great hope.

In this episode, Nathan talks about two of the most powerful words in the New Testament and how “But God…” radically changes our lives, is the solution to a besetting sin, and is the key which unlocks freedom, life, victory, and greater spiritual growth in our lives.

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1. Who we once were

• Ephesians 2:1–3 – And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

2. But God

• Ephesians 2:4–5 – But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved …
• Ephesians 2:8–9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast.
• Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• God loves us too much to leave us in sin

3. The solution for sin and spiritual growth … “but God”

• His work in and through us
• SIN – (you are not stuck!) … repent and freshly yield ourselves in obedience to God
  • Colossians 1:13 – Who rescued us from the authority of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son of His love …
  • Romans 6:6 – … knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin …
  • Romans 6:11–14 – Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
• SPIRITUAL GROWTH– we must remember that spiritual growth is HIS work in and through us.
  • Ephesians 2:8–9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast.
  • It is HIS work in us to bring about His life … by grace I am saved, sanctified
  • Acts 17:28 – … for in Him we live and move and exist [have our being]…
  • Galatians 2:20 – 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 I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
  • 2 Corinthians 9:8 – And God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed …
  • 1 John 4:9 – By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
  • We must respond, trust, walk by faith and obedience, abide
  • See Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 1:6; 2:13; Galatians 2:20

But God … He is our solution to sin and spiritual growth. Will you freshly embrace, repent, surrender, and respond to Him and His working in you?

FOOTNOTES

Photo Credit: ChatGTP

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