Key Takeaways from Romans 7 and their Application to Prayer:
- Acknowledging Our Inability (Romans 7:14-20):
- Wright emphasizes the struggle Paul describes, where the desire to do good is often thwarted by sin. This resonates with our own experience of weakness.
- Prayer Application:
- Honest Confession: Begin prayers with honest acknowledgment of our limitations and failures. Don’t try to present a perfect facade to God.
- Dependence on the Spirit: Recognize that we cannot overcome sin or grow in holiness through our own effort. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s power to transform us.
- Example Prayer: “Father, I confess that I often fall short. I desire to follow you, but I am weak. I need the Spirit’s strength to overcome my sinful tendencies.”
- Understanding Union with Christ (Romans 7:4-6):
- Wright highlights that we are “dead to the law” through our union with Christ, so we can bear fruit for God. This is a shift from obligation to relationship.
- Prayer Application:
- Focus on Relationship: Shift the focus of prayer from fulfilling duties to deepening our relationship with Christ.
- Meditate on Our Identity: Reflect on our identity as being “in Christ” and how this changes our standing before God.
- Example Prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank you for uniting me with yourself. Help me to live in the freedom and joy of this union, bearing fruit for your glory.”
- The Role of the Spirit (Romans 7:6):
- Wright emphasizes that we now serve “in the new way of the Spirit,” not the old way of the written code. This means relying on the Spirit’s guidance and power.
- Prayer Application:
- Pray for the Spirit’s Guidance: Ask the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers and reveal God’s will.
- Listen to the Spirit: Cultivate a habit of listening for the Spirit’s promptings during prayer.
- Example prayer: “Holy Spirit, guide me in my prayer. Show me what to pray for and how to pray. Open my ears to hear your voice.”
- Recognizing the Goodness of the Law (Romans 7:12):
- Wright clarifies that the law itself is good, but sin uses it to stir up our rebellious nature. Understanding this helps us not to resent the law, but to understand the power of sin.
- Prayer Application:
- Pray for Understanding: Ask God for wisdom to understand His law and how it reveals both His character and our need for grace.
- Pray for a Heart of Obedience: Even acknowledging our inability, pray for a desire to obey God’s commands, not out of legalism, but out of love.
- Example prayer: “Father, help me to understand your law and to see your goodness in it. Grant me a heart that desires to obey you, not out of fear, but out of love.”
- The Cry of Deliverance (Romans 7:24-25):
- Paul’s cry, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” leads to the answer: “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” This highlights our need for constant deliverance.
- Prayer Application:
- Pray for Deliverance: Don’t hesitate to cry out for deliverance from sin and temptation.
- Give Thanks for Christ’s Victory: Regularly give thanks for Christ’s victory over sin and death, and for the hope He offers.
- Example prayer: “Lord, I cry out for your deliverance. Thank you, Jesus, for rescuing me from the power of sin. I praise you for your victory!”
Practical Tips for Growing in Intimacy with the Trinity:
- Regularly acknowledge your dependence on God.
- Practice honest and vulnerable prayer.
- Focus on building a relationship with each member of the Trinity.
- Cultivate a listening posture in prayer.
- Meditate on Scripture, particularly passages that reveal God’s character and our union with Christ.
- Give thanks for the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.
- Pray for a deeper understanding of God’s law and grace.
By applying these principles, we can move beyond superficial prayers and cultivate a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Triune God.
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Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
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Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post