Where are you today? Do you feel overwhelmed? Anxious?  Perplexed? Defeated? Discouraged?

You and I live in a fallen creation. Sin and death have entered the world. No man can see God face-to-face as Adam and Eve did.  Jesus Christ wants us to walk by faith in Him, His love and His power, not by sight. When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, His enemy becomes your enemy. Your enemy wants to steal your testimony, destroy your witness and take down many others with you. However, Jesus came that you might have abundant life.

John 10:

¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

But Jesus Christ wants you to reign in life and have victory over the wiles of your enemy. In contrasting death/life, judgment /justification for the Romans, Paul gives these amazing statements

Romans 5:

¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

¹⁵ But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

¹⁶ And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

¹⁷ For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

¹⁸ Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

²⁰ Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

²¹ That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Major Points

By one man’s offense death reigned

By the abundance of grace and gift of righteousness we shall reign in life by Jesus Christ

By Adam’s disobedience we became sinners

By Jesus’ obedience we become righteous

Sin reigned unto death

Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord

What does it mean to reign? Here are some definitions

to possess or exercise sovereign power or authority

to have control, rule, or influence of any kind.

Reigning in righteousness is all about the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and not at all about the power of you and me. Here is what Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians 9;

⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Will you still sin? Yes! But Jesus Christ provides His solution in 1 John 1:

⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Questions for Reflection?

1) No matter what accusations others throw at you, Jesus’ gift of righteousness enables you to exercise sovereign power over sin. How is that significant to your current circumstances?

2) How can you exercise your authority over your sin nature?

3) Which wiles of your enemy are most affecting you now? How can you use the abundance of grace and gift of righteousness to reign in life over sin?

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! Who took on flesh Fulness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save:

Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied –

For every sin on Him was laid; Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine – Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath. Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,

Hebrews 12:

¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good

plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti