WHO IS ON YOUR THRONE?

Galatians 5:16-26

INTRODUCTION: Today we will be asking the question: “Who is on your throne?” In 2008 the movie Fireproof came out and it talked about a fireman named Caleb Holt. He was a normal man, selfish and hung up on himself. His marriage was in trouble but then something happened to him. His father lead him to put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ and Caleb’s life changed. Caleb thought everything was going to be perfect now. However he found out like all of us have that that is not the way the Christian life works. The Bible tells why it is so hard to live a victorious Christian life. Galatians 5:16-26.

I. THE INTERNAL STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL!

The first reason why it is so hard to live the Christian life it there is an ongoing struggle for control within each one of us. When Adam and Eve who were made in the likeness of God fell into sin they lost their likeness to God and gained a sin nature: Genesis 3:4-6. Adam and Eve died spiritually that day and they passed that spiritual death onto their children. Romans 8:5-8; 1 Corinthians 2:14. When a person receives Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior they become alive spiritually again through the new birth and the Holy Spirit comes within them: Ephesians 1:13-14. Now Jesus is within that person and is on the throne of their heart and life is in order. That person has now become a spiritual person. Romans 10:9-10. Jesus comes in as Lord and He sits on the throne of your heart. Now the Bible says you are not in Adam anymore, you are now in Christ. Colossians 1:13-14. We think: “Now my troubles are over.” Sadly that is not true because you not only have the Spirit alive within you, you also still have the Adamic nature within you that wants to be on the throne of your life. Our fleshly life and our new life in Christ don’t get along well together. Galatians 5:16-17. After we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior there is this internal struggle that each of us go through for who is going to stay on the throne of our lives. Our fleshly nature wants to please itself. Philippians 3:18-21: that is the flesh. The Spirit of God wants to be on the throne of our lives: John 16:13-14. Our flesh has been crucified when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior: Galatians 2:0; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:3-10. The Bible says a Christian is crucified with Christ but unfortunately often even Christians find themselves all to alive to sin in their lives. Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 84:11.

II. THE PLEASURE OF SIN!

The second reason it is hard for each of us to live a victorious Christian life is the problem of the pleasures of sin. You do know that the Bible says sin is pleasurable for a season. Our sin is pleasurable to our flesh but it is not pleasurable to the Spirit living in us. Galatians 5:17; Hebrews 11:25. There are sins of the flesh that deal with sexual immorality: Galatians 5:19: Those sins are the bait on Satan’s hook. Proverbs 7:6-20: Yes sin is pleasurable but only for a season. Flesh gives us pleasure instantly but it is always a passing pleasure but a lasting pain: Proverbs 7:21-23. Our God can and will forgive us all our sins but that does not mean when we sow to the flesh we won’t pay a lasting price for it: Galatians 6:7-8. When the sins of the flesh are listed for us we know they can bring pleasure for a season but pain for a life time: Galatians 5:20-21; Galatians 5:21. Listen every Christian struggles with those things but they do not allow them to become the habit of their life. If you can live in those habits you never received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

III. TRYING TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BY THE FLESH!

      The third reason why it is so hard to live the Christian life is we try to win the battle in the wrong way. Every Christian knows what that struggle is like between the flesh and the Spirit. Before we come to faith in Christ there is no struggle, we just follow the flesh because that is all we have. After we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we have now the Spirit living in us but also we still have our sinful nature living in us. We all learn very soon that we cannot gain the victory over the flesh by fighting sin in our flesh. The flesh will never be controlled by just trying harder. Isaiah 64:6; Romans 8:8. The Pharisees lived in their flesh and tried to please God. It never worked. Outwardly they looked good to others but God can see the heart. When the flesh is on the throne it is never pleasing to our God.

There is only one way to walk in victory in our Christian lives and that is by allowing our Lord to sit on the throne of our hearts: Galatians 5:16, 25. God wants each of us to allow His Holy Spirit to be in control of our lives. We must learn that the Christian life is hard; it is impossible to live out the Christian life well walking with our fleshly nature in charge of our lives. Jesus Christ wants to live His life in you by His Spirit. That is the only way to actually live a life that is pleasing to our Lord Jesus Christ. We must totally surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit in order to live the Christian life successfully. Galatians 5:25; Romans 12:1-2.

Years ago Pastor Adrian Roger made us the acronym P-A-C-E. Praise: We need to start each day praising our Lord. Accept: Lord I accept Your acceptance of me. I accept Your forgiveness. I accept the fact that you love me. I accept the fact that as far as the east is from the west, so far have you removed my transgressions from me. And I’m not going to live in guilt and shame. Control: “Lord, I give control to You this day. I bring myself and I put myself on the altar. I belong to you, and I’m going to be Your living sacrifice. Expect a great day! When we yield ourselves totally to our Lord it’s going to be a great day and a great life. 2 Chronicles 16:9. Romans 13:13-14. When we yield to our Lord we still have to watch the path of our feet. It is much easier to avoid temptation than to resist temptation. Mark 9:43-47. We are to make no provision for the flesh. Our fleshly desires must be crucified in order to keep Christ on the throne of our lives. When the Holy Spirit is on the throne of our lives, it won’t just be rules to obey, it will be a fellowship of walking through this life with our Lord Jesus Christ in charge. John 15:1-5. So our question is “Who is on the throne of your life?”