“We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. For the person who has died [with Christ] has been freed from [the power of] sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live [together] with Him, because we know [the self-evident truth] that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has power over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin [ending its power and paying the sinner’s debt] once and for all; and the life that He lives, He lives to [glorify] God [in unbroken fellowship with Him]. Even so, consider yourselves to be dead to sin [and your relationship to it broken], but alive to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:6-11 Amplified Bible

Charles Stanley summarized this truth: “If we have died to sin by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we will have the resurrected life of Christ within us. Neither sin nor death will ever be our master again. Death has been defeated because He gives us life without end with Him in heaven. Until we reach our new heavenly home, we are to draw on the power of the Spirit to put to death the sin that still wants to express itself, and obey God for His glory” (Charles F. Stanley, Life Lessons).

J. B. Stoney observed: “The constant tendency is to try to improve the manner of one’s life here below by adopting Christian principles, whereas you will never arrive at it unless you start from ‘crucified with Christ.’ Then it is not thinking of what I am, but of what He is, ‘Christ liveth in me.’“

Deliverance from evil is not about our willpower, but about tapping into divine enablement. Harry A. Ironside gave this grace-oriented counsel:

“Do not accept the suggestion of the Temper that you are powerless to break away from evil habits. Remember, it is not a question of your own power, but when you honestly repent of the wrongdoing and turn to the Lord for divine help to overcome your besetting sin, He will undertake for you. As you reckon yourself to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Holy Spirit will work in you and through you. He will cause you to triumph over tendencies toward evil and enable you to live victoriously to the glory of the God who has saved you.”

Fellow believer, consider yourself “dead” to the authority of Sin and alive to God to live according to His wise and righteous design!