Week 1 | Thursday/Friday | Romans 8

Not a spirit of fear

"Rom. 8:12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

I feel it's important for me to remember that Paul ties that action of putting to death the sinful desires with the work of the spirit: in the past I've had times where I identified and tried to overcome behaviours and attitudes from a position of understanding and will, but that wound up with guilt and 'failure' - so then I'd go to see someone about guilt and so on.

I totally believe in psychology. Perhaps there are some things I'm just not supposed to understand.