Brothers and sisters, let's talk about something we all wrestle with—sin. No matter how hard we try, it seems like we can't fully escape its grip, right? We can make promises to ourselves, repent, and even try to live better, but deep down, we know that something keeps pulling us back. We've all been there. You want to stop doing what you know is wrong, but somehow, despite your best efforts, you find yourself slipping into the same patterns again.

Paul, in Romans 7:18, said something so relatable: “I want to do what is right, but I can’t.” Now, if a man like Paul, who wrote so much of the New Testament and was deeply committed to following Jesus, struggled with sin, what does that say about us? It reminds us that no matter how strong our willpower is, or how much we want to do the right thing, we can’t handle sin on our own.

And this is where we often get it wrong. We think if we just try harder, if we just repent more sincerely, we can overcome. But friends, overcoming sin is not about trying harder. It's about surrendering more—to the Holy Spirit. Sin isn’t just a problem of behavior; it’s a condition of the heart. And as much as we’d love to fix our hearts ourselves, that’s God’s territory. Only He, through His Holy Spirit, can change us from the inside out.

Think about it like this: have you ever tried to fix something around the house without the right tools? Maybe it’s a leaky faucet or a broken chair. You try using what you have, but no matter what you do, it doesn’t work. You get frustrated, tired, and, in the end, the problem still isn’t fixed. That’s how dealing with sin on our own feels. We’re missing the most important tool—the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 speaks directly to this: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees.” Isn’t that beautiful? God doesn’t expect us to clean up our lives on our own. He promises to give us a new heart and His Spirit to help us live the way He wants.

Let’s be honest, we can’t do it by ourselves. Our own strength isn’t enough to break free from sin’s hold. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be free. This doesn’t mean we won’t struggle anymore. No, we will still face temptations. But the difference is, we now have the power to overcome. Romans 8:2 reminds us, “The Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

We’re not alone in this fight. We don’t have to keep spinning our wheels, trying to fix our lives in our own strength. The Holy Spirit is here to help, to guide, and to give us the power we need to live differently.

So as we leave here today, let’s stop relying on our efforts and start asking for the Holy Spirit’s help. Invite Him into every part of your life, especially the parts where sin has been holding you back. You don’t have to do it alone. In fact, you can’t do it alone. But with the Holy Spirit, victory is possible.

May God bless you and fill you with His Spirit. Amen.