The War Within Me

This sermon was delivered at Albuquerque Vietnamese Baptist Church on October 23, 2022, as part of a series on "Living the Christian Life." The pastor outlines three essential components of the Christian life: one's relationship with others, one's personal moral life, and the guiding standard used to live by. Scripture, particularly Psalm 119 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17, is emphasized as the foundation and guiding light for believers on their journey of faith.

The heart of the sermon focuses on Romans 7:15-25, where the Apostle Paul describes a profound inner conflict: he wants to do good but ends up doing evil, and the very things he hates are what he does. The pastor uses the ironic saying "We have met the enemy and it is us" to highlight the reality that the sinful nature still dwells within every believer. Paul acknowledges that nothing good lives in his flesh, and that a law of sin in his members wages war against the law of his mind.

The sermon also emphasizes joy in the Word of God as a source of strength to stand firm in this inner battle. Multiple verses from Psalm 119 are quoted to illustrate that whoever truly loves God's commandments and meditates on His Word day and night will be like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit and never withering (Psalm 1:1-3). Joy in God's Word is not merely an emotion but a daily choice and posture of life.

At the conclusion, the pastor directs the congregation to Paul's cry of desperation: "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?" and to his grateful answer: "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Victory in the inner war does not come from personal strength, but solely by the grace and power of Jesus Christ. This is the message of practical hope for every believer who faces spiritual struggle in daily life.