Frustrated by sin?

Have any of you ever had a sin in your life that keeps reappearing?  Have you tried and tried to resist it?  We know we have been forgiven because of Christ's death on the cross.  We know there is a battle between being led by the Spirit or by the flesh.  But how can we experience victory over our reoccurring sins?

I was praying about a particular sin in my life this week that continues to be a struggle for me.  God led me to a particular Scripture while I was praying.  It is Romans 7:14-25.  I will include it here for your convenience.

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Many of you are familiar with this passage.  We are sometimes quick to say, "Amen! And then say it is no use to even try.  See, Paul cannot even win the battle."  However, I noticed something I had never noticed before.  Look back at the first words that are underlined.  I was reminded that my battle is in my mind.  As I began to reflect on my particular sin, I realized that it always begins with rationalization or plotting in my mind.

So, I continued to reflect on this passage throughout the day.  I began to think about how J.L. can win the battle in my mind.  I could talk with an accountability partner, I could force my mind to focus on other things, I could do battle in the "heavenly realms".  Then it hit me.  None of these things will work and I was led to return to the text.  Notice the second group of words that are underlined.  How do I win the mind battle?  Yes, the answer is Jesus.  This is not just a cute answer, but a powerful answer.  I can win the battle for my mind and over sin as I turn my thoughts to Jesus Christ. 

So, I am going to live this Scripture out in the weeks ahead.  When sin is crouching at my door, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, I will think of Christ.  I will remember what He has done for me.  I will think about his great love for me and His grace.  I will agree with Paul, "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

It truly is about my need of Jesus each and every day.  I need the gospel.