What Life Lessons Can Be Learned from Romans 8?

There is No Condemnation for those Who Belong to Christ

When we walk and live according to the Spirit and have Christ within us there is now no condemnation for us. The hardest part of sin can be forgiving ourselves. But, if we have surrendered our sin fully to God and repented of our sins, God is just to forgive us, and we do not have to live in condemnation for it. The enemy will try to torment us with guilt for our past sins and mistakes. Rebuke those feelings and thoughts when they arise, because if you are walking according to the Spirit you are forgiven!

Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit; condemnation is typically from the enemy. Conviction helps us recognize our sins and repent, or turn away, from our sins. But, feeling down, guilty, and condemned is from the enemy. Because your forgiveness has already been given through the blood of Christ. You must ask God for forgiveness, repent, and receive the beautiful gift of forgiveness from God.

When God forgives our sins, he removes them as far as the East is from the West. Joyce Meyers says it beautifully,

 “We need to stop remembering what God has forgotten…when the enemy comes against us with guilt and condemnation, we need to remember it is not from God. I need to say my sins are forgiven and this feeling of guilt I have is a lie, and I don’t receive it“.

“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Romans 8: 3-4

God gave His Only Son for Us

God saved us when he sent his only Son to die on the cross so the blood would cover our sins for those of us who believe in Him and accept Him as our Lord and Savior. For those of us who walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh, we are free of condemnation.

“Where the mind goes, the man follows”

Wow, there is such power and wisdom in these verses. It is vividly clear that the way we live our lives and what we set our minds on is the difference between abundant life and peace, or torment and death of our spirits. To break it down even simpler, those who live to please their flesh a.k.a their sinful desires; fulfilling their lust, allowing themselves to be led by pride, selfishness, living in deceit, and all the other things that spawn from following our carnal minds, live according to these things that their minds are set on.

But, when you live according to the Spirit, and set your mind on pleasing the Spirit, you have life and peace. You walk in love, joy, patience, forgiveness, giving mercy; you aim to live like Jesus. And with your mind set on those things you please God and live in peace. But on the opposing side, you cannot please God, and are an enemy to God, so you will not have peace if you allow your carnal mind to rule over your life.

“The closer you get to God, the more sinful you are going to feel”

This isn’t to say you won’t struggle with trials and tribulations. The Bible is clear that it rains on the just, and the unjust, alike. But, deep down you know if you are living to fulfill the Spirit or your flesh. Like Billy Graham once said, “the closer you get to God the more sinful you are going to feel“. That’s because the Word of God shines a light on the carnal things in our lives and we feel conviction which allows us to seek forgiveness and repent.

If you are walking according to the flesh, get to know God through His word and allow Him to transform you. If we could fix ourselves we would not need a Savior. Don’t believe the lie of the enemy that you must be clean to come to God because that will never happen. God is the one that does the cleaning. Come as you are, but don’t stay that way. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds through God.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Romans 8:26

The Holy Spirit Strengthens Us

The Holy Spirit strengthens us in our weakness. When we do not know what to pray, the Holy Spirit prays for us. Prayer is so powerful. We pray in the name of Jesus. The enemy tries to discourage us from praying because of the power in prayer. The Holy Spirit knows the need behind our prayers and utterances. We may not be able to pray the perfect prayer, but the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need and intercedes on our behalf when we don’t have the words.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28

God Works All Things Together For Your Good

We need to pray, in Jesus’ name, to the best of our ability through the Holy Spirit, love God, and seek His will. Then, God will take it, and make it all work out according to His will. I feel this verse is often misconstrued to fit the yearnings of the flesh and earthly happiness. Some people read this as everything will work out the way “I” want it to if I am following God.

But, the key words here are ‘who are called according to His purpose’. When we have our mind set on the Spirit, and live by the Spirit, we want the things of the Spirit; and His will. Those are the things he works together for the good of those who love Him and abide in Him.

There is purpose in our sufferings, and they do not compare with the glory to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18) Remember this message of hope knowing despite what we may face God is working all things together for the ultimate good.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

When we live according to the Spirit and God is for us, who can be against us?! This is such a powerful and impactful verse to live by and keep in your mind to recite when you find yourself getting hung up on the things of the world. If someone has rejected you, is gossiping about you, or any of those things, it does not matter when compared to God being for you! That should be your focus. (Set your mind on things of the Spirit!)

For no weapon formed against thee shall prosper. (Isaiah) And when you picture that alongside the fact that when God is for you no one can be against you, and knowing that God will work all things together for your good, you can stand firm on that promise knowing you are protected. Whatever you are facing will be overcome through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit=Peace

Do not let the enemy steal your peace. Remember the earlier verses about keeping your mind set on things that please the Spirit. Focusing on hurts, hang-ups, gossip, and other carnal things like that, are not pleasing to the Spirit. You can feel the hurt or the pain for the moment, but you cannot dwell there. Dwelling there only allows things of the flesh to take root like unforgiveness and bitterness which are like poison to you.

Keeping Your mind on the Spirit leads to peace. Isn’t that a beautiful thing to see all of His word come together in harmony? That’s why prayer and studying the Bible are crucial, as they guide us in living a life aligned with His calling.

If God did not withhold his own Son to save us, what else would he not freely give to you? Whether it is freedom from your addiction, sickness, or the job you need; what are you not bringing to the throne of God? Come boldly to the throne of God for what you need. God provides everything that we need.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 

“For Your sake, we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:35-36

Nothing can separate us from the Love of God

You are loved by God. And nothing can ever separate you from His love. Even in the midst of rejection, disappointment, pain, or hurt, you can stand firm, knowing that God is always on your side. Remember that nothing in this world or beyond, principalities of darkness, life nor death, nothing can ever separate you and God’s love.

To those looking on, seeing us have peace in the struggle, we may look like sheep for the slaughter while facing our trials while maintaining our peace during them. But, in the midst of it, we are more than conquerors cause God has already won. We do not have to live in fear because God is for us, and God loves us.

No powers of darkness, nothing created, nothing high or low, current or things to come can separate us from the love of God.<3

What are some key takeaways from Romans 8 in summary?

1. When we walk in the Spirit, there is no condemnation.

2. The Holy Spirit strengthens us in our weakness.

3. Following the Spirit leads to inner peace, vitality, and is pleasing to God.

4. It is crucial to keep our minds on things of the Spirit and not the flesh.

5. The Holy Spirit helps us pray and intercedes on our behalf in prayer with groanings when we do not know what to pray, but when we need and are seeking God.

6. Prayer holds immense power.

7. We can find peace and rest in knowing that God is faithful to His promises and works all things together for our good.

8. The challenges we are currently experiencing are insignificant in comparison to the glory that awaits us in the future.

9. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

10. God works everything out for the good for those who love Him.