The Secret of Victory Over Sin, Satan And Self

Walking in the Already-Won Victory

"Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 6:11

Bishop Dr. Darlingston Johnson

October 20, 2025

This Week's Prayer Focus

Union with Christ
Romans 6:3-5
Dead to Sin
Romans 6:11
Alive to God
Romans 6:11, John 10:10
Christ Breathing Life
Galatians 2:20
Knowledge: First Step
Romans 6:6, Hosea 4:6

Reckon It As Truth
Romans 6:11
Let NOT Sin Reign
Romans 6:12-13
Present Yourself
Romans 6:13, 12:1
Victory Over Satan
Colossians 2:15
Victory Over Self
Romans 6:4-5

Our Foundation Scripture

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Romans 6:1-4

The Frustrating Cycle:

Sin → Guilt → Repent → Try Harder → Sin Again → Repeat
It feels like you can never win the battle

The Secret to Victory

"The secret to victory isn't about you mustering more willpower. The Christian life is less about striving, and more about letting and not letting."

Key Principle

The battle has already been won by Christ
Victory is not something you fight for
It's something you LET happen

Letting vs. Forcing

Forcing

Human effort
Willpower
Striving
Fighting for victory
Exhausting

Letting

Faith in Christ
Believing God's Word
Resting in victory
Standing in victory
Supernatural

Why We Still Struggle:

IGNORANCE - You don't know what Christ has already done
UNBELIEF - You've heard it but choose not to believe it

"This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith"

1 John 5:4

Union with Christ

This is not just a metaphor - This is spiritual reality
You are ACTUALLY, VITALLY joined to Christ

When Christ died, you died
When Christ was buried, you were buried
When Christ rose, you rose
When Christ defeated sin, Satan, and death, you defeated them
When Christ ascended, you were seated with Him

His story becomes YOUR story

Three Pictures of Union with Christ

1. The Book and Handkerchief

A handkerchief placed inside a book - where the book goes, the handkerchief goes. YOU are in CHRIST - everywhere He went, you went

2. The Umbilical Cord

A baby in the womb - the mother breathes for the baby. The baby simply LETS the mother sustain its life. Jesus is breathing for you spiritually

3. The Tea Bag

When you place a tea bag in water, the water takes on the qualities of the tea. God placed Christ in you and you in Christ so that you become like Jesus

The Real Problem and Solution

"The problem of the sinner is not that he's bad. The problem of the sinner is that he's dead. And the only thing that can help a dead man is life."

Key Truth

God's entire plan was to give us LIFE

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

John 10:10

Christianity is not imitation, it's participation in the very life of Christ

God's Spiritual Surgery

Sin cut the spiritual umbilical cord - we were dead to God

On the cross, God performed spiritual surgery
He opened Jesus up
He restored the broken umbilical cord
He took us and placed us inside Jesus
He sealed the wound with the Holy Spirit

"You are alive because Jesus is inhaling. You are alive because Jesus is exhaling. And all you have to do is let Him."

Powerful Truth

Now we are ONE with the Lord

You ARE Dead to Sin

"The Bible doesn't say to the believer 'die to sin.' The Bible says to the believer, 'You ARE dead to sin, and you ARE alive to God.'"

Critical Truth

This is not a goal to achieve - This is an accomplished fact

"One of the reasons for your failure is you're trying to die to something you're already dead to."

Key Insight

What about "I die daily"? Paul was NOT talking about dying to sin - he was talking about daily persecution and physical danger for the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:31)

The Four Steps to Victory

Based on Romans 6:11-13

KNOW - Know you are dead to sin and alive to God
RECKON - Count it as unchangeable fact
LET NOT - Refuse to let sin reign
PRESENT - Offer yourself to God daily

Step 1: KNOW

"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

Romans 6:6

You cannot walk in victory until you KNOW you already have it

How to KNOW:

Spend time in God's Word
Listen to sound teaching repeatedly
Write down key truths and meditate on Scripture
Renew your mind daily

Satan's strategy is to keep you ignorant

Step 2: RECKON

"Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 6:11

"Reckon" is an accounting term - it means count it as fact

It doesn't mean "pretend" - it means factor it into your thinking
Count on it as unchangeable truth
Believe what God says despite your feelings

"When someone is 'dead to you,' you have no interest in them, don't respond to their messages, walk past them as if they don't exist. That's how believers should be toward sin - dead to it indeed."

Powerful Analogy

Feelings can lie - God's Word never lies

Step 3: LET NOT

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts."

Romans 6:12

The only way sin can rule over you is if you LET it

When temptation comes:

Say "NO" out loud
Declare: "I'm dead to sin, I'm alive to God"
Declare: "Christ is my life, I'm one with Him"
Declare: "The life of Christ in me empowers me to say no"

"We fight the good fight of faith"

1 Timothy 6:12

The battle is not fighting sin - The battle is BELIEVING

Step 4: PRESENT

"Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God."

Romans 6:13

Present yourself daily to God as someone who is alive from the dead

"Lord, this day I present my body to You to be an instrument for righteousness. I let You live Your life through me today, Christ. Bear Your fruit in me and through me, in Jesus' name."

Morning Declaration

Remember These Truths

"You are not a sinner trying to win victory over sin. You are a victor in Christ. The victory has already been won."

Identity in Christ

"Satan will love for you to fight him and fight him and fight him. Because as long as you are fighting him, you are not walking in the victory Christ has already won."

Powerful Insight

Prayer Points 1-3

1. Union with Christ (Romans 6:3-5)

Thank God for your union with Christ. His story is your story: when He died, you died; when He rose, you rose; when He defeated sin, you defeated it in Him.

2. Dead Indeed to Sin (Romans 6:11)

Declare: You are not trying to die to sin - you ARE dead to sin. This is an accomplished fact. Ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind to this reality.

3. Alive to God (John 10:10)

Thank God that you are ALIVE to God in Christ Jesus. The problem was death, but God's solution was life. Christ is your life.

Prayer Points 4-5

4. Christ Breathing Life Into You (Galatians 2:20)

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God."

Christ is literally breathing life into you spiritually. You simply let Him sustain you. Let Christ live His life through you today.

5. Knowledge: The First Step to Victory (Romans 6:6)

Commit to KNOWING the truth. Ask God for revelation knowledge of your position in Christ. Satan's strategy is to keep you ignorant.

This Week's Challenge

Listen to this sermon repeatedly until it becomes revelation
Memorize Romans 6:11
When tempted, speak aloud: "I'm dead to sin, I'm alive to God"
Daily prayer: Present your body as an instrument of righteousness
Stop trying to die to sin - believe you ARE dead to sin

"I am crucified with Christ. I am dead to sin. I am alive to God. I have His life, His nature, and His ability working in me all the time. He's breathing in for me. He's exhaling out for me. And I am growing, maturing, being transformed into a perfect person, conformed to the image of Jesus. Thank you Lord. This is my reality. In Jesus' name."

Weekly Declaration

The Secret of Victory

"From now on, don't fight FOR victory over sin, Satan, or self. From now on, stand IN the victory that Christ has won and let that victory manifest in your life by believing it, speaking it, declaring it, and renewing your mind with it."