Romans 8:1-17.  The secret to victory in spite of the time of testing we face as believers is that there is another law at work within us. This law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus accepts the reality of the sinful acts we have committed, and also accepts the death of Christ as condemnation for all those sins (2-3).  That repentance and faith in Christ allows us to get our minds off of ourselves, and to set our minds the things of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit redirects our lives toward life-choices. He enables us to put to death the deeds of the body, which are death-choices (13). He does this by keeping us aware of our new relationship with God as his children, and of our inheritance of glorification that awaits us (15-16).

LORD, we surrender our old lives to the cross. We accept the new lives you have given us through your Holy Spirit.