Did you know that there are several species of harmless flies that actually look like bees? There are even honey bees that don’t have stingers at all! Our society has done such an excellent job branding the “bee” that every time we see something that looks remotely close to one, we flee in utter terror. I have noticed that Christians react the same way toward sin and death. The Devil has done such a good job branding our minds with lies we hide and cower at these “bees without stingers.” Remember this: Christ will redeem our soul, but we have to renew our mind.

For those who are in Christ, sin thus has no more power over you. It is like a bee without its stinger, though it may appear intimidating, it cannot harm you. God has given you power to overcome! Paul exhorts us to “reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God” (Romans 6:11) because if we don’t see ourselves as such, we will continue to live as if sin had dominion over us. If we don’t see that death has truly lost its sting, then we will continue to live as fearful slaves not faithful servants. 

Before you walk victoriously over your dark habits, emotions and lifestyle, you must first understand that you are already victorious the moment you said yes to Christ. The fight has been fixed. You win because He already won. You just have to keep fighting the good fight of faith and NEVER QUIT. Almost every war has had a turning point, a decisive battle that determined the outcome of the war, yet more battles were fought and the fighting continued until the opponents fully surrendered. The war for your soul has been going on since Satan was kicked out of heaven, but at just the right time, Christ came and turned the tides of the war forever, saying, “It is finished.” As Jesus breathed His last breath, hell rejoiced and heaven wept. The enemy thought he’d won, then Jesus broke through the back door of hell, took the keys of death, and rose again. By doing this, He crushed the serpents head and disarmed the feared killer bee of sin for good. The cross changed everything.

To the worried believer struggling with the fear of death, know that you have a living hope, the hope of glory: Christ in you. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead now lives in you, thus you will rise too. No power in hell can keep you in the grave. Death will never hurt you.

To the weary believer who feels stuck in the same cycle of sin, know that your old man was crucified with Him, that we should no longer be slaves of sin (Rom. 6:6-7). Quit trying to wear chains that He already broke. Shake them off. Push delete. Put yourself in healthy and holy environments. Fill your mind with the truth of how God sees you now (Rom. 8, 12:2). There is power in His name! Step into the reign of grace today, for you are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:37)

…so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 5:21)

Therefore do not LET sin reign in your mortal body… (Rom. 6:12, emphasis added)

The reign of sin: We were under condemnation before God, powerless before sin and satanic attacks, and were in darkness, without the ability to understand God and His Word, etc.

The reign of grace: We received a new position, power, nature, insights, and destiny. We are now enjoyed, indwelt, empowered, and commissioned by God, with a relevant purpose.

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”  The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:55-57)