Planning a Visit? Here’s What to Expect at our Great South Road Location

We’re so excited about this brand-new season as we launch our Great South Road Location in Penrose, led by Ps Tim & Janine Look. Whether you’re exploring faith, looking for a new church family, or just curious to check things out—you’re so welcome here.

To catch a glimpse of the heart behind this new location, watch our mini documentary—it’s a powerful story of vision, faith and God’s goodness in action.

Our Sunday services are full of life, connection and powerful moments with God. We gather each week as a growing community to worship Jesus, build meaningful relationships and be equipped through the Word of God. Here’s what you can expect when you join us!

WARM WELCOME

From the moment you arrive, our friendly team is ready to greet you and help you feel right at home. Not sure where to park? We’ve got you covered! Look out for our carpark team—you’ll see our team on the road and in the carpark helping you find a park. We have plenty of carparks available, so just follow the directions and you’ll be inside in no time.

Once you’ve parked, head towards the large building in the middle of the carpark—you’ll see City Impact Church signage to guide you. If you’re not sure where to go, just ask anyone wearing a lanyard—they’ll be happy to help!

POWERFUL PRAISE & WORSHIP

All our services begin with spirit-filled praise and worship led by our talented worship team, aiming to create an atmosphere where you can connect with God. Expect loud praise, vibrant lighting and a joyful atmosphere as everybody joins in and sings along to the lyrics on screen. This is a moment to connect with God, feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and be encouraged in your faith.

PREACHING & PRAYER

Following worship, one of our team delivers a message grounded in biblical truth. Our teaching is designed to inspire, challenge and encourage you on your faith journey. We are a proud Pentecostal church – so you can also expect times of prayer throughout the service where we lift our needs and the needs of others up to God. If you have a prayer need you can fill in a prayer request form – again just ask anyone with a lanyard or visit our Welcome Desk in the foyer for help.

During every service, the preacher will give a salvation call and give people the opportunity to give their heart or re-commit their life to Jesus.

KIDS CHURCH

We believe church should be exciting and meaningful for kids too! Our Kids Church provides fun, engaging programs designed to help children learn about Jesus in a way that speaks to them. With praise and worship, interactive Bible stories and age-specific activities tailored for children aged 1 year through school year 6.

When you arrive, spot the new families desk just for you, where our friendly team (look for the Kids Church T-Shirts!) will be ready to help. You’ll check your child in and they’ll receive a registration sticker to wear. While you’ll be given a corresponding number that you’ll need to present at the end of the service to collect your child.

We’re here to give you and your family a smooth, enjoyable experience—because we love seeing kids grow in faith and have a blast doing it!

YOUTH

Junior High – (School Years 7 & 8) and (School Years 9 & 10)
Every Sunday there’s a program specifically designed for our school years 7–8. They meet on Sunday mornings for an exciting Youth service filled with games, preaching and even prizes! It’s a great space to build strong friendships, grow in faith and be equipped for the future. If you’re new, head to the welcome desk or simply go to the front of our sanctuary, where all the Junior High gather for praise and worship together before heading to the Chapel for their own program.

We also have a dedicated space for our School Years 9–10. They follow the same format—gathering for worship in the main sanctuary before heading to the Café for their own youth program. It’s a fun and faith-filled environment where they can connect with others their age and continue growing in their walk with God.

Want to know more? Check out all the details here — we’d love to see you there!

City Impact Youth – Youth (School Years 9–13) & YADS (Ages 18-25)
Our Youth gather every Friday night for connection, fun and a powerful time together. Want to know more? Head to the Welcome Desk in the foyer—our friendly team would love to help you get connected.

Whether you’re in high school or a young adult, there’s a place for you here!

LET’S CONNECT AFTER THE SERVICE

After the service, take a moment to connect with others over coffee and conversation. Church is about more than just the service—it’s about building real relationships and doing life together.

On certain Sundays, we run Intro. We’d love to invite you to join us in our sanctuary after the 10am service. It’s a relaxed time to meet some of our location team and hear more about the heart, history and vision of our church. You’ll also discover what’s coming up and how you can get involved.

MEET THE LOCATION PASTORS

Ps Tim & Janine Look are here to support you, pray with you and help you find your place in our church family. When you visit, be sure to say hello—they’d love to meet you! Get to know them more here.

SERVICE TIMES AND LOCATION

Our Great South Road Location holds services every Sunday at 10:00am & 6:30pm at 473 Great South Road, Penrose.

We can’t wait to see you this Sunday! Whether you’re coming for worship, connection, or to explore faith for the first time, you’re so welcome here. For more information on our Great South Road Location, click here.

As we continue exploring this topic, we’re unpacking a key tension in the Christian life: why we still struggle with sin even though Jesus has already defeated it. Read the notes below to understand what Christ has done at the cross, what we experience today, and how God is shaping us through the ongoing journey of sanctification.

The Power of Sin

Overview
The Defeat of Sin’s Power
The Struggle with Sin’s Influence
Why We Still Struggle With Sin
The Victory We Can Have Over Sin
Conclusion

Overview

Many of us understand that when Jesus gave His life on the cross, He defeated the power and authority of sin. He became sin in our place so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Yet, it’s clear that sin is still present in the world, and many Christians still struggle with temptation and sinful habits. This can feel confusing. If sin has been defeated in Christ, why do we still struggle with it?

In this blog, we’ll explore:

The defeat of sin’s power at the cross
The ongoing influence of sin
Why believers still struggle today
How we can walk in victory over sin

The Defeat of Sin’s Power

At the cross, Jesus didn’t just deal with sin emotionally or symbolically. He broke its authority and dominion over believers completely.

We are no longer slaves to sin.

Romans 6:6–11 explains this clearly:

Our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

This is a decisive spiritual reality for everyone in Christ:

Sin no longer rules over us
We are no longer under its authority
We are now alive to God in Christ Jesus

Before salvation, sin wasn’t just something we did. It was something that ruled us. Paul uses the image of slavery to explain this:

“You were once slaves of sin…” (Romans 6:17–18)

A slave does not have full autonomy. In the same way, sin shaped our desires, decisions, and direction before Christ.

Freedom through Christ’s exchange.

Jesus broke that system through His death and resurrection:

“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin…” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Through Christ’s sacrifice:

We are freed from sin’s power
We are transferred into righteousness
Sin is no longer our master

But this leads to an important question: If sin is defeated, why do we still struggle?

The Struggle with Sin’s Influence

Although sin’s power has been broken, its presence and influence remain in the world.

Sin is no longer our master, but it still tries to tempt, lure, and influence us. We still live in a fallen world where spiritual battle is real.

Even Jesus experienced temptation, yet He never sinned.

Scripture is clear that believers must still actively resist sin:

Ephesians 6:10–12 – We wrestle against spiritual forces
1 Peter 5:8 – The devil seeks to devour
James 1:13–14 – Temptation comes through desire

We are still in a spiritual battle

While sin no longer rules us, it still:

Appeals to our flesh
Uses external influences
Seeks to draw us away from God

However, sin will not always remain. Scripture promises a future where it will be completely removed:

“He will wipe away every tear… death shall be no more…” (Revelation 21:4)

Why We Still Struggle With Sin

To understand the tension we live in, we need to understand the three stages of salvation (Ordo Salutis):

Justification

We are saved instantly

Freed from sin’s power
Declared righteous in Christ

2. Sanctification

We are being saved progressively

Freed from sin’s influence over time
Becoming more like Christ

3. Glorification

We will be saved fully in the future

Completely free from sin’s presence

Where we live now

We currently live in sanctification:

Sin’s power is broken
Sin’s influence is still present
Sin’s presence will one day be removed

State of sin vs acts of sin

A helpful distinction:

State of sin: We are no longer separated from God
Acts of sin: We still sometimes fall and miss the mark

Being saved does not mean we never sin again. It means sin no longer defines our identity or separates us from God.

We are:

Fully forgiven in Christ
Still being transformed in daily life

The Victory We Can Have Over Sin

We are not powerless against temptation. Scripture gives us practical ways to walk in victory.

1. Identify the sin

You cannot overcome what you refuse to acknowledge.

2. Understand there is no condemnation

“There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

Conviction leads us to God. Condemnation pushes us away from Him.

3. Recognise triggers

Identify patterns and remove environments that fuel temptation.

4. Repent quickly

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just…” (1 John 1:9)

Don’t delay restoration.

5. Bring sin into the light

Confession breaks secrecy. Sin grows in darkness and weakens in the light.

6. Remember your identity

You fight sin from freedom, not for freedom.

“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Romans 12:2)

7. Rely on the Holy Spirit

Change is a process empowered by God, not human willpower alone.

“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…” (Philippians 1:6)

Conclusion

Jesus has defeated sin, but sin has not yet been fully destroyed.

That is why:

We are free from sin’s power
We still face its influence
We still experience the process of sanctification

One day, at glorification, sin will be gone completely. Until then, we live in the tension of already free, but still being transformed.

The good news is this:

Sin does not define you
Sin does not separate you from God
Sin does not have authority over your life

You are justified, being sanctified, and one day will be glorified.

And in the meantime, the Holy Spirit is faithfully shaping you into the image of Christ.

Flourish

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