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All through the Bible, we are warned about sin and the need to stay away from it. This topic comes up so much that many have become a little deaf to it. When people mention 'sin,' eyes glaze over and minds veer off to other issues. However, the warnings about iniquity have always been for our good because the Lord understands how powerful sin can be and how it can control people when care is not taken.
We are told in Romans 6:12 - Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. This is a call to avoid sin at all costs. And the writer, Apostle Paul, didn't stop there. He said in Romans 6:13 - Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
God wants us to submit our very lives to Him as an instrument for His righteousness. Remember, we are the temples of the Lord. The place He wants to dwell in, right here on the earth. That can't happen when we are the instruments of sin and wickedness instead. We can't play around with sin, thinking that God's Spirit will remain in us. He is like a white dove, easily disturbed by what is evil. Further, He is intentional not to get blemished.
The devil, on the other hand, wants us to be slaves to sin because when that happens, then we are under its dominion. It might not seem like that at first, but that's because satan is a liar. It doesn't want a person to realize that they are walking down a wide pathway to destruction.
And so, at the beginning, the sin is sweet and very pleasing. But with each passing day, that sinful behavior chips away at the part of God within us, dulling our sensitivity to His Spirit and to what pleases Him. Instead, sensuality and the need to do what pleases our flesh grow until we can hardly discern what a sin is anymore. At that point, anything goes as long as it satisfies our itch. The itch to sin and thereby agree with satan.
You might be reading this and think the message is for drug addicts or drunkards. You might think this message is for those who physically abuse their spouses or children. Your mind might be trying to convince you that this message isn't for you. However, it is. This message is for every person who claims to be a Christian. Do not let sin rule you!
Do you give God part of your day? Is it the best part when you are alert, or do you give Him a quick drive-by prayer when you're rushing to do something else, or maybe falling asleep? Do you prioritize Bible study and fellowship with the brethren? Are you obeying His word to keep anger, fornication, lust, and idols away from the door of your heart? Or are you lackadaisical about it all and playing around with sinful habits, deluded into thinking you, and not satan, are in control?
This is why we are told to practice discipline and to guard our hearts. This is why Wisdom teaches people not to go near the road where the adulterer lives (Proverbs 5). Sin beckons with a sweet song, calling all to come and savor. We always think we can handle things, forgetting that satan is well-versed in tempting people. And we don't even pray to God for help against temptation. And so instead, Christians keep falling into sin and struggling to get out of that pit.
But thanks be to God for Jesus Christ. The Lord knew we would need a lot of help, and He sent His Son to do the heavy lifting. We can repent and call on Jesus for help. We can also lean on the Holy Spirit for wisdom to circumvent sin when it calls to us, seeking to tarnish the glory of God resting upon us. God knew every struggle we would face with sin and has given us the victory already. We have to choose to take that help, so we walk as those who are not bound by sin's tentacles but walk free, with heads held high.
If you are struggling with sin, Jesus has set you free. It is time to call on Him and ask for the grace and strength to walk in the freedom He purchased on your behalf at the cross. Yes, you might stumble. But the righteous will always get back up (Proverbs 24:16). Make the choice not to be controlled by sin and let the good Lord help you walk in His strength, not yours. Be intentional in making choices that take you away from sinful habits. Seek help and support as you grow stronger, and trust God to give you victory. You were created not to be ruled by sin. Jesus gave you authority over it. Hold His hand, and live free, IJMN Amen.
As you await fellowship at Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:
It is so easy to be hard on ourselves. When we read the Bible or pay attention to certain other Christians, all we see are the ways that we fall short. And we can't imagine how we could ever match what they do, let alone meet the expectations the word of God sets for us.
What if I told you this attitude doesn't please God? You might think you are being righteous by beating yourself up all the time. However, all you are displaying is pride. Yup, pride, the first sin recorded in the history of the Bible.
Why is this attitude prideful? Because it hinges on your belief that you, and not God, should control your life and make you better. It also makes you, and not the Lord, the judge over your life, ignoring the need to repent and enjoy the grace Jesus died to make available for whenever you fall short. This attitude is hypercritical, thrives on guilt, shame, or condemnation. It also devalues mercy and elevates the mindset that you can rely upon your strength and intelligence to be perfect. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
Human beings were created to rely upon God for wisdom and direction. They weren't created to 'manifest' the lives they want for themselves. This is why Adam and Eve messed up. They were instructed never to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and by disobeying, they tried to circumvent God to gain access to wisdom on their own. They wanted control over their lives in a way that led to their expulsion from the paradise God created for them.
Similarly, God does not want us to think we have to rely on ourselves to become who He created us to be. In fact, anyone who relies upon a person is cursed according to Jeremiah 17:5. And yes, that person they are relying on could be themself. The Lord is responsible for all who choose Him because He loved them and chose them long before they loved Him (1 John 4:19). And for that reason, we are each in the process of becoming the version of ourselves He envisioned before He placed us in our mother's wombs (Jeremiah 1:5).
That process is different for everyone. For instance, even a pair of twins raised in the same household under equal circumstances will experience very different walks with God. That's because He knows what they need, as individuals, to navigate this life. And what one requires might not be necessary for the other sibling.
God knows everything you need to experience so you become who He wants you to be. If you say He is indeed your God, then who are You to challenge His process? Or have You forgotten the warning contained in Isaiah 45:9? It states, “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’?
Why not let Him have His way in your journey of becoming who He intends to make you? Or do you think He will make you something detestable? God is the Father. He makes all His children resemble Him. Is that a bad 'look'? Let me answer that question for you - it isn't. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah will not allow you to resemble a chicken. We're talking about the God who has given us access to the very power that raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:18-21). Why would He want you to be less?
Stop letting satan's lies cheat you of God's best. You have accepted the lie that submission will bring a level of suffering you can't handle. But what sort of struggle would God let you endure on your own? His word tells us that no matter what happens, He will be with us. No matter the temptation, there will be a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). He won't abandon His children. He never has, and you aren't the example He will use to make this point.
Submit yourself fully to the becoming process and the journey He has for you. The quicker you give in, the sooner you will experience the more that He has in store for your life. In humility, give Him what He wants so you get what you need. Leave self-righteousness behind you and ask God to make you righteous. Relinquish control of your life. Let Him have His way. Choose to lean on Him to teach you who He wants you to become so that you please Him and reap the rewards. God bless you!
As you await fellowship at Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages: