Keep updated! Join the Jesus Cafe mailing list. Your Email Address : subscribe unsubscribe		Victory Over Sin By MuSISun, February 2001 We live in a society that has changed. It hasn’t been that long ago that there was no doubt that certain things were always wrong and other things were always right. For instance, when you and I were in school, sassing the teacher was an act that would not be tolerated but today we see schools that are so out of control that this is the norm rather than the exception. It seems our society has lost its respect for those in authority, and yet, we know that the Bible teaches us to respect authority for all authority comes from God. Romans 13 1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities have been established by God. When you and I were children, there were certain words that would never be uttered in polite company. Today we see that anything goes, not only adults but EVEN children utter words that should cause us all to blush. When the movie "Gone With The Wind" came out, there was tremendous outrage over the first profane word to ever be used in a movie. Today it seems so mild compared to what we are bombarded with; and yet, that one word opened the door to what we have today. Colossians 3 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. And speaking of rage, have you ever in your lives seen a time when so many are so very full of rage and hatred? No longer does the world, and sometimes even those who profess to be Christians, hold sacred the name of God. Just turn on your television set and you will repeatedly hear the Lord's name taken in vain. I would dare to even wonder if our society has reached the point that God's name is spoken in vain many more times than it is ever lifted in a respectful manner. And yet, to the person who truly loves God, hearing His name being disrespected should cause us to shudder, and yes, even become angry. There was a time when getting in trouble at school automatically meant being disciplined at home as well. We know that the Bible teaches a parent is to discipline their child as an act of love; and yet today, the world tells us to spank a child is an act of abuse. In the light of this teaching for more than 20 years, we have children and young people who feel unloved, who are out of control, and are desperately seeking meaning to life. The Bible tells us that parents are to train up a child in the way that he should go but today we see that many parents don't think that it's their place to train and discipline a child. If the parents don't, who will? What we see over and over today are households where the children are the ones seemingly in control. When the child speaks the parent hops. Regularly a child is heard to tell a parent, "No!" Parents think the easy way out is to let the child have his way, and thereby, setting up a lifetime of self indulgence that never results in true satisfaction. Unfortunately, sometimes the children of God, even though they are adults act like bratty children. Sometimes, we too show disrespect for authority, sometimes we say things we shouldn't and sometimes it's just easier to let a wrong slide by than to stand up and oppose it. 1 John 3 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This would seem to almost conflict with the following: 1 John 1 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. Chapter three is pointing out that those who continue to enjoy a lifestyle of continual sin are not truly children of God. However, as we see in Chapter 1, this does not mean that the child of God never sins. However, sin for the children of God should be the exception in their life and not the rule. Many confuse sin with human failings. If I promise to be somewhere at 5:00 and get caught up in traffic because of a wreck, I have not sinned. I did not purposely set out to tell a lie. The circumstances that took place were beyond my control. However, if I say that I will be somewhere at 5:00 and it was never my intention to keep my word, then I am guilty of the sin of lying. So let's be careful as we discuss sin to not confuse sin with those things that are beyond our control. Sin is a willful act of disobedience to God. When we know that the Bible says a certain thing is wrong or the Holy Spirit speaks to our heart that we shouldn't do something and we proceed to do it anyway, then we become guilty of sin. I hear many equate temptation as a sin itself. And yet it is clear that Jesus himself was tempted. Matthew 4 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "`He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' " 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. So if we were to go by the thinking of some people then we would have to say that Jesus himself sinned when we know that is not the case! Hebrews 4 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. So it is not in being tempted that we sin, but it is when we yield ourselves and give over to sin that we become guilty. The enemy loves to plant sinful thoughts in our minds just as he did to Jesus in the wilderness temptations. But the fact that a sinful thought comes to our mind is not an act of our will. It becomes an act of our will and a sin when we do not purge the thought from our mind. When we decide to entertain the thought and actually enjoy doing so, then we fall to sin. And so we must be careful not to expose ourselves to things that would cause impure thoughts to come. 2 Corinthians 10 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. James 1 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. So it's not only the acts we commit but also those thoughts that we allow to take us captive that cause us to sin. So again, when the enemy plants an evil thought or we have been exposed to something that causes an evil thought to creep in we must be like Jesus and rebuke it! Read your Bible, Pray! Do not allow that thought to over take you. Flee from temptation. Many like to quote the 7th Chapter of Romans as an excuse to sin. In that chapter we see Paul talking about the struggle that goes on. Romans 7 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. But those who quote the passages of Romans 7 are forgetting that Paul is talking about a man who is living in the flesh, allowing his carnal nature to control him. But Paul goes on in chapter 8 to say we are not like that! We used to be yes, but now the spirit of God controls us so that we should not obey the lusts of the flesh. Romans 8 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 1 Corinthians 10 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. So how does the Christian live victoriously over sin? One way is to practice the admonition of Philippians 4:8 Philippians 4 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Fill your minds with good things. Avoid those things that are not profitable for the child of God. Turn off the television show that takes the name of your God in vain. Fill your mind with the Word of God and spend time communing with the Father. Prayer is not merely listing off all your wants to the Father. True prayer is for communing with the Father, expressing thanks for all that He has done, for counting our blessings, and for praising Him for His love and grace. And prayer is a time to listen to God. Yes, God really does speak to His children today. Those who don't hear from God aren't listening. He speaks to us through that quiet still voice, through His Word, and indeed, through all the creation that surrounds us. We must remember that the Bible tells us in Romans 6 that we are not to use the grace of God as an excuse to sin. I have heard people say, "Oh well, God will forgive me." This is prevailing upon the grace of God and a dangerous thing. The little sin you excuse today will become a mountain of a sin tomorrow. If we will but live by the commands that Jesus gave us, we will have victory over sin. Mark 12 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' If we truly love God above ourselves we will want to avoid displeasing Him. If we love God more than ourselves, we won't fall to the temptations to expose ourselves to those things that would open us up to sin. We would flee from temptation and run right back to God. Indeed, falling to temptation indicates at that very time of sin, we have chosen to love our selfish desires more than we love God. Love is a choice, and we must daily choose to love God more than ourselves. If we really love God, we will bless our enemies and do good to those who curse us. You see all that we do must involve loving God above all first. If we truly love God first then, of course, we will not harm our brother or speak evil of him. But we aren't perfect and that is why Jesus died for us. We will sometimes mess up but God has also given us the solution for that! 1 John 1 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Perhaps the real problem you face with sin is that you have never confessed to God that you have displeased him and done things you shouldn't have done. The Bible says if we repent of our sins….that means to be sorry and to walk away from the sinful lifestyle…that God is faithful and just and will forgive us. Acts 2 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins Are you sorry today for your sins? Have you spent your life and never truly surrendered to God? God provided a way for you to be set from the bondage of sin. God loves you so much that He wants you to spend eternity with Him. Did you know that God promises in heaven there will be no sin, sorrows, tears or death? That's where I want to be…with God forever and with those who love Him. If you haven’t accepted Christ as your savior and forgiveness for your sins, you can do that now by praying something like this: Dear Lord, I know that I have not lived a perfect life. I have sinned and ask you to forgive me of my sins. Please come into my life and help me to live a life that pleases you. Jesus, please be my Savior and Lord. Thank you Lord for forgiving me and saving me. In Jesus name. Amen Friend, if you have prayed this prayer for the first time, tell someone. You need to get in touch with Christians who will help you in your new life in Christ. Find a church that teaches from the Word of God. Ask God to direct you to the church that will be best for you. Whether a new Christian or one who’s been saved for over 20 years, let’s live a life that glorifies the Father. May God bless you as you run the race!
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