Struggling With Sin

Recently Jay called in to the prayer line looking for hope. He was struggling with sin and felt overwhelmed by it. He knew what was right; for he had been a Christian for some time now. But he felt chained by this sin that he could not overcome. He was desperate for answers, for freedom.

Do you know someone like that? Maybe you are the one struggling with sin. The Apostle Paul described his struggle like this:

Romans 7:14-20 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 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. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

No matter how long you have been a Christian, sin will continue to knock at your door. It is your job not to answer it. Then when sin begins to yell to get your attention, it is your job to turn your ear away. And when sin breaks the door down and announces "I am here!" it is your job to either walk away or command it to leave. Easier said than done? Yes, at times. But not impossible.

I find it easier to give in to sin when my "spirit-man" is not built up. Romans 8:5 says "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what the nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." If my mind is focused on anything but Christ and His Word then I am a target for sin.

I must, we must, fill our minds with the Word of God. We must fill our hearts with praise to Him. Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."

So what do you do when sin comes knocking at your door?

2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We will be tempted with sin. It is all around us, ever-increasing. We do not have to give in to it though. We shouldn't give in to it. Verse 9 of Romans 8 says if the Spirit of God lives in us then we are to be controlled by the Spirit, not the sinful nature.

Therefore, if we are to live by God's Spirit, which lives in us, then we need to take authority over the sin that lingers. When a sinful thought comes to mind cast it down and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Immediately think on the Word of God. Do not allow yourself to be in the place that your weakness resides. Don't tempt yourself. It's meaningless and you will most likely fail.

God deserves our best, our excellence. If you do not desire to walk away from sin then the Spirit of God does not reside in you according to Romans 8. Therefore your next step is to repent and accept Christ. And when God's Spirit enters in, the desire for sin will lessen. And the more you get into the Word of God your desires for godly things will increase. John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."God Bless~