The Battle with Sin

By / / Christian Living, Discipleship, Pastoral Ministry, The Post, Theology

How to win in the Battle with sin.

Two men got to talking and discovered they had both been alcoholics and each had been sober for 25 years. The first man said, “I haven’t even been tempted to drink for 25 years. God delivered me from even the desire for alcohol.” The second man sagged a little bit and hung his head slightly and said, “I struggle with the temptation to drink alcohol every day. But God gives me the strength day-by-day to not drink.”

Which of these men is more spiritual? Which of these men demonstrates a greater depth of maturity, resilience of faith, and strength of character?

Some would say that the first man – the one who has no desire for alcohol – is the more spiritual because not only has his drinking ceased, but his desire to drink is gone, too. Others would point to the second man as demonstrating greater Christian character because even in the face of daily temptation he walks in obedience to God, depends upon the power of the Spirit, and refuses to drink. Some in the first group would argue that even the desire for sin and the attraction to sin is an indication of spiritual mediocrity. They imply that even the pull of temptation, the attraction to sin is a defeat. I disagree – and here’s why.

Satan lives in my backyard. OK, maybe not literally – but I am reminded of him every time I walk on to the back deck. We have carpenter bees that bore into the wood of my patio and burrow there and make it their home. They raise their families and have other carpenter bees over for BBQ’s and sleepovers. It’s true. I even saw one trying to shove a big screen TV into the ¾ inch hole he bored into my wood. I told myself that I have a carpenter bee infestation. I looked up the signs of carpenter bee infestation on GOOGLE:

“The most common signs of a carpenter bee infestation are the round, smooth holes that carpenter bees bore into wood.” This is like saying, “The most common sign of carpenter bee infestation is infestation.” This is like saying, the most common sign of the presence of sin is the presence of sin!

I have fought WW3 in order to get rid of the devil’s emissaries.

  • I have spackled over the their holes – and yet that doesn’t deter them. These little demons bore through that easier than the wood they had to bore through in the first place.
  • I have used liquid nails to seal off the holes and discourage this horde of evilness. I think they think it’s candy and they go right through it.
  • I have flooded their holes with wasp spray. But these little suckers are patient – they just wait for it to dry up and wear off and they come back with seven carpenter bees more evil than themselves.
  • I have used thick caulking and jammed it into the holes using a caulking gun. I can hear them laughing at me in the distance. I feel so defeated.
  • I’ve discovered that sometimes a fly swatter is effective!

Our fight against sin is like my fight against these carpenter bees – constant, continual, violent. I wish I could conquer sin to the point where the very desire for sin would be gone – like the first former alcoholic in the opening story – but I must carry a tracking device or something because sin always knows right where I am. What God told Cain could be told us –

“…sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Genesis 4:7

When sin seeks to bore into your life, you need to resist it constantly, continually, and violently – with spackle and caulking and liquid nails and poison spray and more than a swat or two. Sin desires to bore in and make itself at home. You must master it – becomes its ruler. You must conquer it and not allow it to conquer you.

  • Ephesians 6 speaks of the armor of God that is a defense against sin and Satan and his schemes.
  • The infilling of the Holy Spirit gives us power over sin.
  • The Word of God richly indwelling us gives us an authority over sin.

Use every tool you have to master the sin that wants to drill into your life and make a home there and draw you away from God. The enemy is bearing down and boring in with a tremendous ferocity during this season of time. The triumph of sin will lead to a new ice age. Here’s what Jesus said –

Because lawlessness is increased, the love of many will grow cold. Matthew 24:12

The news these days is nothing but footage and reports of nonstop lawlessness in so many of our cities. Sin leads to lawlessness which leads to lovelessness. Sin not only destroys your fellowship with God, it can freeze your relationship with other people. Don’t allow this to happen. You be the master. Disagreement with someone doesn’t breed unloving division – sin does this. Be aware of when your soul begins to freeze over.

  • Anger at another solely because they disagree with you is a sign of a soul freezing over.
  • Stubbornness to the point of refusing to acknowledge the superiority of a point made by the ‘other side’ is a sign of a soul freezing over.
  • Demonizing those who disagree with you is a sign of a soul freezing over.
  • Mocking those who disagree with you is a sign of a soul freezing over.
  • Refusal to forgive others or confess your own sin is a sign of a soul freezing over.

The burrowing in of sin robs you of the ability to move in Christlike love toward another. Like the second former alcoholic in the opening story – struggle every day against sin and the lawlessness leading to lovelessness. Jesus will empower you by His Word and Spirit to overcome the desire of sin to master you. Don’t allow the lovelessness of lawlessness to even begin to harden your heart. May you live in the warmth of the love of the Son of God.

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