Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
August 22, 2001 Randall Caselman
Conquering Recurring Sins
Stop and think a moment. What kind of person would we be if we could conquer the six most frequent sins in our life? “Super Saints” right? Satan knows our vulnerability, he knows our weaknesses and returns daily to just this area of our life. It is the recurring sins that keep most of us from being giants in the Lord’s kingdom. What are some ways we can conquer the recurring sin pattern?
1. Conviction by the Word.
David asked our question, “How shall a young man keep his way pure?” Notice his answer: “By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119.9) In this case David is not saying that he “hides” God’s word where it cannot be found, but rather he is storing it up for future use. Scripture carefully stored in our heart is a deterrent to recurring sin in our lives. Remember that Jesus thwarted temptation by replying, “It is written.”
2. Commitment to a pure life.
Someone has said, “A belief is what you hold; a conviction is what holds you.” Some of us fall to recurring sin because we have never made a commitment to stop! Folk, it does little good to believe the Bible if there is no commitment on our part to live by it. David said, “I have taken an oath and confirmed it, I will follow your righteous laws.” ( Psalm 119:6) Today we need to take some oaths; we need to promise ourselves and God “I will not.” Check your area of vulnerability and make God a promise. I believe the reason God tells us to “confess your faults one to another” is to help overcome sins and live pure lives. Communicating my weaknesses to others in my family and the church will accomplish three things: (1) Their prayers will help me; (2) There is peer pressure in me knowing they know; (3) My promise to them will help me not to be involved in this particular sin any more.
3. Discipline one day at a time. “Disciplining” our daily choices is where the going gets tough. We go to church, increase our faith, deepen our convictions, expand our commitments - but now they must be used in daily actions. Jesus learned “obedience by the things he suffered.” Are we learning? Are we disciplining ourselves? Yes, everybody fails here. The very nature of discipline implies failure and imperfections. However, we must not become discouraged but pick ourselves up and try again. “The righteous man falls seven times and rises again.” (Proverbs 24:16)
4. Dependence on the Holy Spirit. “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the fleshly nature cannot please God. You however, are controlled not by the fleshly nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. For if you live according to the fleshly nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God.” (Romans 8.7-9, 13-14). When we do God’s will, we are being controlled by the Spirit. It is by the Spirit that we resist temptations and conquer recurring sins.
5. Motivation by the right reason. “Discipline without desire is drudgery.” Our motivation to conquer sin must ultimately arise out of our relationship with God. All too often the only reason, only motive, we have for stopping a sin is to help us feel good about ourselves because we have “been caught.” No! No! We must desire to stop sinning because God wills us to and has empowered us to conquer sin. Joseph responded to Potipher’s wife with this statement, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” We will never conquer those recurring sins until we truly desire to be God’s person; then we will feel good about ourselves.
Each of us is especially vulnerable to certain sins. It may be lustful fantasies, gossip, lying, anger, selfishness, self-pity or sowing discord. Tackling these recurring sins in our lives is emotionally painful, because sin’s desires run deep. There are no magic formulas. We must
“say no” to Satan’s temptations, and
“yes” to God’s will. We can do this best out of a strong faith in Bible based convictions, with commitment and a daily discipline to live for Him, while allowing ourselves to be a Holy Spirit led people.
RANDALL CASELMAN
