Tuesday, December 18, 2012

How Long Can You Go Without Sinning?

How long can you go without sinning? 30 minutes? An hour? A day? A week?

The enemy of your soul spends every minute of the day devising ways to tempt and draw you away from Jesus. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." -I Peter 5:8 He hates your guts and will do everything in his ability to cause pain, heartache, busyness, broken relationships, and keep your focus off of God.

The good news is that the lover of your soul has power over all and desires a thriving relationship with you. Those who have a personal relationship with Jesus, have access to the most powerful force in all of creation. "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." -I John 4:4 If you aren't currently following Him, He loves you and wants to offer you an abundant life. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." -John 10:10

Sometimes sin gets so entrenched, possibly even to the point of addiction, that it takes some very hard work to reshape your life and thought patterns so that they're fixed on God. Don't try to go it alone either. Your brothers and sisters in Christ will fight alongside you for righteousness.

Never believe the lies of Satan that you're not good enough, never will be, have no value, will always have shame and be enslaved to sin. I Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." When you find yourself tempted, cry out to God for help and reach out to fellow believers in Christ in times of weakness.

Beyond eliminating unhealthy or destructive input (whatever the source: TV, music, internet, radio, movies, books, magazines, negative people) from your life, fill your mind with things that encourage righteousness. In addition to reading the Bible and prayer, some of the most helpful things I've found are scripture memory and singing worship songs. Throughout the day and week choose a verse or two to memorize and it will help keep your mind from wandering and pull your focus back if you begin to drift.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith…" -Hebrews 12:1-2a

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew
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