rewritten
Our focus is, ‘How to overcome sin in our lives.’ We have been looking specifically at five steps. Here’s a brief review:
Step #1 – Understanding what God’s will is, acknowledge your weakness to do what God says. To be prepared for testing, learn God’s will and humbly acknowledge your areas of weakness.
Step #2 – Remain alert in prayer for times of testing and temptation. We are weak and Satan is out to destroy us. To be prepared we need to be alert and to pray to God to be spared testing.
Step #3 – In a time of testing – Keep your mind focused on God’s truth. Once you are in a test, Satan works on your mind to make you unsure of God’s truth so that you will rationalize making wrong choices. So you need to stay focused on the Scriptures (reading, quoting, meditating on them) and tell Satan to leave in the name of Jesus
Step #4 – In a time of testing – Receive strength from the Spirit to do God’s will. Once you are in a test, Satan works on your heart to get you to choose what is wrong; to give in to the desires of your flesh to take the easy way out. Ask God for strength from the Spirit to overcome the desires of your flesh so you can do what is right.
Step #5 – Endure the test. Even if you are successful at first, Satan will try to wear you down. So you must keep focused on God’s truth and keep receiving strength from the Spirit until the test is over. No matter how long the test lasts, don’t quit thinking and choosing what it right.
Sometimes, however, we work hard at all this and still fail.
With my title this morning, I am thinking of the manuals you get when you buy a computer or a freezer or whatever. There’s always a section in the back called troubleshooting. You know, if this doesn’t work, then try this. This is what I want us to look at today. If you are doing the four steps and still struggling, these are some things to check into and deal with.
1. Are you double-minded?
This means you are torn between two things; you have two minds on an issue. You know, you want God to help you with one problem in your life, but not others.
For instance, “God help me overcome my alcohol abuse, its destroying my life.: But you don’t mention your sexual immorality, because you happen to like it at the moment.
If you are only trying to stop sinning in one area of your life, while knowingly continuing in sin in other areas, God can’t help you. You aren’t being straight with God. We have to stop playing games.
James 1:7-8 tells us that a double-minded person “must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” We find God and his help when we seek God with our whole heart, not part of it. Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “you will find the Lord, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Be rid of double-mindedness and give your whole life over to God. Then you will both be able to seek and find God’s help in your time of need.
2. Are you the cause of broken relationships?
If we don’t act to deal with relationships that are broken by our sin, this will break our relationship with God and cut us off from God’s help.
So, if you have sinned against someone, make it right. Jesus said, “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, (you have sinned against him) leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew 5:23-24.
The broken relationship with the brother or sister must be dealt with before we come to God in worship because this affects our relationship to God. Now, we can’t control whether they are willing to reconcile with us, but the rule is – ‘do what you can from your end.’
Also, if someone has sinned against you and seeks forgiveness, forgive. Jesus said, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” – Matthew 6:14-15.
If we don’t forgive, this breaks our relationship with God.
With both of these situations, if you have caused broken relationships, seek to make things right. And then your relationship with God will be right, and God can help you.
3. Do you expose yourself to stumbling blocks?
Did you know that according to Scripture we are not only to stop sinning, we are to separate from what leads us to sin? This is what a stumbling block means – something that trips you up and gets you off the path.
Jesus says in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” (NRSV)
What this means is that we are to create righteous boundaries that keep us away from sin. And we must do this even if what is cut off is precious to us, like a hand.
Now these boundaries are different for each of us, since we all have different triggers that can lead us to sin. For instance, if you struggle with drug abuse then you would need to separate from old hangouts and friends that could cause you to stumble. Or if you struggle with pornography you will most likely need to restrict your computer and cable access.
The rule is – separate from whatever encourages you to sin – relationships, activities, jobs, personal freedoms, whatever. Even if the item isn’t a problem for others, if it causes you to stumble, cut it off.
4. Are you dealing with an ingrained sin?
By ingrained I mean something that is firmly fixed; a sin that is deeply rooted in your life. We practice some sins for so long that they become a part of us; negative character traits or bad habits. You say, ‘Yeah, I’m a hot-head,’ because you have made a practice of outbursts of anger for so long. It’s a part of how you think of yourself now. And some sins create physiological addictions, like drug and alcohol abuse.
These kinds of sins are difficult to break. You may well need to take drastic measures, and in the case of addictions seek medical help.
One thing that can really help is intense accountability from other disciples who can check with us on a regular basis. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” We all need this kind of fellowship to be strong. But this is especially needed with ingrained sins.
You know on a regular basis that someone will be asking how you are doing in your area of struggle. Both to encourage you and to keep you accountable.
So, if you are dealing with an ingrained sin, seek the help of others who will support you and give you the strength you need to overcome.
5. Are demonic powers involved?
When we allow sin in our life, we open up our lives to Satan and his demonic powers. They gain a foothold, as it were. Sometimes this is just a general influence, but sometimes it is related to particular behaviors. That is, we can come into bondage to demonic powers.
If this is the case, the demonic power must be expelled by the authority of Jesus. Say something like, “Evil spirit, you must leave me in the name of Jesus.” Jesus tells us, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy . . .” – Luke 10:19. Then submit that area of your life to God, so that the Spirit of God is filling every part of your life.
Use the authority of Jesus to break the bondage. I would just add here that it would be wise to seek the help of a mature believer as you work at this.
6. Is your sin connected to inner brokenness?
By inner brokenness I am thinking of mental illness or just the inner woundedness that can come from life experiences of pain heartache and tragedy.
As a pastor I see a lot of pain in people’s lives, as they struggle with these kinds of weaknesses. And sometimes these weaknesses can complicate our desire to live a life of righteousness. A weakness can make it really hard for us to do God’s will. I am thinking of a person I know who struggles with schizophrenia. When it’s untreated it has contributed to a number of behaviors that were destructive and wrong, causing problems in his relationship with God and others.
If you are struggling with these kinds of weaknesses, pray for God’s healing so that you can do God’s will. But God doesn’t always heal us (I Timothy 5:23). So if there is no relief, then we need to learn to manage these issues through treatment so that we can do God’s will.
Once again Jesus’ words in Mark 9:43 are relevant. Our inner brokenness is not itself a sin. But if it leads us to sin, we must cut it off by seeking reasonable treatment – counseling or medication.
In either case, through miraculous healing or treatment, seek healing for your inner brokenness so that you can do God’s will. For the follower of Jesus this is a matter of faithfulness.
So this is our checklist:
- Double-mindedness
- Broken relationships
- Stumbling blocks
- Ingrained sins
- Demonic powers
- Inner woundedness
If you are struggling with any of these issues, I would be happy to talk with you and work with you to help you. There is freedom in our Lord Jesus! And there is peace and new life.
William Higgins
Christian teaching 