Overcoming sin

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Before coming to find this wonderful community of saints I had just about given up hope in the possibility of having personal victory over sin. My testimony has been one of perpetual repentance and backsliding. I was guilty of using the grace of God as a license to sin, or at least, I used the knowledge that He would forgive me to give myself permission to do sinful activity. Pretty much the same thing either way.

Since coming here to SI, God has opened my eyes to many deceptions and errors in my thinking. He has also set me free from several key areas of sin that I have been chained to my entire life! Oh that the truth, for it is truth that set me free, would be boldly proclaimed from the pulpits!

There are several scriptures that God has used to deliver me from bondeage that I would like to share.

[color=000099]Luke 14:-2726 "If anyone comes to Me and [b]does not hate[/b] his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and [b]his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.[/b] 27 And [b]whoever does not bear his cross[/b] and come after Me [b]cannot be My disciple.[/b]

Luke 9:23-24 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, [b]and take up his cross daily[/b], and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Romans 6:1-7 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that [b]as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?[/b] 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that [b]our old man was crucified with Him,[/b] that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For [b]he who has died has been freed from sin.[/b]

Galatians 2:20 [b]I have been crucified with Christ[/b]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and [b]have no confidence in the flesh.[/b]

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to [b]cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[/b] [/color]

This last verse is the capper. I have always hung my hat on the first half of this verse, OH but the second half! HE will cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. When I began to understand this verse I was able to go before the throne of grace and lay my sin at the foot of the cross and for the first time trust Him to cleanse, not just the stain but the source.

I know I am not the only Christian here who failed to gain victory over some sin in his life. For those of you who may have struggled for a time with sin, but have now been set free, would you care to share your testimony of what the Lord showed you personally that set you free? I'm not asking for specific details as to what sin you had been bound by, these details are between you and God...and He's forgetten what they were anyway!

Who's to say who will read these testimonies and discover the freedom found in Him for themselves. These threads get read by many many more than just members.

God bless all of you richly for upholding the Word of Truth.

Your redeemed by the blood of the Lamb brother,

Doug

I just read this quote from Zac Poonen. The whole post can be read [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=15878&forum=34&4]here[/url].

Those who take every word of God seriously will [b]mourn over their sin, each time they fail.[/b] Thus they will find the comfort(strength) of the Holy Spirit, and be led into a life of victory,"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."(Mt.5:4). [b]Here then is the secret of victory: Take every Word of God seriously and mourn over your sin whenever you come short of God's standards. Thus you will prove that you fear God - and the fear of God is the beginning of that wisdom that leads to a victorious life.[/b] God looks with grace and favour at those who are broken and contrite in their spirit and who tremble at His Word. "To this one I will look, declares the Lord, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My Word" (Isa.66:2).

This points out a key ingredient that the Holy Spirit has been working into my heart. I failed to recognize its importance until reading this quote.

In His Love,

Doug

Brother Doug asked:

I know I am not the only Christian here who failed to gain victory over some sin in his life. For those of you who may have struggled for a time with sin, but have now been set free, would you care to share your testimony of what the Lord showed you personally that set you free?

I have testified of this before...in other times here at SI.

I was leading a mens group at my church. I was striving to become an assistant pastor at this church. I was attending one of Calvary Chapel's bible schools. All these things I coveted.

One day a new man shows up at church and he turns out to be a wonderful mature brother in Christ. Soon my pastor comes to me and tells me that he is replacing me with this new brother in the men's ministry. I stewed on this for about 3 days. I was bitter. I thought to myself, "well when he dies I'll get the job back." You see this man also was recently diagnosed with ALS disease.

Well about 6 months go by and my friendship with this man continued to grow. Again, he was a wonderful man. Then one day at work, the Lord spoke those words to me, "well when he dies I'll get the job back." Then the Lord told me to confess this at the prayer meeting that night. I struggled with this all day long. I asked Him, what good can come of this? Yet He would not let me go...

So I struggled with this up to the moment that I confessed this sin before my brother and all those who were at the prayer meeting that night. There was much crying and peace that came through this experience. I learned about the blessedness of brokeness and humility before my brothers. This lesson also taught me to recognize the sins of pride, coventousness, and striving in ministry.

So everytime the flesh begins to surface in this way, I recognize it for what it is. The Lord has taught me to love in a different way...

In Christ
Jeff

I think victory comes when I am on my face in prayer. When I see my great need for him.
In his love
charlene

Charlene.........I have been praying for someone to pray with. If you would like to email I would be happy to reply and get acquainted. We are both is Arizona.

Rom. 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Paul is teaching that the jews of his time were zealous for God. But they did not understand what Scriptures taught. Instead they were ignorant of God's righteousness, and in seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the ways that God works in man...

You see Jesus was not condemned by the law given on Mount Sinai but the jews condemned Jesus by their own written law, the Talmud. In this book, the Jews wrote all kinds of rules to be followed. If they followed these rules then they would not break the law of God given to them on Mount Sinai. So as Paul teaches, they were seeking to be self righteous by obeying the rules they themselves established for themselves. This is what Paul is pointing to when he writes...

and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

Then Paul points to the only way one would not be ignorant in the righteousness of God and that way is...

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Christ gives to us the Counselor who is able to lead us in the ways of righteousness. The Holy Spirit is freely given. In His faithfulness He strives against our flesh. If we submit to Him He will lead us into the knowledge of God's righteousness that is contained by Christ.

Walk with Christ, He is our High Priest. He is able to heal us of any type of unrighteousness.

In Christ
Jeff

Sister Jeannette wrote:

Instead, to my astonishment He calmly said: "What do you expect? That's what you are like left to yourself!"

Might I suggest a Scripture which points to this testimony...

Romans 8
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

When the Spirit spoke to your spirit, " That's what you are like left to yourself!"

I believe He was pointing out to you that your were not abiding in Him during that day. The result of not abiding in Him produces the fruits of the flesh. One will always fail when one does not submit to being led by the Spirit that is in us.

God Bless
In Christ
Jeff

Doug:

You hit the nail on the head! I too was struggling with sin. Sin and repent, sin and repent, sin and repent. That cycle went on for years!

I had read romans 6 many times and knew there was more to what Paul was saying than what I was getting out it. Then I heard Andrew Wommack teach on it and my eyes were opened!

I do not struggle with sin anymore. Christ is my righteousness! I am free, and free indeed, because the Son has made me free!

Here's another good verse to grasp; Col 1:13 "Who hath delivered us out of the power (authority) of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of Gods dear Son." Satan has no jurisdiction, authority, or right to come against us. We are NOT in his kingdom anymore!

We are also delivered from sickness, disease and infirmity! 1 Peter 2:24!

Delivered from sin, the devil, and sicknesses!! Jesus did NOT do a shoddy job when He redeemed us. He went the EXTRA MILE! - EXTRA THOUSAND MILES!!!

My days are spent in joy, rejoicing and singing praise to Him, My Blessed Redeemer!!

Blessings,

Dan

Totally delivered!

Hi John173,

Luke 14:-2726 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

I dealt with this a few years ago here with a young teenaged brother who was still living at home. And for the sake of many some who are still younger and may misunderstand this verse I hope to comment. The word for hate here is to "love less" as in "love them less than God." You are commanded to love your enemies in scripture and to be obedient as children to your parents. Natural affection is normal to human beings. Love for parents, children, and family. So the issue is one of priority. We have responsibilities to these people in this verse and they are God-given. If any man provide not for his own household he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel, etc.

Just wanted to add that.

I have seen Jesus rescue me from all manner of sin. When I first came to him, it dealt with the outer things, which for me were things like gluttony, lust, smoking, and incessantly watching TV. As the conviction has come and I've repented and renounced the sin, Jesus has stepped in and broke it. What an awesome God we serve.

As the walk has intensified, He has been dealing with the attitudes of heart (i.e. the hidden pride, the inverted pride (which is still pride nonetheless), complaining, contentiousness, a natural bent toward legalism and other such things that sometimes are connected to the pride. I'm seeing that Jesus is breaking these things as well.

What a strong deliverer we serve, mighty to save...

I must say that I very much still struggle with pride. It seems like every day I get into a shouting match with my wife over the littlest things.We both work very stressful jobs, but I have not been able to tame my tongue.I have prayed and prayed and talked to my wife about it, but my particular sin seems to be having the last word with my wife and "not being controlled" by her. When I saw John173 post this:

Luke 9:23-24 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

it all made sense. I was not carrying my cross.
I just wish I could cut off my pride without GOD having to keep me in the wilderness much longer.

GOD Bless
John

Sis wrote:

You write as if you imagine it was only the Jews of that time who were guilty of that kind of self-righteousness, but this isn't so. If you condemn the Jews of Paul's day you also have to condemn the Church in our day. Or at least that part of the Church that still cares about righteousness at all

One of the first threads that I started 3 years ago spoke to this very thought. The thread compared the Talmud and today's Dispensational Theology. Both promote self righteousness, almost in the same ways...

Its nothing to do with which "Law" we seek to obey but the source of our "righteousness" - self or the Lord. Self righteousness isn't merely the usual idea of proud pharisaism but simply trying to obey God in our own strength.

Job 36:

5 \t“Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one;
\tHe is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 \tHe does not preserve the life of the wicked,
\tBut gives justice to the oppressed.
7 \tHe does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
\tBut they are on the throne with kings,
\tFor He has seated them forever,
\tAnd they are exalted.
8 \tAnd if they are bound in fetters,
\tHeld in the cords of affliction,
9 \tThen He tells them their work and their transgressions—
\tThat they have acted defiantly.
10 \tHe also opens their ear to instruction,
\tAnd commands that they turn from iniquity.
11 \tIf they obey and serve Him,
\tThey shall spend their days in prosperity,
\tAnd their years in pleasures.
12 \tBut if they do not obey,
\tThey shall perish by the sword,
\tAnd they shall die without knowledge.
13 \t“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath;
\tThey do not cry for help when He binds them.
14 \tThey die in youth,
\tAnd their life ends among the perverted persons.
15 \tHe delivers the poor in their affliction,
\tAnd opens their ears in oppression.
16 \t“Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress,
\tInto a broad place where there is no restraint;
\tAnd what is set on your table would be full of richness.

The Jews had these words and so do we...what do these words teach us about how God works in man?

In Christ
Jeff