How to Overcome Sin? Sinning Less, in a Sin-Filled World Part I

How many of us have heard over and over again to stay away from sin or blatantly to "stop sinning?"  How can we stay away from something that is accepted and so easily accessible in society?  Everywhere we go, we come across a form of sin or wrongdoing of some sort; rather it is at home, watching TV, amongst friends and family, at the store, on our jobs, or even at church.  It’s all around us.  We were born into sin; we have a sinful nature (Psalms 51:5 “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me”).  So there you have it; sin lives in our DNA.  It’s in our bloodline; our nature.   In knowing this; how do we stay away from something that lives within our physical body-our nature?  I remember when I use to harp on how hard it was to stop sinning.  I would make up all kinds of excuses like:  I am human, but God knows my heart.  How could I stop sinning being that sin is natural and God knows this? Shouldn't there be balance in my life; everyone sins here and there?  I can go on with the number of excuses that I would offer myself and people as to why I wanted to sin or just do wrong (anything that would displease God).  I knew that I had a choice and so I choose; that is to do what I “felt” like doing.  All too often; this is simply the case.  We do things because we can and because we FEEL like it.  We allow our feelings to take control and make the decisions for us instead of telling those feelings to shut up and align with the word of God.  We become subject to our moods and our emotions and have a tendency to just go with the flow, yet we sometimes lose sight of what we should be doing and just do what we feel. 

As I matured in God; I now see how ridiculous I sounded.  Instead of being honest with myself and others in realizing that I needed to be transformed and delivered; I played another card - my feelings - my will to do. God gives us FREE WILL and I for one took every advantage of it.  In that state of free will; we find ourselves constantly asking God for forgiveness and then offering up some form of repentance.  But how many of us even know or understand what repent really means?  Repent is to turn away from; to STOP doing, to cease from, but it is hardly used in the proper way.  We view forgiveness as repentance, but they are totally separate from one other.  Forgiveness means “The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven”; to have mercy upon (dictionary.com). Act 3:19 says “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”.  When the bible speaks of repentance, it is instructing us to turn from that thing or act completely in order to avoid certain ungodly behaviors.  I for one know that anytime I am lacking spiritual connection (fasting, prayer, studying/meditating, attending regular service etc); I become more accessible to sinning or doing wrong because I resort to operating in my feelings or my flesh.  Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Although I am strong spiritually; If I fail to constantly build myself, I will become accessible to sin.  So, how then, or what can we do to limit the sin in our life or to avoid doing wrong especially when it’s in our DNA and it’s so EASY?  Well, first……….  Tune in next time to learn more:  “How to Overcome Sin?"

Treal Ravenel
Co-Founder Detour Movement Inc.