Not Victims By Habit or By Denial

                                                     When The Door Slams

The night is far gone, the day of His return will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior. Don't spend your time in wild parties and getting drunk or in adultery and lust, or fighting, or jealousy. But ask the Lord Jesus Christ to help you live as you should, and don't make plans to enjoy evil.                                          Romans 13:13-14  

         Certain sins have a way of making themselves at home in our lives. We get so used to their presence, we often don't give them much thought. By habit or by denial, we continue to indulge ourselves-to make provision for the flesh.

        This passage confronts such an attitude head-on. It is high time for us to make a change. We are not victims of our habits; we have the power to throw them away and begin again. And we can protect ourselves from their hold on us by wearing the armor of God's truth.

        The apostle Paul reminds us that we are on a journey, and our destination is heaven. Knowing that we will meet our Savior face-to-face motivates us to delay the temporary gratification of sin. We may struggle with temptation to get drunk, or to satisfy our cravings or appetites right away and encourage others to do the same. Perhaps we are in the habit of lying when we make wrong or bad decisions about people or things, or pitting people against true authority figures. 

        Think about this: If we allow ourselves to fantasize about sin, we will eventually give in to it. We are encouraged instead, to "clothe" ourselves with loyalty to Christ and avoid sinful thoughts so one thing won't lead to another. Resisting sin is hard work. Sinful subconscious thoughts are natural. Developing loving motives and behaviors to let go requires the help of our Holy Spirit power. 

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.                                    Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. 

                                                                                                    Never Rest Ministries