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"Sin – the Ongoing Battle"
John tells us that we should not sin, but we will sin, and that we will be forgiven, and if we say we say we don’t sin we are liars and we should not sin. The chaos of those verses is perfect because sin is chaotic. Paul described that he does what he doesn’t want to and doesn’t do what he does want to and ends up concluding that he is a wretched man and that God is full of grace. (Rom 7)
What John and Paul are telling us is to never sheath the sword in our battle with sin. We may be in a season of some victories over sin and there may be some discouraging seasons where sin remains strong and alive no matter how hard we battle. But keep the sword out and keep swinging.
You are not in the battle alone. First of all Christ sent the Helper for us to battle with us. And second he has given us each other. When your sword seems too heavy and you could sheath it for just a few minutes, call out to a fellow soldier whose sword might be light at the time.
If sin has found you out because you have not battled well, then get the sword out again. Be grateful that God has not left you to wallow in your sin, but used difficult situations to get you back into the battle.
One day the battle will be over for an eternity, so battle on and take comfort in the truths told to us by John and Paul. There is no sugar coating in the Bible – sin is chaotic.
Reflections
1. Is your sword out for the battle right now?
2. What do you do when you get weary of the battle?
John tells us that we should not sin, but we will sin, and that we will be forgiven, and if we say we say we don’t sin we are liars and we should not sin. The chaos of those verses is perfect because sin is chaotic. Paul described that he does what he doesn’t want to and doesn’t do what he does want to and ends up concluding that he is a wretched man and that God is full of grace. (Rom 7)
What John and Paul are telling us is to never sheath the sword in our battle with sin. We may be in a season of some victories over sin and there may be some discouraging seasons where sin remains strong and alive no matter how hard we battle. But keep the sword out and keep swinging.
You are not in the battle alone. First of all Christ sent the Helper for us to battle with us. And second he has given us each other. When your sword seems too heavy and you could sheath it for just a few minutes, call out to a fellow soldier whose sword might be light at the time.
If sin has found you out because you have not battled well, then get the sword out again. Be grateful that God has not left you to wallow in your sin, but used difficult situations to get you back into the battle.
One day the battle will be over for an eternity, so battle on and take comfort in the truths told to us by John and Paul. There is no sugar coating in the Bible – sin is chaotic.
Reflections
1. Is your sword out for the battle right now?
2. What do you do when you get weary of the battle?
Scripture
About this Plan
Jesus taught us that to follow him, we must often live opposite to our culture; he turned the rules upside down. This 12 day devotional dives into what it means to live Upside Down in a kingdom that isn't definied by race, status, circumstance, gender, or geography, but by a love of Christ. Can we really live a life surrendered to the prayer "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"?
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