John 8:32 NKJV
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Every person has a propensity toward a particular sin. Every person has a sin that they struggle with, and the sin is not the same with everyone. But we must not give in to that sin – we must resist the temptation to sin.
The propensity does not cause you to sin, but it does make you more susceptible toward a particular sin. Having a propensity toward a sin is not a sin in and of itself, but it does become a sin when you allow your flesh to play with the thought and act upon it.
Remember, having a propensity toward a sin or being tempted to sin, it is not a sin. You cannot keep a bird from flying and landing on the top of your head, but you can keep the bird from building a nest on the top of your head. In the same manner, you cannot keep Satan from placing a sinful thought in your mind, but you can keep that thought from staying in your mind and keep it from growing until you act upon it. You must bring every thought captive.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”
The dictionary describes propensity as an inclination to behave a particular way. It can also mean tendency, inclination, proneness, susceptibility, leaning, habit, or weakness.
Even after receiving salvation (God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ) the propensity to sin is still a part of us. We are still human, living in a fallen world filled with demonic influences. Demonic influence and oppression are realities in the world in which we live. When you entertain thoughts that go against God’s Word, you are helping the enemy gain access into your life.
Hebrews 12:1-3 NKJV
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”
Satan will use your propensity to sin against you by trying to ensnare you with it. Your propensity to a certain sin may be something you have to fight against your entire life. But you do not have to allow it to become a sin that you commit. In addition to looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, there are several things that can help you fight against and overcome your propensity toward a certain sin.
1. YOU MUST BELIEVE AND ACCEPT THAT GOD HAS ALL AUTHORITY OVER EVERYTHING, INCLUDING YOU.
God is the Creator of everything and as the Creator, He has authority over His creation. He is the Lord God Almighty, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:18 NKJV
“For thus says the Lord,
Who created the heavens,
Who is God,
Who formed the earth and made it,
Who has established it,
Who did not create it in vain,
Who formed it to be inhabited:
“I am the Lord, and there is no other.”
To overcome a propensity toward a sin you must believe and accept that God (and His Word) is the ultimate authority, and that He has all authority over everything, including you.
2. YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD AND THAT IT IS TRUE AND FREE OF ERRORS
If you do not believe God’s Word is true, you will not have a desire to obey it.
2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”
1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV
“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
The Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative written Word of God. The entire Bible was verbally inspired by God and is the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.
2 Peter 1:20-21 NKJV
“knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
God’s Word is not up to private interpretation. You cannot change God’s Word to make yourself feel better about a sin or more accepting of a sin. If God said it was a sin, it is still a sin, no matter what the world says, or what you allow your flesh to think or feel.
When you truly believe what God says in His Word about your propensity to sin it will affect everything you do and, say.
Psalm 119:11 NKJV
“Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.”
You must be vigilant about not opening a door for Satan into your life. One way, but not the only way, to keep the door closed to Satan is to be careful about not to dabbling (casual or superficial interest) in things that are contrary to God’s Word. To do this, you must know what God’s Word says and hide it in your heart.
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must believe that the Bible is God’s Word and that it is true and free of errors.
3. YOU MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT GOD MADE YOU (HE CREATED YOU) – HE IS YOUR MAKER AND RULER
You are created in the very image of God. God created mankind unique by making us in His image. Nothing else that God created is made in His image, so you are very special! Being made in God’s image does not mean that we physically look like Him.
Psalm 139:14 NKJV
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.”
God formed every part of you. God planned you; He knew everything about you before you were born. There is no one else, in all the world, who is exactly like you. You are an original, specially made by God. God loves you so much. He made plans for your life, and gave you gifts and talents to be able to complete those plans.
Jesus Love You
And God Has a Plan for Your Life
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must believe that God made you – He is your Maker and Ruler.
4. YOU MUST BE A PERSON OF PRAYER
Prayer is communicating with God. Communication is essential in every part of our lives. Relationships between people who do not communicate with each other fall apart. The same is true with our relationship with God. We must talk and listen to God – it is a two-way street.
Prayer should be like talking to your best friend. We can, and should, talk to God about anything.
A few things to pray over or about are:
a. Pray over your thoughts. Ask God to be in control of your thoughts, meditations, and visions.
b. Pray over your sleep. Ask God to be in control your thoughts, dreams, visions, and the images in your mind. And to give you rest.
c. Pray over those who have an influence over you.
d. Pray for your will to align up to God’s Word.
e. Pray that God will bind your mind to the mind of Christ, and your will to the will of the Father, and your feet to the finished work of the cross – to healing, wholeness, and soundness of your mind, body, soul, and spirit.
I bind my mind to the mind of Christ and my will to the will of the Father. I bind my feet to the path and plan that God has for me. And I bind myself to the finished work of the cross – salvation, healing, and wholeness of my mind, body, soul, and spirit.
f. Pray that you will embrace everything that God says about you.
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must be a person of prayer. Talk to God about everything.
5. YOU MUST REALIZE THAT YOU ARE IN A BATTLE WITH A REAL ENEMY THAT DESIRES TO SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD.
Satan hates you because he knows that God loves you, and he would do anything to separate you from the presence of God. Satan also knows that he will be cast into the lake of fire, and he wants to take as many people as he can with him. Make no mistake about it, his intent is to destroy you.
Ephesians 6:11-12 NKJV
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”
John 10:10 NKJV
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must realize that you are in a battle with a real enemy that desires to destroy you, kill you, and to separate you from God.
6. YOU MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, AND YOU MUST VIEW THE SIN THE WAY THAT GOD DOES.
If you choose not to see that you have a propensity toward a sin (or that it is even a sin), you will not be able to overcome it.
Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
When you look at yourself through the mirror of God’s Word, it will give you a reflection of what you are really like (your true condition). What does God’s Word say about the sin that you have a propensity toward? Do not take someone’s word, read the Bible, and search out the answer for yourself.
To overcome a propensity toward a sin you must have the same view that God does concerning the sin.
7. YOU MUST NOT PLAY WITH THE SIN YOU HAVE A PROPENSITY TOWARD.
Do not play, flirt, or toy with the snake. When you have a propensity to sin, nip it in the bud, deal with it, and do not blow it off. When you play with a deadly snake long enough, you will get bitten.
Do not play with sin and do not rationalize it. Playing with sin has both earthly and eternal consequences.
Sin grows. What starts off as a little thought or action will grow. Many times, people justify the things they think about, or do, by saying it is just a little thing, however it will not stay little if you keep playing with it. When a thought that does not line up with God’s Word comes into your mind, cast it out while you can – flee from it. Do not try to see how close you can get to it without crossing the line and committing a sin. Do not allow it to take root and grow. Take control over sinful thoughts that enter your mind, or the sinful thought will control you.
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Proverbs 4:23 NKJV
“Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.”
People do not fall into sin. Their mind plans it ahead of time. Do not entertain any thoughts that go against God’s Word – cast it out! Every sin begins with a thought so be very careful with what you think. When people think on things long enough, they usually end up doing them.
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must not play with the sin you have a propensity toward.
Philippians 4:8 NKJV
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
8. YOU MUST NOT FEED YOUR SOUL SINFUL THINGS
Galatians 5:16-18 NKJV
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
When you allow your fleshly desires to rule over you, you have a greater propensity to commit a particular sin. If you find that you are allowing your flesh to rule you, you need to change your diet. What you feed on (put into your mind) will show up in your thoughts and actions.
We are made of three parts – a body, a soul (mind, will and emotions), and a spirit. We must let our spirit rule over our body and soul. However, if you feed your soul more than your spirit, it will rule your body and spirit. (*Your spirit is the part of you that communicates with God’s Spirit – the spiritual part of you – the part of you that will live forever)
When choosing music, what do the words of the song glorify, who does the singer glorify-either with their words or with their life? Does the song contain inappropriate words or themes?
When choosing a movie to watch, does the movie contain anything that goes against God’s Word? Does the movie make light of God and His values? Does the movie contain inappropriate words or themes?
When choosing clothing that has words or symbols displayed on them, are they immoral? Are the words inappropriate?
When choosing a book to read, does the book contain things that go against God’s Word? Does the book make light of God and His values? Does the book contain inappropriate words or themes?
When choosing friends do their words point you toward Biblical truth, or do they encourage/condone the sin you have a propensity toward?
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must not feed your soul sinful things through things you see, do, read, hear, or from the words of your friends or other people.
9. YOU MUST GUARD AND RENEW YOUR MIND.
Everyone’s mind is being molded – either by the world’s values or by God’s values. Your mind must be transformed by renewing it.
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Do not allow the world values and practices to set your standards, thinking, behavior, or morals. You are to have God’s standards and God’s morals.
Ephesians 4:17-24 NKJV
“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
a. You must seek God’s guidance through His Word and Holy Spirit.
b. You must not be ignorant of Satan’s tactics or schemes.
c. You must know your weakness and strengths.
d. You must be on guard – guard your mind.
e. You must not put yourself in situations that could give you an opportunity to sin or lead or tempt you to sin.
f. You must renew your mind. You are to be transformed by the renewing of your mind every day. Your mind must be renewed by God’s truth.
g. You must develop a deeper understanding of God’s Word.
h. You must allow the Holy Spirit to hold you accountable.
One sure way to guard yourself against Satan and his temptations is to renew your mind. Renew can be described as replacing something. You must replace your carnal/ fleshly mind with the mind of Christ. Renewing your mind is not something that automatically happens to you. You renew your mind by meditating on God’s truth and by letting the Holy Spirit guide and shape your thoughts and behaviors. It is a choice that you make. You will either work with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to transform your mind, or you will not.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. As you spend time in His presence, He will bring to light to every lie that the enemy has tried to place in your mind. There are times that a person’s mind has become so insensitive to moral darkness, that only the Holy Spirit can show them the truth.
If a person’s mind is centered around the world and its concerns, it will produce a life that is tossed about by the culture. If your mind is devoted to God’s truth it will keep you from being tossed around by all the voices in the world. A mind that has been renewed will be able to resist the temptations of Satan and the culture.
True spiritual transformation starts in the mind and heart, so be careful of what you allow into your mind and heart. Your mind and your heart can be very deceitful. If the thoughts in your mind and heart do not line up with God’s Word, they are from Satan.
Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must guard and renew your mind.
10. YOU MUST HAVE A FRIEND CHECK-UP.
A true friend is one that will hold you accountable to what the Bible says about your situation (your propensity to sin). If someone is leading you away from Biblical truth, or condoning unbiblical behavior, they are not your friend.
Friends are an important part of your life, and they are a gift from God. Each person needs to choose good friends because our friends affect us. Friends that share the same faith in God, and Biblical beliefs, make the best friends.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NKJV
“Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.”
Friends are valuable to you. God wants you to have friends. We need friends to encourage us and to lift us up when we are down. God also wants you to remember that friends have a powerful influence on your life. The kinds of friends you choose will affect your values, attitudes, relationships with people, and the kind of person you become. Your friends could even affect your eternal destiny.
Proverbs 13:20 NKJV
“He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.”
The greatest influence on our lives is peer pressure. Our friends make impressions on us. In some ways we become like our friends. Be careful with who you hang around.
1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV
“Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must only allow people that point you closer to God in your friend circle. A true friend will spiritually challenge, encourage, and rebuke you. Remember there is a difference between a friend and an acquaintance. Not every acquaintance is your friend.
11. YOU MUST REALIZE THAT FOLLOWING GOD AND HIS VALUES IS A DAILY CHOICE.
People have always had to make a choice about serving God. You must make a conscious decision every day to live according to God’s Word.
Joshua 24:14-15 NKJV
“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
1 Kings 18:21 NKJV
“And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.”
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must choose to follow God and to allow His Holy Spirit to rule you every day. It is an ongoing process. Sometimes you might have to make the choice to follow God several times a day. Following God and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential. We must be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to lead, guide, direct, renew, and transform us (both inside and out).
Titus 3:1-7 NKJV
“Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
12. YOU MUST USE THE ARMOR THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”
God equips us for every battle against Satan and evil influences. He has given you the armor, but it is up to you to put it on.
Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”
If you put on the armor that God has provided you, you will be able to withstand Satan’s attacks and temptations. The armor of God will enable you to not fall for Satan’s schemes or give in to sin, even a sin that you have a propensity toward. To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must use the armor that God has given you.
Your armor:
a. The Belt of Truth
You must be truthful. A dishonest person cannot stand against Satan, the father of lies. You must live a life of integrity – a life of truthfulness and honesty.
Proverbs 28:6 NKJV
“Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.”
Ephesians 4:25 NKJV
“Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.”
b. The Breastplate of Righteousness
You must strive to live in a righteous manner. Your behavior should be morally upright. The type of life that you live is important because it will either open the door to Satan or help keep it closed.
When a person makes Jesus their Lord and Savior, they will have new standards. Their morals will change. They will begin to take on God’s morals (standards) and reject the morals of the world.
II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
c. Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel
You must be reconciled with God. The peace of the gospel is the true peace with God that comes through being reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 NKJV
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”
The peace that comes from reconciliation with God removes fear, one of Satan’s greatest weapons.
Ephesians 2:14-18 NKJV
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.”
Just as God desires for you to have peace with Him, He desires for you to be at peace with yourself. Peace with yourself comes when you see yourself as God sees you. In God’s eyes, you are loved, forgiven, and His child.
d. The Helmet of Salvation
You must protect your mind. The helmet of salvation is the protection for your mind. Left to itself, your mind will lead you astray. That is why it is so important for you to allow God to be in control. When God is in control, you can be confident that you will not be overcome by the enemy.
I Thessalonians 5:8 NKJV
“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”
II Corinthians 12:9 NKJV
“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
e. The Sword of the Spirit
You must know how to use the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God). The sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the armor that God has given you. When Satan tries to lie to you or to twist the truth, you must know what God’s Word says.
After Jesus was baptized the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. During the forty days, Satan came to Jesus three times. Each time that Jesus was tempted by Satan, He only responded using the Word.
Matthew 4:3-4 NKJV
“Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:5-7 NKJV
“Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,
and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”
Matthew 4:8-10 NKJV
“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”
When you are tempted to give in to sin, you too, must only respond with God’s Word. Remind Satan, your enemy, of what God’s Word says. It is important and essential for you to know God’s Word.
13. YOU MUST PUT UP FENCES
Fences are a protective barrier and a way of taking care of yourself. They are for your protection, not punishment. Fences are not walls and they are not intended to divide. Good fences protect, safeguard, preserve, express your beliefs, are a form of self-control, and most of all fences are Biblical.
Proverbs 25:28 NKJV
“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.”
Satan is looking for a weakness he can exploit so fences are very important. Boundaries help you resist temptations and keep you on the right path. Fences are an effective way to keep you alert too, and to protect yourself from Satan’s plans and ungodly influences in the world. Simply put, fences keep bad things out and good things in.
1 Peter 5:8 NKJV
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
A few fences are:
a. Avoiding sin, or the appearance of evil. Stay as far away from sin/evil as you can. Be mindful of your own tendencies toward sin, and do not flirt with things that could lead you to sin.
b. Being careful / cautious during times of solitude, and when your mind is idle. Satan uses solitude as a divide and conquer tactic. When you are by yourself, your mind tends to be idle. The enemy of your soul will use this time to invade your thoughts and plant his lies in your mind. Negative (and sinful) thoughts and bad habits often stem from solitude and idleness.
c. Being cautious with words – those you speak, those that others speak, those you read, those that you hear, and the music you listen to. Words contain power, and they have the ability to bring things into existence. Words have the power to wound or heal, discourage, or encourage, tear down or build up, bless, or curse. Words are binding and they affect you. What words are you speaking over your life/situation? What words are you allowing others to speak over you?
d. Not putting yourself in situations that could give you an opportunity to sin or lead you to sin. It is best to avoid situations that could lead to sinful/negative outcomes. Remember the old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
e. Watching your thoughts. Watch means to look at, observe attentively, exercise care, caution, or restraint.
Psalm 19:14 NKJV
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer”
There is a battle going on for your thought life. Your thought life (mind) and your heart are linked together. If you allow Satan to get the upper hand in your thought life, he will harden your heart and blind your mind to the truth of God’s Word. Thinking on thoughts that line up with God’s Word is a good way to protect your mind and heart.
f. Watch what you see. Be spiritually aware of what you allow your eyes to see. Your eyes are the lamp to your body and the light to your soul. Your eyes are the entrance to your heart and mind. They provide a doorway to your soul. For this reason, you should keep your eyes away from worldly things/evil/sin and keep them on God.
Matthew 6:22-23 NKJV
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Luke 11:34-36 NKJV
“The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
1 John 2:16 NKJV
“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”
g. Wisdom concerning your circle of friends. You might have to change your friends, let go of relationships that do not honor God, and distance yourself from people that do not speak Biblical truth into your life (either by their words or their actions).
Proverbs 4:23 NKJV
“Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.”
Fences help protect your heart. To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must put up fences.
14. YOU MUST KNOW GOD’S VIEW OF YOU
God loves everyone but hates sin. He longs to have an intimate relationship with everyone, but unconfessed sins can hinder it.
You were created by God to have fellowship with Him, and to be part of His family. God gave His only Son so that you could be His child.
John 1:12-13 NKJV
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
1 John 3:1 NKJV
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”
God thinks about you. He desires to give you a future filled with peace and hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
God knows everything about you and still loves you, and desires for you to be His child. He loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way.
Psalm 139:1-18 NKJV
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.”
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must know God’s view of you. See yourself the way God sees you.
15. YOU MUST GROW IN YOUR PERSONAL REALTIONSHIP WITH GOD- DRAW CLOSER TO GOD
James 4:8 NKJV
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”
Growing in your relationship with God is very important, and it is a lifelong journey. You are never to stop growing in your relationship with God. Remember, you are as close to God as you want to be. The closer you draw to God, the clearer (and more) you will hear His voice. The clearer (and more) you hear God’s voice, the better able you will be in overcoming trials, temptations, propensities to sin, and the plans of the enemy.
Hebrews 4:16 NKJV
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
When you draw close to God, He will help you in your time of need. With God’s help you will be victorious.
John 16:12-15 NKJV
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
There are unlimited benefits of drawing closer to God. A few of them are:
a. When you draw close to God, He will draw closer to you.
b. When you draw close to God, you can rely on His strength when you are weak.
c. When you draw close to God you will grow in wisdom.
d. When you draw close to God, your priorities change – you will put God first.
e. When you draw close to God, your desires change. You will seek to please Him.
f. When you draw close to God, you will begin to be of the same mind. Your thoughts change.
g. When you draw close to God, you will be able to distinguish God’s voice from all the other voices that fill your mind.
h. When you draw close to God, you will walk according to the world less and less.
i. When you draw close to God, your behavior changes.
j. When you draw close to God, you will align yourself to God’s will for your life more easily.
k. When you draw close to God, you will bear fruit and grow spiritually.
l. When you draw close to God, He will give you His joy and peace.
To overcome a propensity toward a sin, you must grow in your personal relationship with God. You can grow in your relationship with God by regular (daily) prayer, reading & meditating on & memorizing God’s Word, listening to music that glorifies & praises God, and by obeying what God tells you – the more you obey, the clearer His voice will be.
I HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS AS MY SAVIOR, BUT I STRUGGLE WITH UNBIBLICAL THOUGHTS
If you have already accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, but are having thoughts, or confusion, concerning sins, take heart in knowing that thoughts in and of themselves are not a sin. They are planted there by Satan. It is when you do not rebuke (cast away) the thought and you act upon it that it becomes a sin. Remember, even after receiving salvation the propensity to sin is still a part of us because we are still human. It is very important to rebuke the thoughts, so Satan does not gain a foothold over you, leading you to sin.
To help on your journey to overcome the sinful thoughts that Satan places in your mind, you must:
Believe and accept that God has all authority over everything, including you.
Believe that the Bible is God’s Word and that it is true and free of errors.
Acknowledge that God made you, and that He is the Maker and Ruler.
Realize that you are in a battle with a real enemy that desires to separate you from God, now and in eternity.
Acknowledge that you have a problem.
Do not play with the sin that you have a propensity toward.
View sin the way that God does.
Do not feed your soul sinful things.
Feed your spirit.
Guard and renew your mind.
Have a friend check-up.
Daily choose to follow God and His values.
Use the armor that God has given you.
Put up fences.
Be a person of prayer, including prayers of repentance.
Know God’s view of you.
Grow in your personal relationship with God.
I HAVE NEVER ACCEPTED JESUS AS MY SAVIOR AND I STRUGGLE WITH UNBIBLICAL THOUGHTS, OR HAVE GIVEN INTO SIN
If you have already given in to the sinful thoughts that Satan has placed in your mind, there is still hope for you. God’s mercy is new every day. God can and will forgive you when you truly repent.
True repentance comes from seeing a sin the way God sees it, being sorry that you committed the sin, and turning away from the sin. You cannot receive forgiveness of something you do not regard to be a sin – you must see the sin the way God does.
Everyone has sinned, but not everyone has committed the same sins. Jesus took the punishment for ALL sin on the cross. Jesus died on the cross so we could be forgiven of our sins, restored into a right relationship with God, our Father, and to give us eternal life with God.
Romans 5:8 NKJV
“But God demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The first step is to accept the gift of salvation that God offers through Jesus Christ.
a. Admit that you have sinned – Agree with God concerning your sin, and being sorry you committed the sin.
Romans 3:23
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
b. Believe in Jesus. Believe in everything about Jesus, and that it is only through Him that you can receive salvation.
Acts 16:31
“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved”
c. Pray and confess your sins to God, then forsake (leave) your sins
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.”
After accepting the gift of salvation, then you must take steps to help you on your journey to overcome the sinful thoughts that Satan places in your mind.
You must:
Believe and accept that God has all authority over everything, including you.
Believe that the Bible is God’s Word and that it is true and free of errors.
Acknowledge that God made you, and that He is the Maker and Ruler.
Realize that you are in a battle with a real enemy that desires to separate you from God, now and in eternity.
Acknowledge that you have a problem.
Do not play with the sin that you have a propensity toward.
View sin the way that God does.
Do not feed your soul sinful things.
Feed your spirit.
Guard and renew your mind.
Have a friend check-up.
Daily choose to follow God and His values.
Use the armor that God has given you.
Put up fences.
Be a person of prayer, including prayers of repentance.
Know God’s view of you.
Grow in your personal relationship with God.
THE PATH YOU TAKE IS YOUR CHOICE
Giving in to your propensity to sin will come between you and God. If you choose to confess your sins to God and obey Him, He will help you overcome sin and bless you. When you purposefully, rebelliously, or arrogantly commit sin (or are proud of your sin) there will not be a close intimacy between you and God. You will be very miserable.
John 3:16-21 NKJV
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
God loves both the saved and the unsaved. The difference is, after this life is over the saved will have eternal life with God in heaven. But the unsaved will have eternal life in the Lake of Fire.
Where we spend eternity is our choice. God does not send anyone to the Lake of Fire. People choose to go there by rejecting the salvation that God offers through Jesus.
The Lake of Fire was created for Satan and demons. Satan knows his future and he desires to take as many people as he can to eternal damnation with him. And Satan hates you because God loves you so he will try to do everything he can to separate you from God’s presence.
Isaiah 1:16-20 NKJV
“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
God does not compromise with us concerning our sin and the seriousness of it. Because of His great love for us He is willing to forgive (pardon) us. Before we can be forgiven, we must acknowledge that we have sinned against a holy God – that we have disregarded and broken His commandments. We must admit that we are at fault. God is waiting, willing and able to forgive us of our sins.
When we turn to Him in true repentance, He will forgive us. The forgiveness that God offers us is made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus willingly laid down His life on the cross it made salvation available to every person that had ever lived and every person that would live. All that is required of us is to repent of our sins. When we do, we will experience the miracle of salvation.
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