Break free from sin and live as you were meant to.
This post is for those who know that their transgressions separate them from God and who want to break free from the whirlpool of sin, and walk in the freedom of Christ to live a happy and successful life.
Finding the happiness in life that we were designed to live has been thwarted by sin throughout the history of mankind. Yet, to break free from sin of our own accord is like lifting ourselves in the air by our own boot straps. It is an impossibility! And until we learn what the gospel has won for us, we will continue to cry out: “Oh wretched man that I am. Who will set me free from the body of this death?”
(Rom 7:24)
(Many use Rom. 7 as their excuse to continue in sin. Don’t join the ranks of the foolish. For more on the truth of Romans 7 see The Romans 7 Scenario)
The making of a destiny
As matter is made up of the building blocks of molecules, so too is our destiny shaped by our thoughts. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov 23:7 KJV). And what he has allowed to control his heart over time, will control his thoughts and shape his destiny. (See James 1:14).
Here is a break-down of what makes a destiny:
- A temptation entices a thought.
- A thought tempts a self-willed act.
- An act if repeated becomes a habit.
- A habit creates a life-style;
- which in turn produces a destiny.
If the thought is sinful and permitted to grow, it will ultimately produce a lost destiny without God and anything good in eternity. But if we learn how to change our thought process to break the bondage of the developed habits, we can change our life-style and win back our destiny of eternal life!
What did Jesus say about thoughts?
The first word that Jesus began His preaching ministry was “metanoia” (translated to Greek), which is again translated in many Bibles as ” Repent”. However, it is a derivative of two root words meaning:
1) to change your way of thinking
2) return from madness
Because man is depraved in sin and therefore deprived of fellowship with God, Jesus’ ministry among the people was to persuade them to return from the madness of sin (depravity) by changing their way of thinking, and to have faith in Him as the eternal atonement for their previous sin Rom. 3:25).
(Also see Dr. Adam Clarke on the word “repent” from Matt. 3:2)
Must we let sin win?
The temporal gratifications of sin can never give lasting satisfaction. There is always a price to pay. Depression, lack of personal integrity and self-worth, fickleness and attention seeking, or the fear of social interaction, broken or estranged family members, etc., and finally, a forsaken eternity are some examples of the aftermath of besetting sins. The more we give way to sin the more it enslaves us, pulling us closer to the vortex of the whirlpool of sin to be forever-lost.
Jesus said that the one who sins is a slave of sin (Joh 8:34). But how do we defeat the enemy of our souls and change our destiny? How do we break free from the pull of the whirlpool of sin?
Choose to change now
But first we really need to ask ourselves: “Do I really want to change?“
No matter how old or young we may be, we are at this time the total product of how we have conducted our lives. But we don’t have to accept our current state any longer. We can choose to change it right now. And God is with us to work that change from within if we will just submit to Him. But to do so we need to understand and acknowledge our current estate and how we got there.
Sin never appears as itself
Firstly; sin never appears as itself. Temptation will offer the first sip of the bottle – not the last; the high of any substance abuse – not the depression that follows. The initial satisfaction of venting our anger in cursing and blasphemy conceals the flaming frustration that these expletives can never quench. Sexual lust is shown to gratify the flesh but never shows the loss of dignity and self-respect, shame and lack of any lasting fulfilment. And, after we have sinned, temptation raises its head again, and the currents of the whirlpool of sin continue to drag the sinner ever-downward.
The craftiness of the tempter – know your enemy
We are not tempted so much by that to which we are not enslaved. But given license, the tempter can lead us into any sin he chooses.
For example:
One doesn’t start out as a murderer, but if we let our anger and jealousy take root and allow it to grow and build momentum, like Cain, there will be no end to the evil we can commit.
Volition of sin
Sin does not just happen. It is the result of our conscious volition (free-willed act), induced by the weaknesses we allow to take root within us. The tempter plays on these weaknesses early in our lives. He takes his time. He waits, he watches, and steadily draws us into bondage. His intent is for our destruction but we must master him if we are to break free from sin ( See Gen 4:7).
Temptation to sin will always appeal to our selfishness. The tempter will help us dig trenches of besetting sin deep enough until it seems impossible for us to ever get out. Nevertheless, even acknowledging this fact, many still choose to remain digging the same trenches until their last breath.
However, the power of the tempter is limited to persuasion only. He has no power over the soul or the will. He cannot force us into sin. So he has to develop craftiness to lead us step by step, tempting us with the bait of our own nurtured weaknesses (See James 1:14). But we can choose to break free and pursue the persuasions of God instead.
Helps to use to break free from sin
* Look at the reality of the alternative
See where your sin is taking you. It is a lost journey of temporal pleasures heading for an eternity of misery. Then use the fear of the Lord to initially break you out of the yoke with which you have bound yourself. Fear of the Lord is the first sign of wisdom (Pro 9:10). Without it there is no starting point. So, realize the destiny that sin produces compared to the alternative of safety and happiness of being with God through the obedience of faith (Rom. 1:5; 16:26).
* Look ahead at the peaceful fruit of righteousness
Those who have learned to walk in Christ have the peaceful fruit of righteousness within (Heb 12:11). They walk with God without fear of condemnation because they are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).
The law is not for the faithful, but for sinners only (1Ti 1:9). It is for those who are left to walk in fear of its condemnation. (See the difference between sinners and saints here). The purpose of the law is to restrain the selfishness of the sinner. But those who walk by the Spirit of God do so in loving obedience, and therefore have no need for the written law, as they have the law of righteousness written on their hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom 2:14-15). These do not need the written law to stem their flow of sin; God has washed them clean and it is their love for Him and His righteousness that now governs their hearts.
Many professing Christ as their saviour, love to believe that they are free from obeying the law of God. From the written laws of rites, ceremonies, observations of holidays and sacrifices we are indeed redeemed. But we are never free from the obligation to obey the righteous law of God. It is the law of Christ that ought to be governing our hearts (1Co 9:21). And this is through an abiding faith in the conscious presence of our Lord Jesus, strengthened with gratitude for His saving grace.
Learning to love righteousness is not a religious thing. It is the appreciation and supreme value one places on the worthiness of right being.
* Learn to love righteousness.
We need to learn to love the law of righteousness. For it restores the soul and rejoices the heart (Psa 19:7-8).
The reason we need to learn the laws of righteousness is because of our acquired and nurtured fallen state. God’s righteousness does not appeal to the carnal heart of man. This is because his heart is bent on self. After we have come to Christ, having chosen Him as Saviour, then Lord over our lives, we need to learn the ways of God to be pleasing to Him (Eph 5:10). Jesus said that we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. It is a doing thing! As we seek to know Him, He will disclose to us the wonders of His righteousness.
The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul.
The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart.
(Psa 19:7-8)
Sin brings only misery and condemnation. But if we break free from sin, and walk according to God’s law of righteousness, He will grant us peace and happiness. And those who believe otherwise “have no knowledge of God” (1Co 15:34). We are to direct our minds to right thinking.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell (think) on these things. (Php 4:8)
* Know that the love of God is universal but is also directly personal.
“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love”.
(Joh 15:9).
God is infinite love, and upholds that love universally as the framework of His benevolent kingdom. Even though He loves us as a created species (John 3:16), His dealings with us are close and personal. It took me a long time to realize this, but believing and accepting this great truth allows us the freedom to walk with Him intimately. He is right here, right now. He knows what you are thinking, and He waits for you to surrender to the obedience of faith in Him, so that He can lead you out of the bondage of sin and into the freedom of righteousness.
Our personal importance to God
God seeks a people for His own possession, but this people is made up of individuals chosen by Him according to His foreknowledge of our obedience of faith (1Pe 1:2; see also Rom 8:29). Therefore our salvation and all the graces that come with it are personal. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His (2Ch 16:9). He constantly watches over His creation to find those who will break free from sin and surrender to Him, so that He can have intimate fellowship with them, enabling them to walk in His grace.
For more on the foreknowledge of God see: how God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.
This love God has for us is not just based on the testimony of scripture; but those who choose to walk in Him, receive His love personally, which He conveys through His spirit. This is more than a feeling or mere knowledge (Eph 3:19). It is a consciousness deep within, and it is received by those who surrender their lives to His persuasions. And the more we surrender and exercise faith in His keeping power, the deeper our consciousness will experience His love.
* Accept that godliness requires the discipline of faith.
Nothing is free. Not even salvation is really free. Jesus said that those who wish to follow Him must take up their cross… That is; we are to crucify our old selves and be buried with Him, so that we may be resurrected to a newness of life (Rom 6:4).
But salvation cannot be earned
We cannot earn our salvation because our sins have already disqualified us from the life of God forever, (unless we are redeemed by an eternal propitiation). This is because any sin is primarily an act of willful disobedience to God’s universal law of righteousness. (Sin is the transgression of the law (1Jn 3:4 KJV)). God is infinitely holy and thus any sin against Him and His kingdom warrants an eternal condemnation. It is therefore only through God’s grace that gives us the opportunity to receive the free gift of the eternal atonement in Christ; that is, we have the opportunity to receive pardon for our transgressions, and reconciliation to God.
But faith without works is dead
But what is that “works”?
However, faith without works of righteousness is not true faith but only belief (Jas 2:20). For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead (Jas 2:26). Saving faith (walking in the Spirit) is that faith in the consciousness of the presence of Christ that leads us to live holy before Him. Abiding with faith is fear (reverence) and love for God. This faith is the overall motivating factor that keeps us holy and apart from sin. And it is by this very fact that we are born again of God. “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world (sin); and this is the victory that has overcome the world – even our faith”(1Jn 5:4).
But it is not just our faith in the ever-present person of Christ. It is our faith in His righteousness. What I mean by this is that when we exercise faith in what is right, even in the midst of temptation, we will pass through unscathed. We need to fix our minds on the successful outcome of resisting sin and walking in faithfulness with our present Saviour. When we come out the other side of the storm of temptation and look back we will be glad that we were faithful. Exercise faith in this fact. Our victory then serves to encourage us to press on and break free from sin to overcome new trials in life.
* Rejoice in the knowledge of forgiveness
The very moment you have truly repented in your heart for the sin committed you are cleansed.
It is God’s desire for all to come to repentance and be washed clean from a defiled conscience. And once you experience your cleansing, walk in it, rejoicing that you are free from condemnation, and free to walk in righteousness. (See Rom 6:22)
But how do we know when we have been cleansed?
For those who continue to believe that they are destined to sin everyday regardless of what scripture teaches and what Christ has done for them, cannot experience forgiveness. They are left to have the assumption only that God somehow will forgive all of their sin, with or without true repentance. But Paul said:
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! (Rom 6:15)
Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (Rom 6:16)
Do not be mistaken. Those who sin without repentance forfeit forgiveness and remain under the wrath of God (John 3:36). While they have this mindset they will never know the peace of God. This is why many get caught up in emotions at worship services and walk away having their ears tickled with false notions that, in spite of their sin, God still forgives them. But once they have left the service they are back where they started, remaining condemned by the Lord for their stubbornness and continued sin.
But many of these choose to believe (and take refuge) in the false teaching that Paul continued in his sin. For the truth of this see The Romans 7 Scenario unveiled!
The consciousness of being cleansed
People know deep within that their sin bars them from the presence of God. Their prayers, reading the Bible, talking with others, etc. are often done by route. Christianity here becomes nothing more than a religion – like any other. Their consciences condemn their heart and therefore, even though they profess to the contrary, they have no real abiding faith in Christ. (1John 3:21-22). Hence the desire for temporal, emotional highs in worship.
But for those who wish to have an abiding peace with God, and the deep consciousness that they are truly free from condemnation, will cast aside their sin and cling to Christ for forgiveness.
And God who is gracious will translate His love and peace to them through the Holy Spirit, and they will have the peace of God which surpasses all understanding (Eph 3:19). This becomes a deep awareness within.
Then once you have this consciousness, walk in it. Keep it in the forefront of your mind. Love the experience of being free from condemnation and reconciled to God. By this we can have assurance (not assumption) that we can come to God with a pure heart, without condemnation, to be freely received by Him. And while we have this consciousness it is difficult to fall into sin, for both God and we ourselves are jealous of our unity in righteousness, and sin is pushed outside so that it does not contaminate our relationship with Him.
Disciplines to help you break free from sin
- Be productive in what you do
- Exercise faith
- Study, meditate and memorize scriptures in God’s Word – the Bible
- Prayer
- Learn to love the unseen God
- Take every thought captive
- Learn to recognize the result of sin
- Practice resisting the tempter
- Be productive
We must realize that we are to be a holy people in the conduct of our lives, i.e. in thought, word, and deed, so that we can secure the holiness Christ has won for us. To this end we need to learn the disciplines of faith that produce godliness for the benefit of this life and also for the life to come (1Ti 4:8). Here are some of the major principles to obtaining and building strong faith which will enable us to change our thought patterns and secure our destiny:
1) Be productive in what you do
An idle mind is the devils playground. If we are not pursuing a productive life we will always fall prey to temptation. And if our minds are idle then there is no resistance for the enemy. Our minds become easy prey for temptation to take root and for sin to develop. Jesus said not to look to the left or the right, but keep focussed ahead of you with purpose in heart for what you wish to achieve. This requires faith.
2) Exercise faith
Even though everyone has been given a measure of faith (Rom 12:3), it is up to the individual to exercise that faith in all the aspects of Christ. That is; in His presence, atonement, love, righteousness, and His keeping power through the Holy Spirit that indwells us. This takes discipline. But like any physical exercise, the more we practice faith the stronger it is developed. And if we maintain the consciousness of the presence of Christ through faith, we will not wander off in sin.
For more on developing your faith see: Grow Your Faith – 7 Principles
3) Study, meditate and memorize scriptures in God’s Word – the Bible
Faith comes by hearing / reading the Word of God (Rom 10:17). Without knowing God’s word we have very little upon which to base and grow our faith.
The Bible holds the truth that will set us free from sin and keep us set free, if we will only read and follow it. Learn scriptures that pertain especially to defeating sin, so in times of temptation, recall them to mind and let them become quickened within you.
Meditate on the truth of God’s Word. It says that we can overcome if we apply our faith. So build up your most holy faith on God’s Word, exercising diligence (2Pet. 1:5) so that you can extinguish the flaming missiles of temptation.
4) Prayer
Prayer is the only mode of communication we have with God. Praying correctly, and with the right intention is paramount to having any real relationship with God. We need to cultivate a prayer life if we are ever going to have a life with God. For our prayer life measures our relationship with Him.
But developing a prayer life is difficult because of the flesh not wanting to spend time alone with the unseen God. This exercise involves faith, and faith requires persistence to enter into that realm whereby we become conscious of God’s presence. It takes work to rid the mind of the fleshly beckonings, but earnest diligence breaks through. So press on in your prayer life. Make the time by scheduling prayer time. Treat it as an appointment and other than emergencies, never cancel it. For it is the bloodline to faith and overcoming the enemy of your mind.
5) Learn to love the unseen God
Love for anyone is a learned experience. It is not infatuation. Nobody rightly really “falls” in love with another. They become attracted to another through what they perceive the other to be. Love that is not spurious is not an instantaneous occurrence. Affections grow into love through a learning experience of that person. So is it with God.
As we learn about God, particularly as our heavenly Father, and commune with Him, the Holy Spirit will give us understanding of His wonderfulness. The more we wish to learn of God, the more insight He gives us. But without a genuine love for God we have no quickened life in Him. Loving God supremely is the first and foremost commandment (Mat 22:37). And even though it is our absolute responsibility and privilege to love God with our all, it is a growing, dawning experience.
6) Take every thought captive
We are taught in scripture to destroy everything that raises itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive and bring it to the obedience of Christ (2Co 10:5). That means we are to weigh up everything that we do, say or think against what we have learned in the Bible. Whatever is contrary to God’s Word is to be discarded as sin. Can you see why it is so important to get to know the Bible? (To see more on how to discern truth go here).
To overcome an enemy, the place of attack should always be directed at their weakest point. The tempter is our enemy and we are his. And his tactic to overcome us is striking at our thought process.
It is difficult for us to try to change our life-style, or even habits in our own strength. This is because our sins are already deeply entrenched in us, and have too much momentum from repeated acts. But we can choose to change how and what we think. Therefore, whenever we are tempted we should immediately focus our attention on that which is holy – exchanging a wrongful temptation for a rightful thought. We are counselled to train our minds to think on the things above – not just with fleeting thoughts, but to direct our minds to dwell on them.
7) Learn to recognize the result of sin
Firstly; confession and belief does not = salvation. Know that your sin is separating you from the fellowship and salvation of Christ.
Therefore, when you get tempted – and we all do, look ahead and see the result that sin will produce. See the guilt; the fallen place from grace it will bring; the necessity of the process of repentance to obtain restoration and reconciliation with God. James teaches that those who befriend the world (i.e. through sinning) make themselves an enemy of God (Jas 4:4). The aftermath of sin is never worth the temporal gratification it promises. Plus, you will have strengthened the devil’s foothold again in your life, entrenching yourself deeper in the bondage of sin.
8) Practice resisting the tempter
The more we resist the tempter the more we break his power over us. James said: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas 4:7).
I knew a man who couldn’t give up smoking. So one day he said to himself that the next time he wants to light up he will wait five minutes before doing so. (Bear in mind this was not, by any measure, a godly man). After the five minutes had passed he reckoned to himself that if he could resist lighting up for five minutes he could do it for ten. He continued lengthening the time to an hour. Seeing his success after an hour, he promised himself a cigarette after two hours. He kept this practice up and months turned to years. This happened more than forty years ago and he still hasn’t lit that cigarette.
We not only have the power of free choice, and the in-borne knowledge of good and evil (our consciences), but also the knowledge of God’s Word coupled with the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. To break free from sin we need to arm ourselves with these things. Peter said that God’s divine power has granted us everything pertaining to life in Him and godliness (2Pet. 1: 3). But to exercise them we need to apply diligence in what is already available to everyone. (See 2 Pet. 1: 5 -7). (For more on growing your faith go here)
9) Be careful how you walk
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, (Eph 5:15)
This could be a new post by itself. All of the above is fruitless unless we are careful in how we walk in life. We only fool ourselves if we put ourselves in positions that leave us wide open to temptation.
Here is something you can test with yourself to prove my case:
Look back at your most recent sin. See where it started.
No, it did not start at the temptation! Look further back. The Holy Spirit warns those who are wanting to belong to God about impending temptation. But look at what you did. Even though you knew your weakness, you walked into the arena of temptation anyway, reasoning to yourself that you won’t be caught out.
When we see the danger (and those who walk with God will ALWAYS be warned), we must not try to reason with temptation. Know your weaknesses, made so by habitual sin, and where possible, avoid all areas where you can be tempted. God teaches in His Word that if you continually resist sin, its pull on your life will get weaker and weaker. And sooner or later, we can look back and marvel at how our active faith in the present Christ has brought us through to triumph over the sin that once so easily beset us.
But what if we sin after our repentance?
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; (1Jn 2:1) (See the full explanation of this verse here)
1John 2:1
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
John does not give us an excuse for continued sin in 1John2:1. This scripture is not to be used as a parachute to protect us while we willfully skydive into sin, but is a safety belt to protect us from wrath should we fall prey to sin. But he demonstrates the grace of God during our walk with Him. The epistle is to encourage us to stop sin in our lives, and protect us from its condemnation. However, should we succumb to evil temptation and fall into error, we have Christ who acts as our advocate with (not against) the Father. This enables us to repent again of sin and to continue in reconciliation with Him.
We must break free from sin to win the war of our souls
Let us not fool ourselves. We are at war. The flesh wages war against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh (Gal 5:17). Our eternity is the prize, and we should spend all costs on securing our victory.
God is for us and it is His desire for us to accomplish the obedience of faith in Him, loving Him from a heart undefiled. He has given us all we need to win, and empowers us by the presence of His Spirit if we will only entrust ourselves to Him through an abiding faith.
The whirlpool of sin will get ever-stronger if we let it. But now is the time to break free from sin and its pull, and live the life for which we were designed. This is a life of integrity, self-respect, and greater than all, reconciliation and favor with God.
Let me know your thoughts on the above at hugh@removingveils.com
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