Hebrews 12:1 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Can those commit sin, who have been born again, whose sins have been washed away by the blood of the Lamb and who are no longer walking after the flesh but are living by the Spirit of God?
Is not repentance a turning away from the old and experiencing the new?
Is not the old man crucified with Christ and the new man raised with Christ to live in the power of God unto righteousness and true holiness?
…..let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
As long as we are on this earth, there will be a combat of good and evil, what is right and what is wrong.
The difference comes in how the battle is fought and who is in control of our lives.
When I am in control, I will always come out the looser.
-But when Jesus is Lord of my life, there will always be victory.
The key is found in verse 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
We will only find as much meaning and fulfillment in life as to the extent that we are willing to surrender.
As long as we are not willing to surrender every area of your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we will continue to struggle with lack of meaning, purpose, depression, and strong holds in our life.
What is this “sin that doth so easily beset us?”
-I believe in this context, it would include anything from addictions, sins that are seen, sins that are not seen, or anything that distracts and drives a wedge between me and God.
These strongholds are to be laid down at the foot of the cross and left there.
….but there is only one way that they can be left there and that is by living in the Power of the Holy Spirit.
God longs to fill us with His Love and His Power but until we come to the end of our self, we only limit His Power and work in our life.
Paul had a thorn in his flesh and he plead with God to remove it but look at how God responded to him.
2Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
It is the Power of Christ that we need to overcome the sin the so easily besets us.
1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
What does this verse mean?
Is God really able to cleans us from all unrighteousness?
Yes He is!
How can He do this and do we have any part in this?
Our Part:
1. First of all we need to realize that we cannot rid ourselves of unrighteousness.
2. We need to repent of our unrighteousness and cry out to God for mercy.
God’s Part:
1. He forgives us!
2. He wipes our slate clean and cleanses us from our unrighteousness!
3. He fills us with the Power of the Holy Spirit and gives the Grace to live above sin.
The sooner we learn that we cannot rid ourselves of bad habits, the better it is for our salvation.
It is then that we stretch forth our hands to Him who has the power to purify us from all things.
1John 2:1 ¶ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 ¶ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
I believe this passage was written for believers (vs. 1)
The aim for every Christian is not to sin but to follow Jesus out of a heart of love, living by His holiness and righteousness….
….but if we do sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Vs. 2 And he is the propitiation (atonement)for our sins….
…but the conditions for having our sins forgiven are always: faith and repentance.
1John 3:1 ¶ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 ¶ Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1John 5:18 ¶ We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Because we are still in the flesh we will continue to deal with the desires of the flesh….
….but when we have been born again and God makes us partakers of His Divine nature, we can live victorious over sin because of the Blood and Power of Jesus Christ.
Let Jesus fight the battles for you.
How can this happen?
By complete surrender!
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and it is only in Him that we will find victory.
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
When a man is tempted to sin, it is in the lust of his flesh that he is drawn away and enticed.
James 1:13 ¶ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
When lust hath conceived what?
When lust hath conceived the will of a person instead of the will of God, then the act of sin follows.
Anything where lust urges a person and obtains the consent of their will to satisfy them is sin.
It is not sin to be tempted but where sin comes in is when we surrender our will to the temptation in order to satisfy the flesh.
Romans 8:10 ¶ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Living after the flesh always brings death.
Have I been set free from that besetting sin and strongholds in my life?
Jesus says in John 8:31 ¶ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
We are not set free from our body of flesh until our physical death but we can be set free from the power and dominion of sin, so that we are no longer a slave to sin.
Our will, purpose, and desire will be against sin.
Through the power of Jesus Christ we will resist temptation and sin.
Even though at times we may fall, when we look to Jesus in faith, He will lift us up.
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Romans 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.