Read Time: 2 Minutes 28 Seconds
Why do Christians struggle with sin? The first reason is that they refuse to repent of their sin. They struggle because they really don’t want to give up their worldly pleasures. They do nothing to change. They make no real personal effort to grow in faith and understanding and spiritual discernment. They are completely led by their feelings and the world instead of by the Word of God. They possess no fear of God therefore they don’t even sense conviction when they are living outside His will. Then they wonder why they feel so far away from God.
We have a personal responsibility to renew our mind with the Bible. Some people believe that God has done it all, and they take no responsibility for their part. However, though we are under grace it does not give us license to sit back and do nothing. Yes, there is God’s part and then there is our part. It’s not for performance and it’s not to earn His love. We could never earn that. God doesn’t love us any more or less because we are doing the right thing. Our obedience and desire to please Him comes from a relationship with Him. Because we love Him, we want to find favor with Him. We want our lives to reflect His goodness and love to those around us.
So how do you free yourself from the cycle of repeated sin? First, you must be intentional. That means you say no to sin. You cut it off from your life. That includes ungodly relationships, movies, books, games, pornography and any ties to witchcraft or sorcery. This can mean horoscopes, idols, superstitious objects and any sort of psychics or fortune-tellers. You do an about face and run to Jesus for the strength and courage you need to make this kind of change.
Next, you form new habits. You prioritize time reading and studying God’s Word. You commit to prayer and fasting.
It means finding a church home, finding fellow believers and getting connected with strong Christians who will encourage you and pray for you. You need people who will hold you accountable and cheer you on in your faith.
Maybe the idea of leaving behind things you are familiar with, or even feel dependent on, seems daunting. The Bible explains clearly in Romans 6 that we have been freed from sin by God’s grace, but we are not to yield ourselves over to it.
It’s not in our own strength. Zechariah 4:6 says, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” It’s in His strength that we can do all things. God is faithful to perform His Word on our behalf if we will obey and trust in Him.
Bring Charisma magazine home with a subscription today!
Bill Wiese is the author of New York Times best selling book, “23 Minutes In Hell,” the story of his life-changing visit to hell in 1998. Bill has since authored six additional book titles, and continues to share his experience around the world. He and his wife Annette founded Soul Choice Ministries in late 2006 and have dedicated their lives to reaching the unsaved. For more information about Bill Wiese and Soul Choice Ministries please visit us at: https://soulchoiceministries.org/.You can find more of Bill’s teachings at: https://www.youtube.com/user/BillWieseTV.
Paul McGuire 
