Have you ever wondered and asked yourself, maybe even asked God while sobbing tears of frustration ...”Why?...why do you seem to fail repeatedly when it comes to overcoming certain ‘sins’ or ‘tendencies of that old flesh nature’? Why do you always lash out in anger in certain situations? Why do certain ‘addictions’ seem to still ‘own you’? Will you ever...be able to conquer lust and various sexual compulsions? Are you forever doomed to be unforgiving and unkind and impatient?

Maybe....just maybe...God has been waiting on us to reach the end of ourselves so that we might find the beginning of Him. Trust me...I’ve been in that place of frustration and defeat that I speak of. And it took me a long time to get here to this place where I’m finally able to understand a few things that I so wish I had taken the time to learn early on. Truths...that I’ve been trying to pass on to anyone and everyone who reads these posts of mine daily.

In order for us to truly live in Christ...something has to ‘die’ first. (John 3:30; Gal. 2:20) Otherwise, there will never be any ‘fruits of righteousness’ produced in our lives (Phil. 1:11). We believers speak often about ‘resurrections and new life’, while forgetting what has to proceed a resurrection...and that would be a ‘death’.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” – Jesus (John 12:24)

“Unless you abide in Me, neither can you bear fruit... for without Me you can do nothing.” -Jesus (John 15:4-5)

When Paul instructed us believers to ‘put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature’ (Col. 3:5) he did not tell us to ‘tame it’ or ‘dial it down some’ or ‘put it on a leash’ or ‘hide in the basement’.

He told us to put it to death. There is finality in death. But for one reason or another, many believers never got that memo. Which is probably why Paul asked in his letter to the Romans ...”How...shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom. 6:2)

Did he say...“Die?”

“Did you not know that our old man was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin? For he who has died has been freed from sin.” (Rom. 6:6-7)

Paul must have got that message from Jesus who said, ‘most assuredly...whoever commits sin is a slave to sin’. (John 8:34). If you are still sinning, then you are still not ‘free’. And the reason might just be we failed to deal with this ‘old man’ like we were told to do.

So as promised...allow me to offer up a ‘loose’ outline of sorts, a series of ‘steps’, (if I may) that might provide some insight and helpful advice for those who truly want ...to be free, and free indeed. (John 8:32,36)

No doubt, for many believers who when they first came to Jesus, they probably did see some notable changes as they got a taste of some freedom. If you have ever taken a door mat or small rug outside to clean by beating, usually on that first punch you do see a lot of dust and grime come off. But you know as well as I do, it still is not ‘clean’. I know it would not pass my wife’s inspection ;-). So you beat it again, and again, maybe flinging it against a brick wall or tree. More dirt flies off and yet...there still are those ‘stubborn’ objects that hang on...old chewing gum or whatever. It may require a good vacuuming if not hosing down. But it is...a process and never completed on the first smack you give it. Am I right or am I right?

So please hear me out and hear me carefully. In all likelihood, there is a good probability that some of those pesky sins and ‘carnal flaws’ that have seemingly plagued you for a long time, may actually have ‘spirits’ attached to them. Yes...spirits’. (Eph. 2:1-3). It does not take long for any reader of the gospels to see where Jesus spent a lot of time ‘removing such things’ from those who came to hear him. (Acts 10:38; Mark 1:23-25,27,32-34)

And while I will can’t elaborate more on this now, chances are pretty good that some of those ‘curses’ were passed down from previous generations. (Deut.5:9). Ever notice how certain ‘sins’ (among other afflictions) seem to be prevalent in some family lines...like alcoholism, adultery, abuse, anger, depression, etc?

And maybe you were able to easily give up smoking tobacco, but this ‘porn thing’ has some strong chains around you.

Why no doubt, many sincere Christians have begged and pleaded with God at one time or another to deliver them from their ‘demons’,... yet...those prayers seem to have gone unanswered. I would submit to you that one reason that might appear to be so, is those unanswered prayers may have very well been an act of mercy on God’s part. I know that sounds strange, but go look at Matt. 12:43-45. IF...the church has failed to teach such basic truths to new believers...then what might be the foreseeable outcome if God did ‘set you free of a particular ‘spirit’ but you were not ‘equipped with basic bible knowledge (truth) to stand and resist when they came back again? What would your condition be in the end?  Not only did Jesus come to set us free....He brought truth so that we might stay...free.

Some of these embedded sin issues tied to our flesh nature may have been deeply rooted in our hearts and we were not even aware of them. “Who can truly know our deceptive hearts...but God?” (Jer. 17:9-10)

Which then leads me to explain why we have to go through these ‘fiery trials’ that Peter and James speak of. (James 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 4:1-13). They have a way of bringing that ‘dross to the surface’.  And once God exposes that darkness within us, we have a choice to make. Hold on to it, or confess it and repent of it. I suggest the latter. (John 5:14; Luke 13:3,5)

Let’s use ‘sin Z’ as an example here to illustrate. You have struggled with Z for years. Sometimes it seems you get the better of it, and then as the old saying goes...’one step forward, two steps back’ and you fall back into it. It’s almost like a fisherman toying with his catch as he reels in that small fish...then he gives it slack to let it think he’s free, only to jerk that line back and reel him in all the way. Yeah...the enemy can toy with us like that as well.

Or...maybe you went through a recent experience and what came out of your heart surprised even you. (Matt. 15:18-20). And while you might not have been overly excited about the ‘fiery trial’ you went through, or are going through, you were equally bothered (hopefully) by what you saw ‘rise up’ from within you. Do you know why...God ‘allowed’ this to happen? So He could reveal to you one of those ‘giants on the land’ that needed to come off (or out).

Should you opt to leave it there, even though God has made it clear He wants it gone, then this creates a problem. We are told that the most important commandment of them all is we are to ‘love the Lord our God with...ALL...our heart.” When we allow certain things to remain there, especially after God has revealed them to us, we are, in a sense telling God...we love ‘Z’ more than we love Him. Because IF...we love Him, we’ll do what He says. (John 14:15). And anything that we love more than God, and put before Him....then becomes an idol. You probably are aware that ‘no idolators have any inheritance in the kingdom’ of God’. (Eph. 5:5).

What sin or idol remained in the heart of the rich young ruler who turned and walked away? (Matt. 19)

But IF...you truly love God with all your heart as you profess to do, then as God is ‘testing your heart’ (Deut. 8:2; 1 Thess. 2:4) you now have an opportunity to demonstrate this to Him. Why you can even ‘count it all joy’ for this ‘test’ and not even ‘think it strange’. (James 1:2; 1 Pet. 4:12). So just ‘agree with God and confess this ‘sin Z’ and repent, from your heart. In that moment of genuine true repentance, you are immediately covered by the blood of Christ that cleanses us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7)

Now let’s ‘just say’ there was a ‘spiritual component’ to this stronghold in your life that was the source of your ‘sin Z’. That ‘spirit’ has no choice in the matter...it is now gone. And I don’t mean in ‘Hollywood style’ with a lot of fanfare and drama. It simply has to go. *poof*

You can now thank the Lord for setting you free of that ‘thorn’, that ‘Canaanite nation’ that was on the land and had been a source of struggle for you for so long. And if you are still skeptical about there being a ‘spiritual component’ to this behind the struggle, may I direct you back to Eph. 6:12 again? Oh, and what was the source of Paul’s ‘thorn’ that he had to contend with...a ‘messenger of Satan’, I believe? (2 Cor. 12:7)

But here is where all this gets...interesting, and oh, so important to take notes. That ‘spirit’ will most likely be back (Luke 4:13). Yet, I can assure you, it is much easier dealing with a ‘squatter’ that has been removed from the premises, than it is while it/they are still residing within; especially if you are abiding in Jesus now. You will be highly motivated to keep them out this time. (Matt. 12:43-45; James 4:7) We’ll get to that ...tomorrow. [To Be Continued...]