I believe the case could be made that many in the ‘church’ today...fail to grasp how serious God is about this ‘go and sin no more or something worse may come upon you’ bit that we read about in scripture (John 5:14). Allow me, if you will...to use a sensitive illustration...

If you consider yourself to be a ‘Christian believer’, and you have a spouse (who also claims to be one as well) who struggles with lust and infidelity...just how long would you tolerate their repeated acts of unfaithfulness and adultery? Do you take the ‘spiritual high road’ and keep ‘forgiving’ them over and over because...after all... nobody is perfect, just forgiven; and we are all saints who sin’? I think you know the answer to this question, especially if you read the text from yesterday in 1 Cor. 5...and how sin (all sin) must be dealt with since it is likened to ‘leaven that spreads through the whole loaf’ (6).

Trust me when I say I know how delicate this whole subject matter is, because countless people continue to struggle with the ‘same old sins’ over and over. And this is NOT how it should be for anyone...who professes a faith in Christ and is committed to His lordship and abiding in Him. The very fact that anyone who continues to struggle with ...and fails to overcome any sin...is evidence that ...something is not right. But please...in the name of God- don’t let that offend you or cause you to crumble under guilt and condemnation. If anything, this should give you hope and encouragement. The mere fact that you continue to be a ‘slave to sin’ (despite however loud you sing at church on Sunday) proves you are not walking in the truth and freedom that Jesus came to bring us (John 8:32-36; Rom. 6:16-18; 1 John 2:6; 3:6;5:18). And this is why I continue to share with you here daily how ‘blinded’ (deceived) we’ve been.

If a person has truly ‘repented’ from a sin, any sin...this would mean they don’t do that ‘sin’ anymore since they have ‘died’ to it. (Rom. 6:2,7; 1 Pet. 2:24). And one other thing I cannot say often or loud enough...is this: IF anyone continues to walk in sin, they cannot fully experience this place of ‘peace and rest’ that comes with abiding in Jesus. You might have a ‘form of godliness’ that Paul speaks of in 2 Tim. 3:1-5, but if you claim to do so, yet are not surrendered to the leading of God’s Spirit...be forewarned: you are in a dangerous place (Deut. 29:19-20; Jer. 23:16-20). And if you took the time just now to read that passage in Jeremiah, that might explain why you are in that place - because a ‘counterfeit gospel’ may have been preached to you that is powerless. Far too many churches today have become enablers to ‘sinners’, coddling them and trying to offer them an empty and shallow comfort...in the name of God’s ‘love and mercy’.

I’m telling you in the name of Jesus that the gospel He came preaching... sets sinners free from their sin and empowers them to ‘go in and possess the land’ as they ‘overcome’ all the ‘enemies’ on the land’ as we’ve been studying about this week. But it’s not Canaanite nations we contend with today, as they did back in the OT; for we ‘wrestle not with flesh and blood, but spiritual forces of darkness and wickedness’ (Eph. 6:12). Let’s just call them what they are since God has no problem ‘naming them’ (Ex. 23:23; Num. 13:28-29; Deut. 7:1; Mark 7:21-23). Those ‘enemies’ that need to ‘come off the land’ (of your heart) are spirits of pride, anger, lust, greed, envy, bitterness...etc. And in case you have not figured this out already, in your own strength and power (and/or human ‘determination)...you are no match for them... just as those Canaanite nations were too strong for the Israelites.

Do yourself a favor this weekend (or sooner): Spend some time reading the first eleven chapters of Deuteronomy; not because we ‘live in OT times’, but study those chapters, praying for and asking the Holy Spirit to ‘open the eyes of your understanding (Eph. 1:17-18) as you view them as a set of ‘spiritual blueprints’. I am confident that He will do just that for you...IF you are hungering for truth...and even more importantly...freedom.

But at the same time, please understand how critically important it is for you to ‘get this’. You and I (and anyone who claims to be ‘of Christ’ and therefore a ‘seed of Abraham’ -Gal. 3:26-29) have a ‘land to possess’. And there is good reason why the writer of Hebrews takes the time to review, once again...that first generation who came out of Egypt. You might just want to read Heb. 3:7...through 4:11 and see if that doesn’t resonate with you now. I mean seriously... why would we be told to “fear...lest anyone of us seem to have come short of it” (4:1)? And did you catch that part about: “Let us be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (4:11) that was pointed out in 3:17-19?

For all those who spend more time trying to reassure themselves, and others...to “Just trust Jesus because you are saved...you are saved...you are saved”...would you care to explain what on earth Jesus was talking about in Luke 13:24 where He says to “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many , I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Can you even begin to fathom the ‘shock and awe’ those professing believers felt when they heard those words from Jesus to ‘depart from me...you who continue to practice lawlessness (sin)’ ...in Matt. 7:21-23?

I’ve used this debatable example before, while always prefacing it with this assurance that we do NOT...’work for’ nor ‘earn’ our ‘salvation’; but today...many are guilty of promising converts that the kingdom of heaven awaits them...’guaranteed’ ...and they are doing even more damage to them...worse than if you were to promise an incoming freshman who was ‘accepted’ into the college of their dreams...that as long as they continued to ‘show up’ for the next four years...a diploma was waiting for them...’guaranteed’ (Matt. 23:15). And here is why I say that...

God warned the people that failure to overcome the enemies and take possession of the land, would result in those nations coming and taking them captive as they bowed down to serve their gods...which is idolatry. You see this over and over in those first 11 chapters of Deuteronomy. And friends... ‘we know...that no idolater has any place in the kingdom of God’. Do you need me to list the slew of verses that affirms that?

This past week, the Lord reminded me once again what He has called me to do here for these past five years. The ‘assignment” has been clear”: ‘Sow the word’...in love and humility. I pray anyone who reads here has received it as such. He also reminded me yesterday as I was swimming laps at the pool...of the responsibility that comes with this, as He told Ezekiel: “If you see the sword coming and fail to warn the people’...their blood is on your hands (Ezek. 33:1-9; James 3:1). You might also keep reading there in. Ezek., vs.11, and then 30-33. Oh, just keep reading through chapter 34 while you are at it.

Final thought for today: Brief, short... and to the point. If we don’t surrender to His lordship and go in and ‘possess the land’...we will be ‘possessed’. (Matt. 12:43-45). It was the same warning God gave His people way back then...and the same warning He is giving to us today! He simply has not changed (Mal. 3:6) And if you made it through here this far today...you can’t say you’ve not been warned. (Luke 13:1-5)