FORSAKING SIN 2
(week 37/12)
OLUBI JOHNSON
In our last article, we saw that God wants us not only to confess our sins to receive forgiveness and cleansing but also to forsake them in our hearts.
This week, we will see in more detail how to do this.
Romans 6:20-21, 23 KJV: For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Many Christians still love the world: the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life in their emotions and so because of these inordinate affections, even when they confess their deeds of sin with their mouths, their hearts or emotions still love the world.
Matthew 15:7-8 KJV: Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, (8) This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
So the Holy Spirit through John tells us in
1 John 2:15-16 AMP: Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].
How do we stop loving the world in our emotions and desires of our bodies?
By filling our souls and bodies with the life of God and reprogramming our minds and desires with the Word of God. This is why we need to pray for the life of God daily (2 Pet. 1:4), pray in the Spirit with travail (Eph. 6:18, Gal. 4:19) to ‘pump’ the life of God from our spirits into our souls and bodies; and read our bibles as daily habit in the light (Ps. 36:9) of prophetic and apostolic teaching that will give us revelation knowledge which will then reprogram our wills, minds and emotions.
So when we stop loving the world in our emotions and desires and truly hate sin, we will truly forsake sin in our hearts when we confess our sins with our mouth to obtain forgiveness and cleansing by the blood of Jesus (1 Jn. 1:1-7).
To help us to do this as a daily habit, say this after confessing your sins at beginning of your prayers each day:
“I confess my sins and forsake them (Pr. 28:13) by practicing the Word with a continual (Pr. 24:16) determination to stop sinning”.
A continual determination to stop sinning is shown by getting up quickly when you fall into sin and determine to move on in right-doing, asking God for wisdom and power to overcome sin next time you are faced with a temptation.
Proverbs 24:16 KJV: For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Micah 7:8-9 KJV: Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. (9) I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
James 1:5 KJV: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
As you practice this as a daily habit, you will come to truly hate and forsake sin and the frequency and gravity of your acts sin will gradually reduce until you totally stop sinning (1 Jn.3:9)!
