Overcoming Sin Successfully

By:  M. Allen

 

FILING INFORMATION:

97049

11/23/97 - Rapid City, SD

 

I.  Introduction.

A.   This lesson concludes this series of "The seriousness of sin."  Hope you have enjoyed the series.

B.    Overcoming sin.  This has been a goal of mankind since Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.

1.     Sin has been a plague that all mankind has had to/is/will have to deal with.

2.     Sin is the root/core/beginning of all of man's problems

3.     All of man's problems can be traced back to this 3 letter word.  May seem as an oversimplification of the matter but when you really think about this, it is true.

C.    There are some ground rules that we need to establish before going away further in a study such as this.

1.     all men are sinners - Rom. 3:23

2.     we must have an intense desire to conquer sin in our own personal life.  If we don't then we are not interested in overcoming sin at all.

3.     God expects man to overcome sin - Rom. 6:1-2…

D.   With all that having been said, let us examine some helps in overcoming sin.

 

II.  Use Our Bible Properly.

A.   Phrase: "Bible will keep one from sin - but nothing but sin will keep us from the Bible."

B.    David hid God's word in his heart.

1.     Psa. 119:11 - that he might not sin.

2.     Are will hiding the word of God in our hearts?

a.     what are we filling our heart with?

b.     Trash/filth of the world?

3.     Prov. 4:23; 23:7 - from the heart springs forth the actions of life.

C.    Truth purges iniquity.

1.   God's word is truth - Jhn. 17:17

2.     Atonement for sin found in God's truth - Prov. 16:6

D.   Having the heart full of the Word of God is a tremendous safeguard against sinning.

1.     A Christian ignorant of his bible is a Christian in constant danger.  For example:

E.    Jesus successfully met temptation with the word.  Mt. 4:1-11

1.     We too can overcome temptation by using the word.

2.     Forsake assembly - Heb. 10:25

3.     Tell a lie - Col. 3:9

4.     Become immoral - 1 Cor. 6:18

5.     Speak evil - Eph. 4:31

6.     Steal - Eph. 4:28

7.     When the Words of the Bible are implanted in our minds - many times we are less apt to sin. 

F.    Because Bible study is an important tool to help us overcome sin let us:

1.     read much

2.     study often

3.     meditate on the Scriptures

4.     memorize scripture

5.     attend Bible class at every opportunity.  How many are here everytime the doors are open?

6.     Pray for the Lord to lead us into a deeper understanding & appreciation of His Word.

 

III.  Prayer is an aid.

A.   Prayer can stop sin but nothing but sin can stop prayer!

1.     prayer a potent preventative.

B.    Mt. 6:13 - through prayer that we petition God

C.    Through prayer we receive strength to stand.

1.     Lk. 21:36 - pray so that we might be counted worthy.

2.     Eph. 6:13…

a.     put on whole armor of God.

b.     Pray always - v. 18

D.   Think about this…

1.     ever know of a man stealing & praying at the same time?

2.     Ever know of a man drinking alcohol & praying at the same time?

3.     Even know of a man gambling, dancing, fighting, cheating, forsaking the assembling, gossiping and praying at the same time?

E.    We need to heed the admonitions to pray regularly & frequently!

1.     1 Thess. 5:17 - pray w/o ceasing

2.     Col. 4:2

3.     Lk. 18:1

4.     Psa. 55:17

 

IV.  Self Examination will help us overcome sin.

A.   Hear much of examinations.

1.     Yearly physical.  Bank examinations, postal examinations, etc.  All are important in the world around us.  But what about examining oneself for sin?  Isn't this the most important thing that we would ever do?

B.    Deut. 11:16 - Israel practiced self-examination to prevent sinning.

C.    Psa. 39:1 - David examined himself

D.   1 Cor. 9:27 - Paul buffeted his body daily & encouraged other Christians to examine themselves…1 Cor. 11:28; 2 Cor. 13:5

E.    Many references in Scripture to "take heed to ourselves…"

1.     Deut. 4:9

2.     Josh. 23:11

3.     Acts 20:28

4.     1 Tim. 4:16

F.    What is the standard by which we examine ourselves???  Js. 1:22-25 - God's word!

G.   What do we need to examine?

1.     thoughts that fill our hearts

2.     motives that prompt our behavior

3.     attitudes that form our disposition

4.     aims that determine our progress

5.     habits that fashion our character

6.     deeds that make our lives

7.     words that sweeten or soil our lips.

 

V.  A Healthy Fear of God will help us overcome sin.

A.    Many count this as being not that important, and look down on those who have a fear of God by accusing them of being "terrified slaves."  But….mankind needs to have a proper fear of God in order to be pleasing to Him.

1.     Prov. 3:7

2.     Eccl. 12:13

B.     An understanding of the goodness & severity of God will incite this reverential fear so necessary to be pleasing to God.

1.     2 Cor. 5:11 - knowing the terror of the Lord - we persuade men…

2.     Heb. 10:31 - it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

3.     Heb. 12:29 - for our God is a consuming fire.

4.     Words of Christ in Lk. 12:4-5

C.     The actions of God in the past toward those who have not heeded him should motivate us to do whatever necessary to rid sin in our lives.

1.     Those of Noah's day - 2 Pet. 2:5

2.     Uzzah - 2 Sam. 6:1-7

3.     Nadab & Abihu - Lev. 10:1-7

4.     Lot's wife - Gen. 19:26

5.     Ananias & Sapphira - Acts 5:1-11

D.    The above things should provoke some fear in our hearts toward Almighty God.  With such in our hearts we will sin less.

 

VI.  Remembering that God always sees us is a motivating factor.

A.   God sees.  God knows.  To God we will give an account for our actions.

B.    We cannot escape the omnipresence, the all seeing eye of God.

1.     Psa 139:7-12 - Where can I go from your spirit?

2.     Jer. 23:22-24 - Can anyone hide himself in secret places?

C.    When we sin, we do so "to the face of God."  Isa. 65:3; Psa. 51:4

D.   Men sin when they lose a sense of God's presence.  Psa. 94:5-11

1.     Jonah rose to flee from presence of God (Jon. 1:3)  He lost sense of the omnipresence of God.

VII.  Remembrance that we are not promised tomorrow.

A.    A sincere conviction that this may be the day when I will meet the Lord, or otherwise have my destiny sealed will help us overcome sin!

B.    We may come to meet the Lord by a variety of ways…

1.     our physical death - Heb. 9:27

2.     by being rendered mentally incapable (stroke, etc.) of obeying the Lord

3.     by hardening our heart - Eph. 4:19; Rom. 1:24, 26, 28,; 2 Pet. 2:14

4.     by the Lord actually returning - Mk. 13:32; 2 Pet. 3:10-12

C.    What a difference this conviction would have made in the lives of so many!

1.     Ananias & Sapphira - would they have lied to God?  Acts 5:1-11

2.     Judas - would he have sold the Lord? - Mt. 27:3-5

3.     Demas - would he have forsaken Paul? - 2 Tim. 4:10

4.     Agrippa - would he have only "almost been persuaded?" - Acts 26:28

5.     Felix - would he have procrastinated? - Acts 24:25

6.     Truly this conviction would have prevented such sinning!

D.    Early Christians taught to live every day as if "this might be the day!"

1.     Js. 5:7-9

2.     Are we living with this attitude?

 

VIII.  Conclusion.

A.   1 Cor. 15:34- may we all heed Paul's earnest call….How?

B.    by overcoming sin!  Rev. 12:11

C.    Don't let anyone/thing deceive you - Satan, and sin can be - will be - overcome by:

1.     the blood of Christ

2.     the word of our testimony

3.     our commitment.

D.   Are you earnestly striving to overcome sin?  Is there room for improvement in your life?

E.    Why not get your life right w/God today???

F.    I N V I T A T I O N