Destroying The Cycle of Sin
I was up @ 3 a.m. on Monday morning after another successful preaching engagement, with a gnawing ache in my heart that still a lot of people ( at times myself included) cannot seem to recognize nor break the cycle of sin in their lives.
Many have come and gone from our churches wanting and praying for the cycle of sin to be broken, only to leave our services dissolutioned over the fact the next day (if not sooner) they are back to the same bondage.
Eccleciasties 3 tells us this:
Ecc 3:1 There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
Ecc 3:2 A right time for birth and another for death, A right time to plant and another to reap,
Ecc 3:3 A right time to kill and another to heal, A right time to destroy and another to construct,
Ecc 3:4 A right time to cry and another to laugh, A right time to lament and another to cheer,
Ecc 3:5 A right time to make love and another to abstain, A right time to embrace and another to part,
Ecc 3:6 A right time to search and another to count your losses, A right time to hold on and another to let go,
Ecc 3:7 A right time to rip out and another to mend, A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
Ecc 3:8 A right time to love and another to hate, A right time to wage war and another to make peace. (Message Bible)
This scriptue shows us there is a natural cycle of life. There are clymatalogical; economical; political; as well as spiritual.
Satan also has seasons or cycles of intense pressure and temptation; but God also has seasons or cycles of blessings as well as judgement.
The challenge I see that is before us is we must engage the culture in which we live with a relevant message of hope is that will focus on finding the seasons of the Holy Spirit and showing people through real life application how we can overcome completely both the fleshly as well as the satanic cycles we may be facing at this hour.
My favorite verse in scripture has become I Chronicles 12:32 that declares about the men of Issacar "…they understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do…"
It's interesting to note Issacar in Hebrew means "there is a reward" . As Mark Batterson states, they had insight (understood the times) then they had foresight (knew what to do). I'm glad God does not what us ignorant of satans devices!
Here's just a few ideas to consider if you are walking through a time of pressure or of overcoming an unwanted satanic or "sin" cycle:
1. Remember and understand repentance works. Acts 3:19 "Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out so that the times of refreshing can come from the Presence of the Lord." 2Chronicles 7:14 still tells us when God's people repent and pray and obey, He moves on the scene. Now do it!
2.Eccl. 4: states "…where the word of a king is there is power…" Understand the word of the KING of KINGS lives in you!
3.Humble yourselves before God.
James 4:10 " Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." Trust me, you don't want God to have to humble you…I promise it won't be pretty sight!
4. Submit to God. Understand the devil does not have the power to last forever; and God never allows anything to be taken away that He doesn't have something better for you. Pay attention to when you need to resist and recognize when you may need to run!
By the power of the Holy Spirit with the eternal WORD of God, you will overcome the cycle of sin.