Freedom from...

by Debi Baker

"12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires."

Romans 6:12 NIV

I've been doing some thinking lately...and if you know me, you know that that could be dangerous!  But seriously, this verse has been speaking to me; especially concerning any unconfessed sin that might be lurking in the dark recesses of my heart!

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God sees our entire heart including the parts we want to hide from Him.  He even sees those parts of our heart that we think we've turned over to Him.  Perhaps we've just forgotten about that little corner of our heart or it's something we really want to hold on to.  It's that little 'thing' that nags at us over and over.  It's that little thing that causes us to stumble and fall.  And each time we ask for repentance.  And if you're like me, you wonder how Jesus can continue to forgive you when you fail time and again!

Listen, Jesus will never stop forgiving us.  When we fall, He sees how we are tormented.  He knows we want to be free from this struggle [whatever it is].  God has enough grace to cover our failures...every time!  Now, that's not a license to just go out and sin and sin and sin.  If we truly want to be free from this bondage [again, whatever it is], He knows.  It's by His grace that we can be free!!  He also knows if we are just giving lip service in our prayers saying we want to be free and really just want to hide it from Him.  

The author of a devotional I did recently said this, "I was part of this group for many years because of a specific addiction.  I became addicted several years before coming to Christ and even after getting married and working in ministry, I could not get free.  I once had one of the most well-respected ministers in America lay hands on me and pray for me to be delivered from my addiction.  None of it worked.  

My freedom didn’t come until I changed my priorities.  In the beginning, I wanted God to set me free because I was worried my sin would get in the way of my ministry.  But then my heart shifted, and I began to focus on how my decisions were affecting my intimacy with Jesus. I started caring about how my sin affected God." 

I believe the key to deliverance is in that second paragraph (I made it bold because it's so powerful!).  Freedom from the bondages of sin will only come when we decide that our relationship with Christ is more important than the sin.  We simply cannot have a genuine relationship with Jesus if we're sinning.  Sin affects our relationship...not only with God but with everyone!!!

Have a wonderful day!!