Daily Power #23

Sin shall no longer be your master. (Rom. 6:14)

So many Christian friends of mine struggle with something that started out as “no big deal” but, you guessed it, quickly became a big deal. That third cup of coffee became the need for a double-shot by 9:30 each morning. Buddies at the gym find that dipping snuff is something they need to do all day, not just when outdoors or playing sports. Others tell me they can’t stop gambling—at first it was just fantasy football, but then it became online wagering. Soon they couldn’t stop and were spending way more than they could afford to lose.

Even though we may struggle with sin for the rest of our lives, God’s Word is clear that sin no longer has any power over us. Jesus died on the cross and paid for our sins once and for all. He rose from the dead and restored our relationship with his Father. We could never make ourselves presentable to our holy, perfect God, so he did it for us.

Too often, however, I see people living as though there’s nothing they can do to overcome their addictions, both large and small. They live in denial, dismiss them as harmless, or resign themselves to managing their habits but not overcoming them. That’s not how God wants us to live. If we’re willing to trust him, God will give us more than enough power to defeat the “little sins” that trouble us the most.

Don’t accept defeat today—focus on that one sinful habit you know you need to eliminate and ask God to help you overcome it.

Power Lift

Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I know that sin now has no more power over my life, so help me to live that way.