How to Overcome Sin

Sin is a tough word. It makes some people think of a preacher yelling about how sinners go to Hell, but sin is so much more than that. It's something rooted so deeply inside of you that it was in your heart the moment you took your first breath. It's the thing that binds you to this world instead of to God. It's the thing that can separate you from the person you are and the person you want to be. If sin has such a strong hold over us, how can we escape it?


What is Sin?
Sin is any act or thought that goes against God's best for you. It's the dirty filth we carry around every day, accompanied by guilt and pain. "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:13-21) Sin stinks. It hurts people, hurts you, and hurts God. It can turn us into people we don't even know, and can ruin our lives in one moment. Sin is the separation between you and God. In Psalm 51, David says to God, "You're the One I've violated, and you've seen it all, the full extent of my evil." So sin isn't just something you do, but it's an act against God personally. It first entered mankind in the Garden of Eden, when the first two people in the world chose to break God's one rule for them. It's been living in us ever since. Romans 3:23 says, "Everyone has sinned -- we all fall short of God's glorious standard." Sin is a trap that every human has fallen into, and there's only one way to get out.

Realization
Let's take a closer look at Psalm 51. David says, "I know how bad I've been; my sins are staring me down....You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair." Instead of pretending to ignore his sin, he realizes how big of a deal it is. He confesses what he's done wrong before God. He's basically saying, "Here I am. I've messed up, so do what you want with me." Buut he doesn't stop there. Proverbs 28:13 says, "People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy." Understanding what you've done wrong is important. To be forgiven, you must bring it before God. But what's next?

When God Steps In
We don't have to live in sin forever. In Psalms, David cried out, "Generous in love -- God, give grace! Huge in mercy -- wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt.... What you're after is truth from the inside out. Enter me then; concieve a new, true life....God, make a fresh start in me, shape a new week from the chaos of my life." God is generous in love and huge in mercy and has the power to give you grace, wipe out your sin, destroy your guilt, and give you a new start. Whatever you've done that's separated you from God, he's willing to forgive you and help you get back on your feet. David dealt with a lot of sin in his lifetime, but he was still described as "a man after God's own heart" because he continually confessed his sins to God and asked for forgiveness. The biggest issue here is not that David sinned, but that he loves God.

The Plan
Are you ready to be a woman after God's own heart and be free from what's holding you back? Follow David's example found in Psalm 51:

1. Confess what you did wrong.
2. Focus on a way forward.
3. Think about positive steps to take with God.
4. Ask God for help and blessing.

 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)