Dealing with persistent, habitual sin seems to be an insurmountable dilemma for so many of us. It's kind of a spiritual rollercoaster ride where there are times when we feel we have conquered our pet sin only to succumb to it again and again. It's a struggle that brings us guilt and shame when we realize the strangle hold this sin has on us. It's not that we aren't aware of sin's destructive force in our lives...it's not that we don't want to please our Lord Jesus...it's not that we haven't confessed our sin to God...it's not that we haven't made resolutions with ourselves and to God that we will walk away from these habitual sins...it's because we can't seem to rid ourselves of sin's hold on us.

One Bible teacher I had as a teenager stated:
“Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but the power to do what we ought. By engrafting God's Word in us, “sin shall not have dominion over [us]” (Romans 6:14). “If you continue in My word . . . you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).”

But in reality...in practical terms where we live...how do we do that?

The key to victory over habitual sin is not trying to overcome it as though it were a goal, an effort we must make. Rather, God wants us to live in a “crucified with Christ” zone where we make this assumption - we have been crucified with Christ...our habitual sin has been crucified on Christ's cross and has no more dominion over us. We must get to that “radical moment of assumption / decision”...that moment of realization...that we, by identifying with Jesus' death, have put to death that sin. The sequence is this:
1) Spend time in the Word and prayer. Pray that God, the Holy Spirit, would reveal the root cause of our “habitual sin.” This might take some time and will require humility, repentance, and submission to what God is revealing to you.
2) Once revealed, nail it to the cross...that is, regard it as dead.

My prayer for me and you this day is this: Lord, we do not want to live on a sinful “rollercoaster” any more. Sin shall not rule over us. We have died with Christ and we have been raised with Him to a new life. We nail that “habitual sin” to the cross that it would no longer control us. This is our commitment...herein we stand. Praise and worship belongs to You. Amen.

Walk with the King today and be a blessing