Obtaining Victory Over Sin - NetBibleStudy.com

Victory Over Sin 16Like Adam and Eve we are all tempted to say to God, “I blame the parents whomYou gave me,” -- or, “the friends You gave me,” -- or “the passions You gave me.” Manypeople have spent a small fortune for professional counseling to explore problems thatthey could have solved if they had been willing – and helped – to accept responsibilityfor their actions. If we are trying to explain why our situation is unique, complainingthat others just don’t understand how badly we are mistreated or why we were caughtin a particular habit, then we probably have failed the second test for admittance toGod’s character-changing program. Only the person who says, “I have sinned,” reachesto receive God’s mercy and grace.THE THIRD PRINCIPLEThere is one more proposition to accept to begin working on that stubborn habit.It is simply we must believe that deliverance is possible! To Adam and Eve, who sinnedso flagrantly, God made a promise that Satan’s power would be crushed. God said tothe Satan, “I will put enmity – [make enemies, or create a feud] – between you – [Satan] – andthe woman, and between your seed – [Satan’s kingdom] – and her seed – [“her seed alone” – or –virgin birth]; He – [One born of the virgin – Christ Jesus] – shall bruise you on the head, and youshall bruise Him on the heel” (Genesis 3:15) This message was clear; in the conflict, Satanwould only nip Christ’s heel, whereas Christ would bruise the serpent’s head. Victoryover sin and Satan is a possibility for every believer.The New Testament is above all else a Book of hope! It details how God fulfilledthis promise given at the very beginning – right after man’s fall – in Genesis 3:15 –There is no sin – no, not one – that must of necessity crush us. God has dramaticallyprovided a way of escape.“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man;and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyondwhat you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way ofescape also, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians10:13).In this verse we notice two facts:(1) We cannot plead that our case is unique or special!True, no two situations are identical, but our basic struggles against thepassions of the world, our sinful nature, and Satan are the same as thoseothers have faced. We can take comfort in the fact that we are experiencing atemptation that someone else has already faced – successfully! For instance,Joseph did not succumb to lust; Moses conquered pride; and Elijah overcamedepression.But what of people involved in the stubborn sins of idolatry, adultery,homosexuality, drunkenness or kleptomania? The New Testament church atCorinth had these kinds of people – who had been freed from their sin. Paullisted the above sins and then added, “And such were some of you; but you were