By Victor Ochieng
Without a doubt, sin is powerful, and the Bible rightly says so, calling it the ever-alert enemy. The book of Genesis 3:13 says that sin is deceiving.
Many Christians have a challenge overcoming “nagging sins.” These sins are so entrenched and persistent that it’s a challenge to completely root them out. We wake up every day promising ourselves that we won’t engage in any sins, but at the end of the day, we realize that we slipped at some point. We repent before God and do whatever we can to get back to the good book, but this trend seems to continue.
Christians are faced with decades of trying to live according to the Gospel, but they experience bouts of backsliding and despair.
The Scriptures give us hope that even these nagging sins can be forgiven and subdued. We, however, have to remain vigilant and live according to the advice of the Gospel that we stay away from sin by choosing good company and keeping ourselves constantly in the presence of the Lord.
Below are four steps you can take to help you stay away from sin, as outlined by Gavin Ortlund in an article published on Desiring God:
Hate sin - It’s very difficult to overcome sin if we don’t hate it. Aware that our sins can be forgiven might make us not have a strong hate for sin, believing that even if we commit sin, we’ll still repent and be forgiven. Hate sin and know that by continuously sinning and asking for forgiveness, you continuously crucify Jesus. If you don’t comprehend the magnitude of your sin, you might be tempted to treat it as a simple human weakness even when you can avoid it.
Starve sin - There is no better way to overcome sin than to starve it. Remember, the more you sin, the stronger it gains a grip on you. The Bible says in the book of James 4:7 that if you “resist the devil…he will flee from you.” Sinful desires continuously present themselves to us; and you must constantly resist them. When it comes to dealing with sin, there is no saying that you’ll only be ready to give a little of your energy; you must give it your all if you’re to overcome.
Corner sin - The best way to fight sin is by denying it the opportunities and occasions that influence you into sinning. That means critically looking at the things you do, the friends you have, or the geographical location that makes you likely to sin. In most cases, it’s emotions and unhealthy habits that end up driving us into sinning. Dive your mind into the heavenly prize and do everything you can to remain focused on it.
Overwhelm sin - In the holy book, God has provided with all the tools we need to overcome nagging sins. Nagging sins can at times make you feel like you’ve lost the fight before God. However, you should know that God is patient with us and he understands our weaknesses. As long as we keep trying, wholeheartedly, to seek righteousness, he’ll be patient with us. We should also draw strength from the fact that God forgives all sins, including nagging sins. “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). God also gives us power through his Holy Spirit, giving us the strength to fight sin.
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