Is there hope for someone struggling with habitual sin? I do really good for a long time and fight but I’ve never been able to stay away from a certain sin for more then 36 days(yes I keep track)Feeling like I don’t love Jesus enough. Is there hope for me?
Discussion
51 comments
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Celebrate the victories, don’t focus on the failures. Repent and get back up and try again.
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There is always hope, in Christ.
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Absolutely. Don’t give up. The quicker you can turn back to repent the quicker comes the healing. On the other end only waits deep compounding shame which can be suffocating. I’ve been struggling with some sins for years (sexual sin) It’s not about perfection it’s about keeping my heart towards the Lord with all that I have. Stay strong, I’ll be praying for you.
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Bring whats in the darkness to light. If someone deplores the sin enough to expose it to the light diligently and prayerfully.. the sin cannot survive this “repentance”.
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The key is to not focus on “not sinning” but to focus on living for Christ and fulfilling the Word.
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Pro 24:16 For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
You’re describing all of us. Just dont stay down. Get back up one more time is all you need to do. God sees your hearts cry and desire. Just dont use it as an excuse to stay down. Get back up and go 37 days!
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May I suggest teachings/sermons on deliverance by Derek Prince. You will find them on YouTube.
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A just man falleth 7 (endlessly)times keep on rising Bro one day you’ll rise never to fall again…? Pro 24:16
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I do the same thing brother
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If you fall, get up. More important is that you are getting conviction.
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Michael Kern is on the money, bring it to the light, it’s harder to sin when it’s hidden, find someone to be accountable to, someone here even, obedience has to come before its pleasures
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Absolutely. I’ve been there. I have found that the most difficult thing to do is to humble myself by admitting my sin struggle to close believing friends that can check in with you and keep you accountable. Pray for God to change your heart.
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There is always hope
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Go see a counselor if you have to. They’ll help you work through things.
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Jesus didn’t die for your sins so you could be perfect. He died for you sins because you can’t be perfect.
Read this verse every day:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 NIVGod is faithful always, no exceptions. He doesn’t break His promises ever. When John says “He will forgive our sins” there is no limits or fine print. He will forgive all our sins.
Now this isn’t a free pass to sin. We have to work on it, but all will fall short of the glory of God.
Lastly we all respect Paul the apostle. He was chosen by Jesus. Paul faced the same challenges.
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
Romans 7:15 NIVPray. God is faithful. And don’t sweat the small stuff. ?
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Be kind with yourself!
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When temptation comes your way, always take the way of escape. When Jesus was tempted, he used scripture to fight off the schemes of the enemy (Luke 4). Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Take captive those thoughts and make them obedient to Christ. We must walk in the spirit.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Galatians 5:24-25 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
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There’s always hope. You need an accountability partner to talk with and share. When you feel like sinning you need to call them. When you want to sin you need to replace it with something positive.
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Ben, we all struggle with sin! This Scripture found in Romans 7:15-25 written by the Apostle Paul has always given me such HOPE! In my opinion, Paul did more for Christianity than any other person, besides Jesus Himself. To know that Paul wrestled with sin and wasn’t immune to it gives me incredible peace that can only be found in the GRACE of Jesus Christ! “Romans 7:15-25 New International Version (NIV)
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” -
There is always in dwelling sin.
Christianity is lived existentially – moment by moment.
Walk by faith by the minute, it you have to, then by the half hour, then by the hour, then by the day.
Then it’s by day till you hit a week, then a month.
And all the while it is by faith that Christ shed his blood to turn away Gods wrath over that sin, that Christ took the condemnation for that sin and gave you His righteousness, and that He gave you the Spirit, which enables you to kill the flesh and raise again moment by moment as a son of God.
If you fall, repent, and repeat your existential walk. Always get back up and throw yourself on God’s grace and mercy. The Word, prayer, and the local body of Christ are there to build you up $ strengthen you.
God bless, Ben.
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Still waiting for the 1 comment that says all hope is lost for you ?
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feeling pretty encouraged. I really like what Paul says just wish he would’ve said exactly what his struggle was. Thank you all❤️
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I’m pretty sure you had God at, “Is there hope…”. The answer is Yes.
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Ur not alone bro. We’re all in the same boat. Hang in there.
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How do you guys apply Hebrews 10:26 to your lives.? Sinning willfully and all that. That verse for me holds back gods grace in my mind and only makes me dive into my sin more after a fall cause I lost my joy when I sinned. I don’t want to feel condemned and I want to receive gods grace but this is a real barrier for me. I need to overcome this way of thinking any help would be awesome. Always trying to earn my salvation and I know that I can’t
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A lot of good advice here. There is always hope in Jesus. Keep resisting and eventually the gap between the sin will grow and instead of being the rule in your life it will become the exception to the rule. Self control is one of the traits of a Christ Follower. It’s a skill we develop over time as we draw closer to him and desire to walk in obedience. Hang in there, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
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The comments and counsel and scripture have been great. I would only add that I think it’s important to seek help. Don’t keep trying to do this in your strength. Seek others whom you can trust, who are mature in the faith who can direct you to the proper resources.
Whatever the sin is, there are support groups for it. Some at the church, some “off campus”.
Blessings!
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You all really gave me a lot of hope I was feeling so defeated. I’m not giving up. Thank you thank you
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Jesus has already won the victory for you and broken every bondage.
It’s not achieved by effort or struggle. It is accomplished by yielding and union with Christ. Rom 6. If you are struggling then you are in the flesh, your own effort. The bible teaches us that we identify with Christ in His death burial and resurrection. If we are truly dead to ourselves we will not sin because a dead man cannot sin. Regardless, temptation is common to all men and will come. So saying no to sin is excruciating, like a crucifixion. That is why we pick up our cross daily and follow Him as a living sacrifices and draw our strength from Him. Jesus said, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. This is called “look and live”. One good practice to resist temptation is to look to Christ, go to Him in time of need. You literally seek Him out and put your spiritual eyes on Him when temptation comes. He always makes a way of escape 1Cor 10:13. Okay here is the forgotten formula: It is God’s grace that delivers you. Eph 2:8, 9 says; For by grace we are saved through faith. So really what you need is the power of God in you. But Christianity is not a formula but a relationship. Listen carefully. The appropriation of God’s grace is by faith. There is no other way to break the bondage except by faith. So start fighting this battle with the grace of God and not your own effort. If God says you are free than you are free. Don’t believe the devil lie. You can’t lose. If you are His disciple you know the truth and the truth sets you free by believing it. If it is demonic then tell them to go. When you submit to God and resist the devil he must flee. Period! If you want more info IM me. -
Actually Ben Baxter you are miles ahead of the person who doesn’t know they are sinning. Secondly coming from one who also had an habitual sin. Do NOT give up on yourself, Jesus hasn’t and he will never give up on you. One thing I Discovered in my fight to free myself from the sin was that…this was not my fight but to let God do it for me. ALL I needed to do was keep asking forgiveness. Eventuality, Jesus took the desire to do that sin out of my life. Of course, Satan tries to sneak it back in when I am really tired, sick, or depressed. So I try real hard not to fall into these three. So do I slip and fall? Yes sometimes I do, but Jesus is always faithful and helps me. I just make sure I ask forgiveness afterwards and thank Him for helping me. Again. Ben, the Holy Spirit will win this fight for you. You are not the first to suffer from it and you will not be the last. Bless you my Brother and friend.
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It’s not the sin your fighting, it’s a demon, or several. Look at what tempsts you. What the trigger? Name that demon, and ask God to drive it out. What’s causes you to perform this sin?
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We all struggle with habitual sin. Even the apostle Paul said,
“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good. In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. What a wretched man I am!” (Romans 7:14-24 NIV)
Thank God for forgiveness in Christ.
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Ben, Christians remain in their corruptible bodies until that time that God removes them from this earthly life. There is nothing good to be found in these bodies and they war against us night and day. The Christian has peace with God not because of his/her love for God, but because of His love for His people. The One Who promised is faithful.
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Hi Ben Baxter, I struggled for years with a dependence on alcohol. Just a 5pm until asleep in the chair drinking habit but clearly making an idol of it and letting it have a drivers seat in my life. I had left my faith behind from the age of 15 until around 44 and returned to believing what is written in the Bible at that time. Because of that return of belief I was convicted about my drinking and took steps to deal with it – I opened up about it in Bible study and in private discussion, I discussed it with family and prayed about it both at home and whenever I would be heading home from work past a bottle shop. I improved a fair bit but it was clearly still an idol for me – what you resist persists! One of the things God did during that time was consistently challenge me on three things in my life, none of them alcohol! One was tolerance/patience, one was my view of authority particularly when I felt it was wrong (supervisors at work or government actions etc) and one was my scepticism of the supernatural. What it ended up boiling down to for me was learning from his Word the meaning of truly loving others – it’s always patient, kind, not easily provoked (read and repeat all of 1 Corinthians 13 in as many different translations as possible), understanding from Romans that ALL authority is from God and any denigration I participate in or any rebellion from me is a clear disobedience to God and that justice is His not mine and the final one – wow, I believe absolutely in creation so why on Earth would I doubt the power of His Holy Spirit. This journey went for around 18 months. One day I broke down in the shower & absolutely 100% trusted God to deal with me in whatever way He saw fit. I gave Him the drivers side and steering wheel of my life no questions asked. Alcohol no longer has a hold on me, that hold was broken when I stepped out of the shower. It felt like His Holy Spirit has finally unleashed inside of me, like a tap had been turned on but my biggest lesson was that I had other lessons to learn and the alcohol was just a symptom of that. I saw a meme on here once about a belief THAT versus a belief IN and it really struck me that this was the change in me over that 18 months. I hope that’s helpful, God bless you.
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I struggled with it . I ask God to deal with the underlying sin . Its a habitual because its a habit you have developed to avoid the real issues in your life
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You have the hope of glory living on the inside of you. Spend more time meditating on him and his word. Pray to, praise and worship him throughout the day. And get up and serve him with your gifts and talents. All of this is most effective when u have no distractions, but can also be done whenever or wherever you are, silently. We’re supposed to meditate on his word day and night, and to pray without ceasing. The only way to not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, is to be led by the Spirit, in this fashion. Literally LIFE IN THE SPIRIT. ?
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For me it took me hitting a bottom of sorts, being so sick of my sinful nature that I cried out to God for repentance. Reading psalm 51 and involving myself in a group where i could talk about this with others. I then was encouraged to replace the habit with service and involvement at the church. This was my path to healing. It didn’t work to just tell myself to not do it. God brought me to a point of hating my sin and realizing my inability to fix it. God bless you and be with you on your journey of repentance.
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Quit fighting the sin. Chase the spirit of God.
“Live to the spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh” -
Fight it and flee it. Run to Christ. Go into the room, read the Word and remember His promises. Pray and beg for God to fulfil His promises.
For He wants us to be Holy, as He is Holy.
For the desires of the flesh leads to death, but the spirit leads to life.
For he will sustain us.
And we do not need to worry or be anxious, for He will be with us.
And many more promises of God.
Replace that little satisfaction in the flesh, this playing with mud with a greater joy, in the presence of the almighty God.
Fight on brother, let us both kneel at the feet of the Cross, to put to death the flesh.
Let us look at His face continually, and incline our hearts to him.
And to remember, the power of the Cross, and the answer that will surpass our understanding, to answer more than what we can imagine.
Our salvation is the object of our faith, not our emotions, not our piety. Everything else stems from salvation.
Wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death but thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ for He is Crucified for me. And now the life we live, we live in Him.
Brother we must fight and flee sin, the lion the readies himself to pounce on us, but His mercies are new every morning. His grace is sufficient. Let us draw near to Him.
Onwards my brother, fellow soldier of Christ.
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Yes there is hope
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If you want, we can set up a chat group on messenger. Call me if u feel tempted. We can read and pray together. Or just talk untill it passes over.
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Pray for strength to withstand the desire/urge
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There is ALWAYS hope Ben.
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Jesus said we must take up our cross and follow him. Carrying a cross means die to your own self. Denying yourself that sin is crucifying the flesh. You need the power of the Holy Spirit to help you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Spend more time in prayer and the word. Try to focus your thought on him and take captive any evil thoughts. To the glory of Jesus Christ.
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Read Psalms 32, 34, and 37. When David mentions the word “iniquity,” he is talking about habitual sin, from which David indicates a full century before Christ ever actually died on the cross for our sins that we could experience His blessing to not only have such sins forgiven but also covered by the very blood of Christ shed for us and also be given the power to resist committing such sins again and to deal with whatever guilt we may feel for committing such sins in the first place.as well.
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Every addiction that I ever had (meth, LSD, Shrooms, Cigarettes, Cigars, Chewing tobacco, porn, fornication, and drinking like a fish, I over came through Jesus and not all at once but eventually all of them. I have slipped more than a few times and that is part of my sorrow and my journey. But this post is to give God all the glory by recognizing and confirming that Jesus is > addiction. When the temptation comes knowlege that & who your God is. Because addiction is the worlds way of slavery and submission. But we know our advocate is bigger than or adversary who tempts us to pull us from Him. Warrior up! Agape & Shalom
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Seeking christian counseling is not weakness, its courage.
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Ask yourself this; am I loving the righteousness I once hated, am I hating the sin I once loved? There are sins we really want to be free from, but we seem to fall into those sins all the time and when we do we tend to hate ourselves and think we are lost. Are you different and has your desires changed? Do you want to repent? Those are evidences that a person is converted. If a person is a Christian they’re heart has been regenerated, they have been made alive, they have been given a new heart and the Holy Spirit dwells within them. A Christian will grow in conformity to Christ, yet at the same time will never be free from sin.
1John 1:8. A Christian is not sinless, but they recognize sin in they’re lives and when they sin they mourn over their sin and confess it. -
???
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Of course but yout can’t mock God. Get serious and quit tracking it. Satan uses thst against you said see you can’t do it. You file again. Quit listening to him and listen to God. He made you to overcome based on what Jesus did for you not what you can do. Put your trust in Jesus. He’s already won the bathroom just believe and do it. Pray about it and ask for His help. Remember it’s a spiritual battle. Put your trust in Jesus and just live and quit thinking about and tracking it because you will do it again and again IF you think about it. So change your stinkin thinkin!!
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