Christian Living
BESETTING SIN
Hebrews 12:1-2
“Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin, which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patient the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
The scripture provides us with a cloud of many witnesses, of men and women, who serve God in their generations, despite their trials and temptations. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews gave us lists of men and women who believe God and were strong in their weaknesses, their lives are both a challenge and warning to us, one of the lessons that they have preserved for us is the necessity of dealing with easily besetting sins in our life. Besetting sin in believer’s life is dangerous, deadly, deceptive, destructive, and damning. We must turn away from it and claim the strength of the Lord to be victorious. But besides this general sense of watchfulness, you must watch against some besetting sins that are peculiar to you in particular.
THE DESCRIPTION OF BESETTING SIN
A besetting sin is the sin which hinders, disturbs and impedes the possibility of running the race that is set before us. A besetting make the Christian an athlete who puts on a flowing garment which as he tries to run the race, winds itself around his legs and arms, and impedes his progress. According to the Greek, besetting sins are the sins that hang around the believer and disturb him. They are sins that easily entangle, encircle, and overcome a person. Besetting sins are those to which you are particularly liable. They are the sins which you are easily expose to. A besetting sin varies from individual to individual. Samson’s besetting sin was lust of the flesh, immorality. For Abraham, it was the sin of lying and the Israelites murmuring and complaining. Of this, the Lord says, “How long shall I bear this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel which they murmur against me” (Numbers 14:27). They murmured and complained often against the Lord. Your besetting may be pride or inordinate affection, self-will or selfishness, laziness or idleness, lying or cheating, stealing or immorality. You know it!
Sins that beset believers are those in which they indulge in, in the past before they became Christian. If, before you became a Christian, you indulge in an evil practice and you appeared to be addicted to that practice or lifestyle, that addiction becomes your besetting sin on becoming a believer. Before the Corinthian were born again, they lived an immoral lifestyle. So when some of them got saved, immorality and the lust of the flesh became their besetting sin. The sin that besets a believer is that to which he is exposed to by some peculiar weakness in his character. Peter was a wonderful disciple who later became an apostle. But a weakness he had was fear. This was his besetting sin and he stumbled at this point every time. He cursed, swore and denied the Lord because of fear. He even lived a double-standard life in his relationship with the Gentile believer at Antioch because of fear. Thank God, he overcame these weaknesses and now, he is in heaven.
2. DANGER OF BESETTING SIN
One danger of besetting sin is that it hinders believers from running the race that was set before them consistently.
With a besetting sin in your life, you may not be able to receive a “well done”, at the end of the race. In other words, you may even be a failure because of a besetting sin. What a great danger! The children of Israel could not get into the promise land (Canaan) because of besetting. God swore in His wrath that they could not enter into His rest after He has brought them out of Egypt. This besetting cost them the joy of entering the promise land. And if it could happen to them, it could happen to anyone.
So, you need to first decide and determine to deal with the besetting sin in your life. Or else, it could ruin your Christian life.
3. DEALING WITH BESETTING SIN
I Corinthians 9:27; Matthew 5:28-29
“But I keep under my body, and bring in to subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away” (1Corinthians 9:27).
The only way to deal with .besetting sin is by plucking it out! If someone as precious as you right hand causes you to sin, The Bible says, “pluck it out, and cast it out from thee: for it is profitable for thee that on e of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole b ody should be cast into hell. And thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of the member should perish , and not that thy whole members should be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:28-29). When dealing with a besetting sin, you must endure some crosses as you pass through some inconveniences. You must look away from the shame, lies and insult that will come. The desire for heaven must be so paramount in your heart that you must do all to sit at the right hand of the most high God.
4. DELIVERANCE FROM BESETTING SIN
The only way out of this besetting sin is by looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ, the Deliverer. If you recognize your besetting sin and confess it to the Lord, and make restitutions where necessary, He will deliver you because, He has all power. There is nothing impossible with Him. He is our Helper. He will never forsake you. “Looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
It is God’s power that keeps from being a victim of besetting sin (1Peter 1:5). With the confidence in that power, you will be kept through the rugged road that leads to heaven. Determine in your heart that you are not going to be drowned in the sea of life because of those sins that envelope you. You will be victorious as you exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Akinbowale Isaac Adewumi
www.devinehome.blogspot.com
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