MY FRIENDS, MOVING AWAY FROM THE CLUTCHES OF SIN.

Nov. 21, 2014

MY FRIENDS, MOVING AWAY FROM THE CLUTCHES OF SIN.

When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through dry places seeking rest and finding none. Then it says, “I will return to my house from which I came. When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there.

And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. (Luke 11:24-26) Luke 11:21-22, Says, even a strong man cannot protect his house if someone stronger comes along. So we must never fool ourselves into thinking we can out think Satan.

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places”. (Eph. 6:12)

So Gods word tells us that we cannot protect ourselves from Satan, but God can protect us, if we only have faith and believe. John wrote, “You are of God, little Children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

But first, Christ must be in each of us intimately. So just to get rid of our sins without allowing Christ to take full control, will only allow Satan to re-enter our lives with those same sins we thought we had gotten rid of, only now, “it is worst than the first”.

In addition, our victory today will not be sufficient for a victory tomorrow if Christ is not the Master of our mind and body. For our heartfelt words each day must be “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20)!’

Our sins is like a vine that grows up along a trunk of a tree. The vine starts small, nothing to worry about. But over the years the vine will get taller and taller, until it covers  the lower half of the tree, the process is called vine creepers.

And once the tree is taken over by these vines, the tree will become in danger of being completely  consumed, as life is then squeezed out of it. But in order to save the tree someone must severed the trunk of the vine one neat cut across the middle.

The tangled mass of the vine’s branches still clung to the oak, but the vine is now dead. That would gradually become plain as weeks passed and the creepers began to die and fall away from the tree, but my friends  that does not guarantee that these creepers will not return.

Consistent with this, How easy it is for sin, which begins so small and seemingly insignificant, grow until it has a strangling grip on our lives, although Christ’s death has cut the power of sin. the “creepers” of sin still cling and have some effect. But sin’s power is severed by Christ, and gradually, sin’s grip dries up and falls away.

But that does not guarantee it will not return in some other form, with just the same amount of destruction only greater. My friends we must continually fill our lives with the pureness of Christ righteousness. There can be no time out, or I need a day just for my self.

“Fallen man is Satan’s lawful captive. The mission of Christ was to rescue him from the power of his great adversary. Man is naturally inclined to follow Satan’s suggestions, and he cannot successfully resist so terrible a foe unless Christ, the mighty Conqueror, dwells in him, guiding his desires, and giving him strength [daily].

God alone can limit the power of Satan. He is going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it. He is not off his watch for a single moment, through fear of losing an opportunity to destroy souls. It is important that God’s people understand this, that they may escape his snares.(E. G. White)

My friend the roaring lion, Satan, never sleeps, neither does the Spirit of God, But as it reaches out to save us we must grab onto his hand for dear life, never letting go until we can see our Savior face to face coming through the clouds above, to take His faithful children home.