The most crucial part in our Christian walk is dealing with the aspect of sin, the temptation of it, the conception of it and the actual act, these things are always trying to eat at our salvation and at our walk with God trying to strip us of what was given to us as a gift and that is the promise of being with Jesus.
A man who wished to buy a handsome ring, went into a jeweler’s in Paris. The jeweler showed him very ancient ring, remarkably fine, and curious on this account, that on the inside of this ring were two lion claws. The buyer while looking at the others purchased this ring. But before he had scarcely reached home, he began to feel numbness arise his body, first hos hand, then his side, then his whole body was without feeling as it seemed like a stroke of palsy; and it grew worse and worse, till a physician, who came in haste, thought him to be dying. “You must of somehow taken poison”, exclaimed the physician. The sick man had protested that he had not. In time someone remembered this ring; and it was discovered to be what used to be called a death ring, at which was employed in those wicked Italian states three to four hundred years ago. If a man hated another he would present him with one of them. In the inside was a drop of deadly poison, and a very small hole, out of which would make its way through when the hand was violently squeezed. When the poor man was wearing it, the murderer would come and shake his hand violently, the lion’s claw would give his finger a little scratch and in a few hours the man would be dead. I want you to see why I told you this story, for four hundred years this ring had kept its poison, and at the end of that time, it was strong enough to kill the man who had unintentionally scratched his finger with the claw; for this man was only saved by the great skill of this physician and the work of this medicine. I thought this to be a very hard truth of sin. Beloved you may commit a sin now and for the present forget it; and perhaps ten or twelve years later the wound you gave yourself because of this sin begins to breakout and more dangerously than ever. And the greatest danger of all is the thought of sin and the committing of the sin should come upon us in the hour of death.
Death is the manifestation of sin, yet by the grace of God we have forgiveness of sin and life more abundantly. Beloved if we are ever to be in need of the steps of sin to have knowledge of how things occur I pray that God reveals it tonight. Yet in this there is a place of rest for God people, but in that rest it comes by Christ and Christ alone, stop living in unbelief and defeat, I hope this sermon will allow you to have the understanding that we are able in Christ Jesus to defeat the enemy.
1st point “Seven steps to sin”
Beloved this evening there are seven steps that lead toward actual sin. But before you can defeat sin, you need to know what is occurring in you.
Mark 7:20
20 And He said, "What comes out of a man that defiles a man. 21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts
So with that we want to get to the steps of understanding of which can cause a man/woman to actual sin.
1. Temptation: Temptation comes in the form of thoughts without exception, it doesn’t matter what the sin is it begins a thinking process, in this process it can become so strong it feels as if it has already happened, many people sin simply because they had the thought, and they are condemned and in that condemnation they sin. Beloved temptation is not sin, people do not have to sin just because they feel like doing it. This is the power of sin beloved hear me out. There may be temptation or evil in another person that can readily hook up with the temptation or evil that lies in you and begin to work at one another and cause both to fall. This happens in a marriage at times when the husband and wife and even churches, the evil or temptation hook up with the temptation or evil in the other person. Then the two start working against each other and both fall because of anger and bitterness.
Beloved there is an incorrect teaching that says that when you are tempted it is God’s way of teaching you something.
James 1:13
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
Truth is, everything that is going on in the world as a temptation to you is common in the world.
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
As I started to think of this, I was able to say something that I hope will help you, stop praying for God to remove the temptation, He will give us the strength to defeat and overcome, it has to be dealt with because it comes from within, it has already been a problem, the enemy uses what is already there.
Beloved every demon in hell was looking for Jesus to trip up when Satan was tempting Him so that they could have right of way in His spirit so that He would become sinful. But there is blessing in the midst of temptation.
James 1:12
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
2. Drawn away: The second step to si is being preoccupied with the thought. To be drawn in is to have a strong imagination about the temptation to start to view it and to allow your mind to be drawn to it, sin is beginning to form in you, it is not just an idle thought but now it is starting to take form.
3. Personal lust: An evil spirit is like a projector; it projects images in you because of its nature and it wants to fulfill its nature and make you a sinner in that area. Some people think that it is them because they have fallen into agreement and started becoming one with it which is the process of that person prepared to sin.
James 1:14
when he is drawn away of his own lust,
4. Enticement: Enticement is the weakening of the will. You can have every feeling and seemingly enjoyable to a lustful thought in any area of your life. The object is to weaken your will because Satan wants you to act it out. If Satan can break your will, you will no longer resist him, it is then he has you in motion to sin.
James 4:7
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
5. Lust conceived: You cannot have sin until you have lust conceived. Lust conceived is the birthing of something not in place yet. This is when the entire weakening of your will is occurring and you are about to come into agreement with it so it can be birthed in you. Yielding. Lust conceived is the entrance into the physical of what was spiritual.
6. Actual sin
7. Consequence of sin: Which we all can agree is death.
2nd point “Healing”
God has not left us to die in that sin but has given us a hope in His Son Jesus Christ. We have a pathway to wholeness and freedom. The same way we have seven steps to sin we also have several pathways to wholeness and freedom of sin.
1. Recognize: Recognize what it is, in Hosea 4:6 God said “my people perish for lack of knowledge. They had no discernment. Beloved knowledge ties the past to present but wisdom takes the present and moves it to the future.
2. Responsibility: You must take responsibility for what we recognize.
Psalm 51:3-4,
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
3. Repent: Repent to God for participating for what you have recognized.
Acts 3:19 19
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;. Beloved repentance is the answer to the enemies stronghold in the lives of the bound. If we would trust that the word of God is truth we could be set free.
Revelation 3:19 19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
4. Renounce: You must take what you recognize and make it your enemy. Many people repent but have not meant it, many people have remorse but do not change on the inside, to repent means to turn away. 1 Corinthians 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. Beloved getting away from evil and begin to develop a hatred or the very thing that can separate you from God.
5. Remove it: This is to remove what you have renounced, removing sin is this: not only do I renounce you, but you and I cannot coexist in the same place at the same time, sin you have to go. Ezekiel 18:31 31Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
6. Resist: When it tries to come back resist it. It will try to come back. Luke 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he tries to come back if you resist he will flee.
7. Rejoice: Rejoice in the freedom of God, give Him thanks that pieces of dust like us can be redeemed for His glory
8. Restore: In this testimonies begin and now we could help someone else get free. Isaiah 42:22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Beloved part of the restoring is bring the gospel to the ones you love and the ones you don’t know. Instructing those sinners who are separated from God to be restored by the blood of the Lamb.
Let us do what we are called to do in Jesus name, Amen!
