Can I Really Gain Victory Over Sin?

If you struggle with the same sins over and over again, it is tempting to believe that you will never see victory this side of Heaven. Even many modern Christian voices (in the form of Christian books, Christian music, and Christian messages) tell us that being enslaved to sin is part of a normal Christian existence.

Of course, if we try to overcome the power of sin in our own strength and determination, we will fail every time. Only one power is strong enough to defeat sin- the power of God. The secret to gaining victory over sin is to allow Jesus Christ to overtake our being and to yield to His supernatural, enabling power within us.

Grace, as defined in the New Testament, is not merely the "hug" or acceptance of God. Grace is the enabling power of God to accomplish on our behalf what we are incapable of accomplishing on our own. There are about one hundred verses in the Bible that define grace in this way. Here are just a few that encourage me:

"Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith." -Romans 1:15

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds." -1 Corinthians 3:10

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." -2 Corinthians 12:9

"We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." -2 Thessalonians 1:12

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." -1 Peter 5:10

Kick out the lie that you are a helpless victim who will always be enslaved to sin. You are called to live a life victorious over sin, a life that showcases the light the light of God- not through your own strength but through the strength of Christ within you, as it says in Colossians 1:27:
"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Ian Thomas, a Christian author in the twentieth century, expresses it beautifully:
"It is not a matter of doing our best for Him, but of Christ being His best in us. All that He is in all that we are. We can never have more...and need never enjoy less." (Indwelling of Christ, page 88.)

-C