Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)
God’s Discipline Proves His Love
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a] Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
John 3:20 (NLT)
20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
We Have An OPPORTUNITY.
Genesis 4:7 (NIV)
7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
We Take A LOOK.
James 1:14 (GNT)
14 But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires.
We Begin To REASON.
John 8:44 (NIV)
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
We Take A STEP.
James 1:15 (GNT)
15 Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
We Start The CYCLE.
Romans 7:18-19 (NLT)
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
1 John 1:5, 8-10 (NIV)
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Dropping The Weight Of Sin…
1. RUN.
2 Timothy 2:22 (NCV)
22 But run away from the evil desires of youth. Try hard to live right and to have faith, love, and peace, together with those who trust in the Lord from pure hearts.
2. Be ACCOUNTABLE.
Proverbs 28:13 (NIV)
13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
3. Take PRECAUTIONS.
James 4:7 (GNT)
7 So then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.
4. Make JESUS, LORD Of My Life.
Romans 6:12-14 (NIV)
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Isaiah 1:18 (TLB)
18 Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!