Subduing Sin

Romans 7:12–25 M:BCL

12 But the law code itself is God’s good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel. 13 I can already hear your next question: “Does that mean I can’t even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil?” No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God’s good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own. 14 I can anticipate the response that is coming: “I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. 15 What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. 16 So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. 17 But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! 18 I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. 19 I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. 20 My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. 21 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. 22 I truly delight in God’s commands, 23 but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. 24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? 25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

When I was in college I had an environmental science class during the summer semester. Each week we had a 6-8 page paper due. One time I misread or misunderstood the syllabus and selected the wrong topic. While I was writing many of the resources she had listed were broken links and not available. But, I kept writing. I researched and wrote a paper that I thought would give me a good grade. I did not. The teacher did not want that paper. She wanted the one she assigned me. I was mad. I was frustrated. I was embarrassed. I thought I did the right thing but didn’t.

Have you ever had that experience? Wanting to do the right thing but failing? Trying hard to do good but missing the mark? And maybe you were angry and failed to “sin not” (Ephesians 4.26).

Have you experienced the struggle between good and bad in your life often to not respond in the most righteous way?

I want to talk to you about the power of God available to you to subdue sin, to conquer the flesh, and to walk in victory. There is power available to you to do the right thing.

You need to know that sin is a problem. Sin is a problem that we have to deal with before it deals with us.

“Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.” — John Owen

We can enter into the victory of Jesus. We can walk in the power and the authority that He has given to us. And in that power and authority we will be able to subdue sin.

There Are Predators

1 Peter 5:8 AMP

Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

Both sin and satan are presented in the Scriptures as predators (cf. Genesis 4.7). Ignoring a predator doesn’t make it go away. Predators are always on the prowl. When hunting they are waiting for a moment of vulnerability. They are waiting for the prey to let its guard down. Often they lurk until their target is too full or too lazy or too distracted to escape.

These predators want to exploit weakness through temptation. They roar and rush us so that we cower in fear. They create a sense of powerlessness so that we refuse to face them and instead submit. And without God’s power we have no chance to overcome them.

What we need to know today is that the battle has been won and we are already victorious. God always leads us into triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2.14). He has made us more than conquerors in Christ Jesus (Romans 8.37). We are the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28.13).

Subduing Sin

Genesis 4:1–7 NKJV

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

This passage is the first the Hebrew word hattah, which is translated as “sin,” is used in the Scripture.

This conversation between God and Cain is instructive for us.

Pay Attention to Your Environment

Genesis 4:7 M:BCL

If you do well, won’t you be accepted? And if you don’t do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it’s out to get you, you’ve got to master it.”

If we want to subdue sin we need pay attention to our environment. God told Cain that sin was just outside the door, lying in wait or crouching like a lion ready to pounce. Its desire is is to have him.

Desire is teshuqah and means, “desire, urges, longing, i.e., a very strong emotion or feeling to have or do something (Ge 3.16; 4.7; SS 7.11), note: this strong desire may refer to sexual urges or desires, or a desire to dominate, or just be independent of the man, other references may also be possible” (DBL).

The sexual connotation to sin implies that it doesn’t only want to control you but it wants intimate access into your life.

Sin and satan are looking for strategic opportunities to take you out. They are looking for opportune moments to exploit your weaknesses through temptations so that they can gain access into your life.

The first time that teshuqah (desire) was used in the Bible was when the curse came upon Eve in the fall. Instead of God being her focus her husband would become the focus of her desire. The idea of control is involved and by her choosing something other than God she would surrender control.

We need to pay attention, to be sober, to be aware. We need to understand and recognize that sin and satan want to control us and rob us of agency and power and life.

Pay attention to yourself. Look at your environment and be aware of the ways the enemy might be positioned to pounce. Don’t walk into the trap of temptation.

1 Peter 1:13 ESV

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Control Access to Your Life

Genesis 4:7 NLT

You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

Romans 6:14 NKJV

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Sin and satan are outside, crouching at the door, wanting to control you. But it shall not have dominion over you, you must subdue it and master it.

You have authority over the access to your life. You are called to be fruitful, subdue the earth and exercise dominion (Genesis 1.28). We have been given spiritual gifts and spiritual power to control access to your life and subdue the enemy.

Romans 8:13 NKJV

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Illustration: Bouncer

We have been given by God His own Holy Spirit. Through the life and power of the Spirit we can control access to the door of our heart. We will either open the door to sin or satan for them to control us or we will open the door to the Lord and invite Him in to dine with us (Revelation 3.20).

Do Right and Expect Favor

Genesis 4:7 NKJV

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

James 2:20–24 NKJV

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

If we do well, that which honors God, then we will be accepted. We will find favor.

Abraham did the right thing in faith an obedience and God gave him favor. God called him His friend.

One way that we subdue sin is by continuing in doing the right things so that the blessing of God rests upon our life. As we live by faith, trusting in God and keeping His word, we will overcome (Romans 1.17).

When God calls you friend, who can stop you? When you are a friend of God no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54.17). When you are a friend of God, He is with you and will not forsake you (Hebrews 13.5). Arm yourself with the weapons of righteousness in the left hand and the right and you will be equipped to subdue sin (2 Corinthians 6.7).

If God be for you, and His blessing be upon your life, who can be against you (Romans 8.31)?

Conclusion

Every day sin and satan are on the prowl. They are looking to exploit weakness in our lives. They are looking for an opportunity to strike.

But as a child of God you are not defenseless. In Christ, we have the victory. Through the Spirit, we have the power to overcome.

So pay attention to your environment. Be watchful, sober, vigilant. Keep up your guard and exercise your authority. You control access to your life so give no ground to the devil (Ephesians 4.26-27). Walk in righteousness and do right. As you live by faith expect favor.

As we do these things we will discover that sin will not have dominion over our lives. We will walk in the favor of God and live in the victory of Jesus.

Jude 25 NKJV

To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.