O God of Love and Mercy, I am sad to admit that I have sinned and disappointed You. You have said in Your Word that there are none righteous … who are innocent … who can stand before You own their own merit. I am burdened with a “fallen nature” that strives to keep me from being close to You. When I sin, it is because I’ve chosen to follow the ways of the world and the spirit of disobedience. In my fallen estate, I gratify the cravings of my “fallen nature” and follow its desires and thoughts. But through Your grace and mercy, my desire to follow my lustful yearnings and succumb to temptation are put into subjection to You. Through Your sacrifice, I am able to reclaim my freedom from the stronghold of sin. Your offering of Yourself was the greatest act of love one can do for another. Only when I surrender to Your loving care can I be assured of forgiveness and everlasting life.
When I stumble, I must remember that through Your blood I have been made an overcomer and I am no longer a slave to my “fallen nature”. By standing with You, I am infused with Your power which enables me to resist the forces of evil. The enemy I deal with is cunning and I must be perpetually on guard against his enticements and deceptive ploys. While my “fallen nature” is a force to be dealt with, You’ve given me the Holy Spirit to show me the way to righteous living. The Holy Spirit was given to be my helper in times of need, my teacher to show me a better way and my guide to steer me around the pitfalls and land mines that I face in daily life. And, when I stumble, I have an Advocate before the Father who pleads my case for forgiveness and restoration. Having been on earth, as a human facing the struggles I face, You are the perfect one to speak on my behalf. With You and the Holy Spirit standing with me, I should be able to mount a strong defense.
As I think about a battle plan to ward off sin, I must start with making time for You. As I study Your Word, personalize it, walk in its ways and listen for Your instructions, I will grow stronger. To escape the clutches of sin, I must avoid the persons, places and things that draw me away from You and into sin. If I stay away from the “occasions of sin”, my chances of walking uprightly are enhanced. To repent, I must see the horror of what I’m doing … realize the evil associated with it … and, come to grips with the fact that sin is trying to embed itself in my life. I must also set out to renew my mind. The reason I succumb to sin is because my mind, which is un-renewed, sides with my “fallen nature” against the urging of my new spirit. My mind must be re-trained to avoid worldly thinking, self-gratification and evil patterns in search of “what would Christ do?” I have a responsibility to live righteously so, when sin enters in, I must overcome it with my new power and freedom. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purifies us from all unrighteousness.