“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalms 51:10 KJV

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” – Psalms 51:7 KJV

“thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21 KJV

Do you sometimes get discouraged because you’ve been struggling with sin and it seems like there is no end to it in sight? If so, you are not alone. Sin is a problem for all of us. In fact, as long as we live in a sinful world we will be tempted to do things that God doesn’t want us to do. But that doesn’t mean we can’t choose the right path and overcome temptation. And by the way, just because you are tempted to sin that doesn’t mean you are guilty of sinning. For one can’t be guilty of sin unless they act on what temptation entices them to do (James 1:14-15). We always have a choice; it’s a matter of exercising the mind to be more thoughtful of what we encounter rather than acting on mere impulse.

I believe that if a person thinks more about sin than they do about Jesus they are more likely to give in to temptation. So, it is a matter of fostering the right kind of thoughts. For example, if a person is discouraged when they ought to be encouraged or angry when they ought to be at peace they are obviously not thinking right. It’s usually a distortion of what a person perceives to be their purpose in life that lends to such thinking. Our purpose in life isn’t to think about how bad we are but to experience how good God is. If we aren’t doing that then we really aren’t living life to the fullest.

There is no doubt that God can and will deliver us from sin. But before that can happen we must be willing to let Him take control of our thoughts, that we may be steered away from temptation. In other words, the power to overcome sin is available to each one of us, but in order for that power to be unleashed within our lives we must see Jesus Christ as the Solution to our problems and abide in Him, that He may set us free from the chains that bind us to evil influences (John 8:36; Philippians 2:12-13).

No matter how far you think you fall short in measuring up to God’s expectations don’t lose heart. For the Lord will complete the good work that He has begun in you; that is, if you don’t give up on Him during the process (Philippians 1:6). And if you fall into sin then repent and get back up again. Whatever you do, don’t let Satan hold you down with guilt, but exercise faith in God’s power to deliver you from your sins. Remember, the enemy can have no more power over your life than what you give him. Satan can push you down but he can’t keep Jesus from lifting you up.

And by the way, while it’s true that God hates sin, that doesn’t mean He hates you. God loves you very much, and is far more merciful than most people realize (Ezekiel 18:20-32). He reads our hearts like an open book when others only see what’s on the surface of our lives (1Samuel 16:7). Therefore don’t think that God feels the same way about you as He does about the sin that you may be struggling with; rather, focus your attention on Jesus, looking to Him as the solution to your problems, and you will be on your way to experiencing real victory (James 1:12).