getting over the hump...

I am often asked, "Mike, I can't seem to get control over a particular sin. Any suggestions?"

For many the answer might be...

TRY HARDER

May I suggest something else....check out Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Notice what "instructs us to deny ungodliness and worldy desires"...the grace of God. That grace of God is the Gospel story. It's the reality that you and I are not capable of meeting God's standard and are in need of a substitute to meet that standard. It's the truth that THE ONLY substitute is Christ. We put full confidence in His death and resurrection thus eliminating the "try harder" mentality.

It is Christ who "redeemed us" and "purifies us." When we are concentrating on the sin we commit, we are blinded to the One who has already conquered that sin. Sin is not eliminated by our effort to remove or resist it. Sin is conquered when we are so concentrated on Christ and His cross that sin phases out of our life. The sin that controls us is then replaced with an life that is "zealous for good deeds."