Leaving The Cycle Behind

Sin cycles... who doesn't have them or hasn't had them at some time in the past? I am not writing this to make anyone introspective... so please don't be. Understand with me that this is a common condition to all of mankind. Sin has no power over them that believe.

"Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." - Romans 6:13-14 ESV

Samson's account is an instructive one. He had spiritual power manifested as physical strength. One day he lost that power.

"She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. And she said, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!'

And he awoke from his sleep and said, 'I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.'

But he did not know that the LORD had left him. And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison." - Judges 16:19-21 ESV

Did he sin one time too many? Will we? That question is just part of the cycle.

Yes, God convicts us of anything that lacks faith but He never holds the fear of judgement over the head of the believer. It id finished! Sin is paid for... period.

The cycle of sin is actually perpetuated by a fear of loss. Licence is granted by self to function in autonomy and the Sin / Guilt / Self Justification cycle continues.

Victory is linked to our calling and not to our performance. That is what Samson lost hold of that caused him to lose his power. He forgot God, lost a sense of His presence and the place he had in God's plan. He lost sight of who he was and it took him losing his eyes to give him vision again.

Will your sin find you out? It will. Can the cycle be short circuited? Let us go back to the context of the orginal verse.

"So Moses said to them, 'If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the LORD for the war, and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him and the land is subdued before the LORD; then after that you shall return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT.' " - Numbers 32:20-23 ESV

If they left their calling the consequences would become evident in time.

"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;" - 2 Peter 1:10 NKJV

We have a High, Holy and Heavenly calling. We are called to God. To be with Him and function in the freedom of walking with Him in his cause and to function in gifts given to be used for God's purposes. God will then meet our needs in various ways as we move forward.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." - Ephesians 6:11-16 KJV

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:" - 1 John 2:1 KJV

Instead of falling asleep on Delilah's knees let's don the armor and join the ranks of the Spirit led. As we function in our calling with our feet shod with the gospel of peace the cycles will fall away with nothing to support them. When we fail we confess it and leave it behind us. Failure is not our identity. Heaven calls us by another victorious name and sends us. Let's answer the call.

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