Quote from Forum Archives on December 8, 2001, 3:31 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I was pretty busy yesterday, between family needs, interacting
with some people who needed prayer, working on some freelance
writing, and searching for a permanent job. I had started to
prepare a message for Friday when all of those conflicting things
got in the way.

Rather than send out today what I was preparing to send
yesterday, I caught this message today and thought I'd send it
out - even amidst similar time constraints today.

Neil's messages are generally good (at least I appreciate them).
But today's message particularly caught my eyes. It deals with a
nasty cycle that is easy to get into, but hard to get out of.
I've been there, too! Before this cycle entraps (or holds you
any longer) recognize the symptoms, and, if they happen to be
present, confess them, but take decisive action to deal with
them. I think far too many Christians get caught up in the very
thing that Neil describes. I'm not condemning anyone, for I've
been there, too. But I think there comes a time when taking
decisive action becomes crucial. Today is that time.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Reply-to: Neil Anderson <neilanderson@lists.crosswalk.com>
Subject: Neil Anderson Devotional for Saturday, December 8, 2001
Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2001 04:00:41 -0500

If you are looking to feed and challenge your faith, visit
Crosswalk.com's Spiritual Life Channel at:
spiritual.crosswalk.com
-----------
N E I L A N D E R S O N D A I L Y D E V O T I O N A L
from Freedom in Christ Ministries

December 8

SIN-CONFESS-RESIST

My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may
not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1).

People who are caught in the sin-confess-sin-confess-sin-confess
cycle eventually begin to lose hope that they can experience any
real victory over sin. Sheer willpower can't keep them from
repeating the sin they just confessed, and Satan pours on the
condemnation. Self-control seems like an illusion, and the
Christian life is one of unending ups and downs.

Suppose there is a door you are commanded not to open. On the
other side of the door is a dog that keeps insisting, "Come on,
let me in. Everybody is doing it. You deserve to have a little
fun. Who will know? You can get away with it." So you open the
door and the dog roars in and bits you on the leg. Ironically,
the dog instantly changes its story: "You opened the door. I have
a right to be here. You'll never get away with this!" If such a
thing happened, would you beat on the dog or on yourself?

Sin which is allowed to reign is like the dog that bits you on
the leg and won't let go. Not realizing there is a dog, you beat
on yourself for leaving the door open and cry out to God for
forgiveness. He forgives you, but the dog is still there. Why not
cry out to God and beat on the dog instead of yourself? James 4:7
tells us, "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will
flee from you." We are correct in confessing our sin, but we have
failed to follow the complete biblical formula which breaks the
cycle: sin-confess-resist. We must first assume our
responsibility for opening the door, then we must resist Satan
and command him to leave if we are going to experience victory
over sin.

We live as though God and a sick humanity are the only realities
in the spiritual realm. We must turn to our righteous Advocate (1
John 2:1) and resist our perverted adversary if we are to
experience victory and freedom over temptation and sin.

Lord, show me where I have opened the door of my life to sin that
I may confess it to You and command Satan to leave in Your
precious name.

-----------
This daily devotional is published and distributed by
Crosswalk.com. It is written by Neil Anderson at
< www.ficm.org >.

You can purchase "Daily in Christ" and other titles by Neil Anderson at
christianbook.com (Christian Book Distributors - CBD).
< shopping.crosswalk.com/bye/devo_na >

Additional devotionals are available from Crosswalk.com:
< devotionals.crosswalk.com >.
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=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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