Few days ago, I did a post on Facebook on why believers should glorify Jesus with their bodies and avoid sexual immoralities!
Oh, glory to Jesus for the impact the post had on many lives who read it.
But I realized that many believers are not aware of an INVISIBLE FORCE that makes sin dominate their lives!
Hmm…
Now hear this: until this INVISIBLE FORCE is detected and uprooted, a believer would keep finding himself in the cycle of sin totally helpless!
Would you want us to scratch out this ‘invisible force’ responsible for the many sinful addictions believers suffer?
I’m sure you are ready for this.
Now follow carefully. The Bible says:
‘…But every man is TEMPTED, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and ENTICED. Then when lust hath conceived, it BRINGETH FORTH SIN: and sin, when it is finished, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH…’ (James 1:14-15)
Hear this: sin doesn’t just translate into an addiction.
There is a process that births sin and then turns it into an ‘addiction’!
The above verse reveals the 3 stages in which a temptation translates into an addiction!
Don’t miss this at all!
The First stage is called the ENTICEMENT stage.
‘But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and ENTICED…’ (James 1:14).
At this stage, a man is awakened to the lust which is already in him and hereby enticed.
Hmm…
The Second stage is called the CONCEPTION stage.
‘…Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin…’ (James 1:15)
At this stage, the enticed lust is highly stimulated and begins to manifest in various sins!
Then…
The third stage is called the FINISHING stage.
‘…and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.’ (James 1:15)
At this stage, the sins which are manifesting already, begin to become addictions to the man!
Hence, he is captured in a thick chain of guilt, spiritual defeat and habitual darkness!
This explains why many are grossly entangled in pornography addiction, fornication, drunkenness, etc.
Hmm…
Many are really hurting inside, searching for ways to overcome these shameful addictions that hinders them from glorifying Jesus in their lives!
Some believers are currently in the ENTICEMENT stage…and they are already scared as they can see the CONCEPTION stage approaching!
Some are presently in the CONCEPTION stage and they are already losing hope as they can see the FINISHING stage looming!
While some are already in the FINISHING stage and left to them, …ALL HOPE IS LOST!
They can’t seem to ever overcome their addictions and defeat anymore!
Hmm…
But I have good news for you!
There is a way out!
Hallelujah!
The only way out is to realize that there is an INVISIBLE FORCE that is empowering each stage of sin to mature!
This INVISIBLE FORCE is responsible for making the believer move from the ENTICEMENT stage to the CONCEPTION stage and then to the FINISHING stage!
Just as a mason uses CEMENT to hold bricks together when building,…the devil utilizes this particular INVISIBLE FORCE to ‘cement’ these three stages of sin together in the life of a believer!
Hmm…
Now listen carefully: if we are able to track this spiritual cement (invisible force) and remove it from this 3-stages cycle of sin, a believer will find it VERY DIFFICULT TO COMMIT SIN!
Wow!
Should we track this ‘invisible force’?
I knew your answer would be… YES!
Lol…
Now take note that our opening verse was written by JAMES.
‘…But every man is TEMPTED, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and ENTICED. Then when lust hath conceived, it BRINGETH FORTH SIN: and sin, when it is finished, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH…’ (James 1:14-15)
Now get this: PAUL also wrote on these 3 exact stages which James pointed out!
While James wrote on the PHYSICAL manifestation of these 3 stages, Paul on the other hand, wrote on the INVISIBLE FORCE that is responsible for the manifestation of these 3 stages!
Hmm…
Now follow carefully as I display how James and Paul exposed these 3 stages of sin.
Scriptural reference for James is James 1:14-15 while that of Paul is Romans 7:7-9.
Ready?
Let’s go!
For the enticement stage, James wrote:
‘But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and ENTICED…’ (James 1:14).
Now see what Paul wrote:
‘…I HAD NOT KNOWN (enticed into) SIN, but by THE LAW: …FOR I HAD NOT KNOWN (enticed into) LUST, except THE LAW had said, THOU SHALT NOT LUST…’ (Romans 7:7)
Wow!
Paul was saying: I won’t have been drawn into lust, if not that I was exposed to teachings of the LAW that states: ‘THOU SHALL NOT LUST”!
That was how the temptation became an enticement!
It was due to the subtle introduction of the LAW!
‘…thou shall not…’
Did you get that?
Most people who are in some sorts of addiction today came from backgrounds (family, schools or even religion) where all they hear is ‘…thou shall not…’!
‘…thou shall not wear trousers…’
‘…thou shall not watch TV…’
‘…thou shall not sit close to a lady…’
‘…thou shall not…’
‘…thou shall not…’
Paul is showing us here that in between a ‘temptation’ and an ‘enticement’, is an invisible force called the LAW!
Hmm…
Now let’s move to the second stage of the sin cycle: the CONCEPTION stage!
For the CONCEPTION stage, James wrote:
‘…Then when lust hath conceived, IT BRINGETH FORTH SIN…’ (James 1:15)
See what Paul wrote:
‘…But SIN, taking occasion by the LAW, STIMULATED IN ME all kinds of forbidden desires…’ (Romans 7:8)
Wow!
Can you see how the LAW translated the ‘enticement’ stage into the ‘conception’ stage?
The LAW was responsible for stimulating all manner of forbidden desires in Paul which brought forth SIN!
At this stage, he begins to notice some level of ‘lack of self control’!
Sin began to manifest ‘now and then’!
At this stage, the addiction stage is fast approaching!
What was the invisible force responsible for all these?
THE LAW!
Hmm…
How about the FINISHING stage?
Could the Law also be responsible for the process in which sin is converted into a total addiction?
Let’s find out!
For the FINISHING stage, James wrote:
‘…and sin, when it is finished, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH.’ (James 1:15)
But see what Paul wrote:
‘…For I WAS ALIVE WITHOUT THE LAW once: but when the LAW came, SIN REVIVED, AND I DIED…’ (Romans 7:9)
Wow!
‘…and SIN, when it is finished, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH.’
‘…but when the LAW came, SIN REVIVED, AND I DIED…’
Can you spot the invisible force?
‘…but when the LAW came…’
Hmm…
Do you now understand why the Bible says:
‘…the strength of sin is THE LAW…’? (1Cor 15:56)
As in…
I can safely re-construct that verse to mean: ‘…the INVISIBLE FORCE behind sin is the LAW…’!
Oh, how I wish many teachers of the word will be aware of this invisible force!
Please get this: although the Law is the invisible force behind sinful manifestations, the problem here is not actually the LAW!
‘…what shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid…’ (Romans 7:7)
The problem is not actually with the LAW!
The LAW is perfectly HOLY!
The problem is the MAN!
‘…For while we were living in the flesh, SINFUL PASSIONS AROUSED BY THE LAW were at work in our bodies to bear fruit for death…’ (Romans 7:5 ISV)
Man had SINFUL PASSIONS in him!
What the LAW does is to arouse these sinful passions!
Hmm…
Imagine throwing a cube of sugar into your Lipton tea…
You won’t taste any sugar when you start sipping your tea until you STIR the sugar cube in it!
‘…For while we were living in the flesh, SINFUL PASSIONS AROUSED (stirred) BY THE LAW were at work in our bodies to bear fruit for death…’ (Romans 7:5 ISV)
The Law is the INVISIBLE SPOON that arouses/stirs the already imbedded sinful passions in man!
That is where the danger lies!
That is why it is dangerous for a preacher to keep introducing the LAW to the people from the pulpit.
It is also dangerous for a believer to keep listening to ‘the Law’ every time!
You are ‘stirring the sinful passions’ in you unawares!
The Bible says:
‘…FOR BY THE LAW is the knowledge of SIN…’ (Romans 3:20)
Wow!
Why do preachers teach the Law as though …by the Law is the knowledge of HOLINESS?
Isn’t the Bible clear on this?
Hmm…
Now get this: you MUST never try to remove the INVISIBLE FORCE of the LAW without replacing it with a higher INVISIBLE FORCE!
This is where people get it wrong!
They just remove the LAW and think they are now FREE!
Never!
That produces ‘Lawlessness’!
In fact, the bondage just begun!
It must be REPLACED by a HIGHER invisible force!
‘…ye also are become dead to the law…, that YE SHOULD BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER…’ (Romans 7:4)
If you must remove the invisible force of the Law, you MUST replace it with another higher invisible force!
What is this ‘higher invisible force’ that stops the cycle of sin in the life of a believer?
See this:
‘…For sin SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION over you: for ye are NOT under the law, but under GRACE…’ (Romans 6:14)
That’s it!
You must replace it with the Gospel of GRACE!!!
Undiluted! Uncombined!! No balancing!!!
The Gospel that reveals Jesus ALL THE WAY!
That’s the only way out of the sin cycle!
Hallelujah!
I guess I don’t have to explain further why you should be at the upcoming GOSPEL OF GRACE conference holding live in Lagos in about 6 weeks from now?
Come and listen to the Gospel that is the power of God unto your salvation from sins, defeats and addictions!
I will be ministering live alongside my Grace brother, Temilolu Oluwasijuwomi
Theme: ABBA FATHER! (Galatians 4:6)
Venue: Sweet Sensation Hall, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos.
Date: Saturday, November 12, 2016.
Time: 11am prompt
Gate fee and Refreshment: Absolutely FREE!
You will thank God you were there.
Glory to Jesus!
In conclusion: please remember, sin doesn’t just translate into an addiction.
There is a 3-stage process that births sin and then turns it into an ‘addiction’!
The only way out is to realize that there is an INVISIBLE FORCE that is empowering each stage of sin to mature!
If you must remove this invisible force, you MUST replace it with another higher invisible force!
Get addicted to the GOSPEL OF GRACE!
Undiluted! Uncombined!! No balancing!!!
Congratulations on your victory!
(kindly let me know if this blessed you)
Amen.
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