Sin: How do I avoid sin?

Sin: How do I avoid sin?

Posted on December 8, 2008 Updated on December 8, 2008

FLESHY OR STONY HEART?

Memorise: “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; have their conscience seared with a hot iron;” (1 Timothy 4:2)

Read: 1 Timothy 4:1-3

When David and his men caught king Saul unawares in 1 Samuel 24:1-7, he was advised to kill him. That was a wrong counsel. If he had heeded, he would have become an easy prey for his enemies! Never touch God’s anointed, no matter what happens. Leave the offending anointed to the One who anointed him to judge.

Take human advice with a pinch of salt (Psalm 1:1-3). Subject every advice to serious scrutiny. Any advice that is at variance with God’s Word is an ungodly counsel. It must be avoided like a plague! In Acts 5, a couple became victims of wrong counsel. The Lord will keep you from heeding destructive counsels in Jesus’ Name.

Another thing we learn from David’s encounter with king Saul was that immediately the former cut off part of the skirt of the latter, his heart began to condemn him for such an act. This tells us that inspite of his excesses, David maintained a living conscience. His spirit man was alive. Is your conscience alive? One of the characteristics of the last days is that men’s hearts will become dead. Conscience does not undergo a sudden death. It is a gradual process.

When God speaks to you but you refuse to heed His Word, it gradually affects the sensitivity of your conscience. If you have the Spirit of God, He will cause you to grieve whenever you sin. You cannot sin and smile. You will be sad, heart broken, down cast and repentant. If you touch the opposite sex lustfully, you will be rebuked by the Spirit that dwells in you. But if when you do wrong you do not feel anything amiss, it means your conscience is dead.

It is very dangerous to have a dead conscience. If your conscience is alive, it will keep you in check. If it is dead, you will be released to perpetrate all acts of lawlessness. And you will see nothing wrong. That is the same state with witches and wizards. The reason they take lives, including that of their loved ones, is because their hearts have been replaced with stony hearts. When your conscience is dead, you will be incapable of hearing from God.

Also, it makes the fellow to walk in open rebellion to God and all He stands for. Unfortunately, in the church today, many people, especially leaders have fallen into this trap. Why would some ushers and leaders be stealing? It is because they are no more under a living conscience. Why are some fornicating? Their conscience is dead. Examine yourself today. Repent of any hardness of heart. The truth is, any sin you tolerate gradually moves you to this point of no return. Be warned!

The way to keep your conscience alive is to feel the rythm of God’s heartbeat

Source: E-Open Heavens