Chapter Eighteen – You Can Overcome and Prevent Sin

All who have been called to God’s way of life have struggled against the pulls of the flesh and the temptations of Satan and his world. Some overcome. Others do not.

Christ said, “Enter you in at the strait [difficult] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad [easy] is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: because strait [difficult] is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). Most seek the easy, “broad” path.

Overcoming is hard—difficult!—it is a life-long struggle. But it IS possible. You can overcome. If you are a Christian, you must!

Yet, this world is drifting along, completely unaware of God’s marvellous purpose for man, which is to build character in this life. He is preparing a team of those who will qualify to be part of restoring His government to earth at Christ’s Return.

The Bible Pattern

The Bible is filled with accounts of God’s greatest servants battling to overcome sin. In nearly every case, they had to learn difficult, and sometimes painful, lessons. When examined collectively, Moses, Noah, David, Samuel, Peter and others are seen to have fought every kind of problem known to man. They battled sins, weaknesses, faults, attitudes, and pulls and temptations of the flesh. David fought sins and wrong attitudes and overcame them. Moses lacked faith and confidence and had a temper that he had to overcome. Yet, he will hold a high office in God’s kingdom. Both Job and Elijah fought discouragement and depression, even to the point of wanting to die. But these men endured—they overcame. They slew their problems, rather than being slain by them!

These men were actively trained by God and had to OVERCOME Satan, the temptations of his world and the pulls of the flesh. A Christian is one who OVERCOMES his problems, weaknesses, sins and wrong attitudes, rather than being overcome and defeated by them!

To the Overcomer

Through John, Christ said, “And he that OVERCOMES, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron” (Rev. 2:26-27).

In His instruction to the Laodicean era of His Church, He adds, “To him that OVERCOMES will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne” (Rev. 3:21).

These verses picture Christ re-establishing God’s government over all nations of the earth. Christians will receive REAL POWER to RULE. But first they must overcome.

Christians are those who follow—who copy—Christ (I Pet. 2:21). Then what is the pattern Christ established for us to follow? Did He overcome?

In reference to His own struggle to remain free of sin, perfect in character, Christ said, “In the world you shall have tribulation [how true!]: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Christ had overcome both the world and its god—Satan (II Cor. 4:4). Recall that Christ said, “EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Jesus Christ overcame and qualified to rule. Just as He qualified to replace Satan, so must we!

Such enormous power to rule could never be given to people who are unprepared—who have not qualified to properly use it. God will not hand great authority to people who might rebel and revert to Satan’s ways. God’s servants must use this life to build His very character, so necessary for those holding offices of great authority.

Experienced in Sin

Understand! You have been practicing yielding to the flesh and Satan’s way for your entire life. You have probably become very good at both. Believe me, as you strive to overcome and resist the pulls at work within you, you will find that wrong patterns of conduct are “second nature” to you—more than you now know! Left unchecked, human nature consists of vanity, jealousy, lust, greed, envy, resentment, hatred, anger, pride, rebellion, foolishness, deceit and hostility toward God. This is what you have been practicing—possibly for decades.

Overcoming will not be easy or happen overnight. It is a life-long struggle against well-established attitudes and a former way of life that the Christian has now rejected and turned from. The one who is walking God’s path is striving to curb and withhold himself wherever God’s Word instructs. He strives to exercise himself in all matters where God says to do so. When God gives instruction to do something, he strives to do it! When God gives instruction not to do something, he strives not to do it!

Learning to do this takes a lifetime. But remember: Building character is why you were born. Your job is to “put off” the fleshly pulls of human nature, and to “put on” the character of God and Christ (Col. 3:8-13). Though this is not easy, the reward is great.

God looks on the intent of your heart. It is your overall desire and motivation that is important to Him. He wants to know if, after you sin, you are sorry for it and are determined to strive to do better. He understands the temptations that beset us even better than we do. He watches to see if we will be sober and vigilant as we root sin out of our lives. Will we carelessly fall back into old patterns? Will we try to overcome on human strength and energy?