HOW TO STOP COMMITTING THE SAME SIN REPEATEDLY
Posted by Anthony Osei Boateng in November 27, 2009
- Christian Living
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Many Christians are plagued with the problem of repeatedly committing the same kind of sin. Many have prayed so many times and fasted so many times, all to no avail. Although prayer and fasting strengthen a Christian, they alone are not the only ingredient needed in maintaining a righteous life or overcoming temptation. It should be noted that the devil tested Jesus after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights. What weapon did Jesus use in overcoming the devil? It was the Word of God. Psalm 119: 11 states that “thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”. (KJV)
Rom. 12:2 states “and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. The secret to stopping sinning is the maintenance of a renewed mind. This renewal comes from the Word of God. Have you ever noticed how poised you get not to sin against God again after studying or hearing the Word of God? But then somehow you later find that this zeal dies down and the old sin repeats itself. This point is clearly illustrated by the “parable of the sower” in which Jesus described various scenarios of what happened after people had heard the Word of God. You may pray and fast, but if your mind is not properly fortified, the devil will be able to convince you easily to commit the same sin repeatedly.
So one may ask, how do we maintain this renewed mind which is so poised not to sin against God and resolute to live righteously? In Joshua 1:8 it is stated, “this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success”. (KJV) By constantly meditating or thinking about God’s Word and what it implies in our lives, especially verses about sin and it’s effects, we will be able to maintain a renewed mind.
Most Christians commit the same sin repeatedly because the devil is able to tempt them while they are unprepared or unalert for that temptation. The strategy is to find Biblical verses which deal with the sin being committed repeatedly and memorize them. You then meditate on them from time to time (at least thrice daily). During those meditations, imagine yourself being presented with that sin and then refute it with the Word of God you have memorized. This practice, if maintained continually would build in one the habit of meditating on God’s Word and open him or her up to understand how God’s Word really applies to him or her. Prayer and fasting too are very important as they strengthen one spiritually and enable one to pay attention to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, especially concerning the sin at hand.
Love: The Basic Element for a Perpetual Marriage; And Not Just Romance
Posted by Anthony Osei Boateng in November 27, 2009
- Dating & Marriage
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Love is the element which drives one to lay the entirety of his or her resources and a totality of his or her being at the disposal of another in a sacrificial manner, with the aim of bettering the lot of the other. It inconveniences itself for the convenience of another. Bearing this definition in mind, it presupposes that showing love to one’s spouse in marriage goes far beyond just romance. It rather incorporates the totality of each spouse’s endowments.
The best example of love can be derived from the love which Jesus Christ showed mankind by sacrificing all that He had for mankind. He gave His body to be crucified, made us co-heirs in His Kingdom and sons and daughters of God, sent us the Holy Spirit and still intercedes for us. He shared everything He had with us because He loved us. Eph. 5:25 states “husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (KJV). Hence marriage should be seen as a companionship in which each spouse lays all that he or she has continually at the disposal of the other. Romance in marriage is just the means by which married couples share their bodies with each other. Hence marriages based solely on romance die as the couple age and the physical features they had starts to wear off. This should definitely not be the case.
Many courting couples tend to nurture romance, but not love in their courtship forgetting that romance is just one aspect of a lifetime companionship. It is therefore a necessity for courting couples to abstain from sexual contact and use that period to learn how to effectively share other aspects of their lives with each other. A relationship solely based on romance is often short-lived and dies as soon as the romance dies. Also, the couples are often misled to think that since they are so romantically attracted to each other, they are highly compatible. But when they marry and move in together, other aspects of their lives are brought into the picture and they realize their inability to share those aspects of their lives together. Marriage is a companionship which engulfs around every aspect of one’s life and personality.
Married couples who are seeing a decline in the spark in their marriage should take a review of their lives and identify areas in their lives which they do not share with their spouse and bridge-up with them in those areas. This would create a sense of renewal.
Courting couples should also ensure their ability to stay together in deep love aside all the romance. When all these are ensured, the perpetuality of marriages would be ensured.
