Sin destroys the will, gradually removing the barriers to sin, and the incentive to do well. Sin produces more sin, sickness, pain, slavery, and finally, death (spiritual death). This cycle will never change unless you take it upon yourself to be motivated to use the gifts God gives. Sins don’t happen alone. They operate in groups, if you surrender to one sin, expect more to follow.
Luke 11:24-26 (NKJV)
24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
This parable speaks of a man who had an evil spirit. The evil spirit left him. The story implies that the man worked to rid himself of the evil spirit. He was successful for some time. However, the evil spirit recruited seven more wicked spirits and rushed back into the man’s life. He was worse off in the end than he was in the beginning!
Remember that sins run in groups. When you open the door to one, you invite more to follow. There are several vital truths found in this parable. Willpower is not enough to overcome sin. This man didn’t want the evil spirit. After it left, he cleaned and organized his life. However, God isn’t mentioned in the story at all. You need God’s help to win the spiritual battles in your life. Resolve, secular counseling, and an organized program will not deliver you alone. You need God to free you.
This man didn’t practice the doctrine of replacement. When you remove sin from your life, you must fill the void of time and energy with good things, for example, prayer, reading the bible, praise, and worship or sin will eventually return.
You may be able to get short victories over sin and temptation in the flesh, but if you don’t deal with the underlying issues of sin, it will come back hard and fast. Usually, it leaves you worse than when you started.
Sin doesn’t travel alone. When you cave into one sin, expect more to follow. Some sins go together, they are like a family. Pride is the “mother sin.” It was the original sin, and all sins contain an element of pride. Be humble, or your pride will open a floodgate of sins heading your way.
Sister sins happen in groups of two or more. The Bible gives many examples of sins occurring together. Here are a few:
Rebellion & Malice
Immorality & Anger
Laziness & Theft
Anger & Disobedience
Jealousy & Strife
Bitterness & Fornication
Hatred & Murder
Lying & EVERYTHING ELSE!
Lying accompanies most sins. Usually, people will lie to sin, then lie to cover up the sin, then lie about their lies. Remember that sins run in groups. When you open the door to one, you invite more to follow. Sins will keep piling up until you repent of the first sin and then those that followed. God's plan for His children is for us to confess our sins and forsake sin. That is the path to victory. Just say NO to temptation!
God Bless, Israel