BREAKING HABITUAL SINS
Lord, this is not what I want to pray about today. But it will be good for you my child. Dear Jesus, this is going to be embarrassing. But it will be good for you. Yes, but I would rather do this in our private time. This is good for you my child.
REPENT
OK, then have your way with me. I confess my habitual sin to you Lord. I over-eat. Last night, I had junk food late at night, and it disturbed my sleep. It is not good for me to eat late, and certainly not the garbage I put into my body. It is an act of rebellion. I want to do what I want to do, thinking, “this is my body, I can do what I want with this.” This is a form of control: me doing what I know I should not do. And I almost never confess this as the sin that it is. I hardly ever feel remorseful when I am eating candy or other junk food. Just the opposite. I love it! And I am overweight because of it. This negatively affects my health, and I know it is wrong. Please forgive me for sinning against you.
Dear child, you are forgiven. Go and sin no more.
Jesus, you always tell me that, and I want to follow this, but can you give me the “how.” How can I be strong? How can I resist the temptation of asking for a second portion of delicious food, or eating dessert, or consuming late night junk food? Please give me a solution.
My child, it is the same solution for any habitual sin: surrender it to me. Put your sin in my hands, and I will take your burden.
CRY OUT FOR HELP
Lord Jesus, that truth is that I do not really want to surrender this sin to you. I don’t want to give up this sweet tooth. In the words of the Apostle Paul: “21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” Romans 7:21-25 NIV
GO TO THE CROSS
Dear child, come with me to the cross upon which I died. Wrap your arms around the base. Feel the rough wood in your hands. See the fresh blood from my feet. Lay your head on the cross. Press your cheek into my cross. Tighten your grip. Feel splinters piercing your flesh. Imagine the nail going through both of my heels. Stay with me. Here I died for you. What pain or suffering do you have that compares with mine? Every sin of all mankind, past, present, and future, filled my soul with unimaginable grief. Billions upon billions of souls of sinful rebellious people. I took these upon myself and died of a broken heart. Your debt is paid if you fully surrender to me. All you have to do is surrender your rights and submit your will to mine.
SURRENDER IS THE WAY
Surrender is easy in this moment, as I reflect on who you are, Lord Jesus. I repent of my sins and ask you to cleanse me. Please give me your strength to stay surrendered. Help me minute by minute, hour by hour, to get through this day with a fully surrendered heart and mind.
Repentance is fully turning away from your sin. First, admit defeat. Second, cry out to me for help. Third, cling to my cross. Fourth, admit your full failure, without any excuses. Fifth, confess this failure. Sixth, become fully willing for me to take away this sin. Seventh, pray earnestly for freedom from the bondage of your self. Surrender to me and my Holy Spirit. Reflect on this: “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 NIV
WE ARE NOT OUR OWN
Lord Jesus, I surrender. Please purify me from my unrighteousness. Holy Spirit, please take control. I have no rights. I was bought at a tremendous price. I am a slave to Christ. I am not my own. I am not in charge of my body, mind, emotions, will, or soul. All that I am belongs to Jesus Christ, who now owns me. I am the property of God and will remember that, by the Holy Spirit that gives me the ability to do so.
Yes my child, and all my children, reflect on this: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 NIV
Thank you Lord Jesus for this teaching. We worship you and you alone. You’re such a kind and loving mentor. Thank you for growing us into the Christ-followers that you want us to be. May you will be done in my life and in all the lives of my brothers and sisters who read this. Amen.
Your aspiring servant,
Daniel M.
3 May 2023
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