Satan’s Strategy for Your Life #33: Keep On Sinning

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” 
—1 John 3:8

Satan’s mission is to sin in an attempt to buck God’s rule and sovereignty over his life. And, as the first being who ever sinned, in addition to being the one who incited the first humans to sin, he desires to get as many people to sin as possible. He wants us to sin and will use whatever means or methods possible to entice, incite, or tempt us to sin. He doesn’t care what sin it is, whether it is little or large, public or private, or ugly or upright—sin is sin. He wants us to develop a habit of sin, making it such an integral or essential part of our lives that we feel stopping it would change our natural self. In other words, he desires that our sin becomes the identifying factor of who we are.

For example, a drunk has a life so centered on his or her sin that to think about life without alcohol is impossible. Everything that he or she knows about himself or herself is based upon the experience of alcohol. The same can be said of homosexuality—their identity is entirely based around their sinful fallen sexual desires for someone of the same gender. Each and every sin has the capability of building one’s identity around it or on it. Therefore, it is imperative that the children of God understand that our sin doesn’t make our identity—rather it reveals our condemnation. As Paul wrote,
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
Our sin merits God’s condemnation, not man’s laudation. Our world exalts all types of behaviors the Bible calls sin, but in order to receive God’s salvation, we must agree with God’s judgment upon our sin and recognize it for what it is—Satan’s handiwork. Which is why John could say,  
“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning”—1 John 3:8.
Jesus came “to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8) and to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). And for those who place their trust in Jesus, He will “save to the uttermost” (Hebrews 7:25) and “will never cast out” (John 6:37). Our past is forgiven and we are saved! He will never hold our past sins against us, because they were nailed to Calvary's tree! Let’s rest in the knowledge that Jesus paid the price for our sin. As it is written,
“And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet. For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified”—Hebrews 10:11-14.
When Jesus was on the cross, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Salvation had been accomplished and the power of sin had been broken. May we walk in the newness of life that Christ has given unto us, looking forward to the day when we have been delivered from the power and presence of sin. Amen.

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