MAY 10

PASTOR OLUBI JOHNSON

STRIVING AGAINST SIN

Hebrews 12:4 KJV
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, STRIVING against sin.

Colossians 1:29 NKJV
To this end I also labor, STRIVING according to His working which works in me mightily.

The Holy Spirit through these scriptures is telling us that we must strive, or fight against sin, even unto the point of physical death to overcome it.

Sin is firstly a nature: a powerful spiritual substance. Secondly, sin is an act. It is the power in the sin nature that gives rise to the acts of sin. You cannot stop acts of sin if you do not overcome the nature and power of sin.

So, we are to strive against and overcome the nature and power of sin operating in our souls: wills, minds and emotions (Rom. 7:23, 2Cor. 7:1).

We are also to strive against and overcome the nature and power of sin operating in our bodies (Rom. 6:6), and in the air (Eph. 2:2) around us.

It is vital now to dominate sin by successfully striving against it, in order to inherit the Spirit without measure, to do the works that the Lord Jesus did and greater, manifesting His glory.

Yes, for centuries the Church has greatly struggled to dominate sin but with little success, because the wisdom to do it by the power of the Spirit was not fully revealed. Men have been struggling to do it by human strength, producing a powerless form of godliness (2Tim. 3:5).

But now, because we are in the third day (Lk. 13:32, 2Pt. 3:8), the day of perfection, God has multiplied His grace unto us through increased revelation knowledge of His great and precious promises (2Pt.1:2-4), to enable us to finish His work of salvation in our souls (1Pt. 1:9).

We must ,therefore, strive against sin by diligently using the blood, the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit, using the 7 pillars (principles) of the wisdom of God (Prov. 9:1).

This will involve daily (Lk. 9:23) crucifying of the sin nature in the soul and body, by praying early in the morning in the fourth watch, with all types of prayer and travail in the Spirit (Gal. 4:19), like the Lord Jesus did (Heb. 5:7).

This kind of disciplined lifestyle can be initially hard on the physical body and will involve ‘crucifying’ (or dying to) certain legitimate pleasures, so as to have the necessary time to spend in the Word and prayer (2 Tim. 2:3-4).

However, after a period of time of training (Heb. 5:14) the yoke becomes easy and the burden light (Matt. 11:28-30).

This is why Paul says that we should strive against sin even unto blood, or ‘dying’ to the desires of our souls and bodies (1Cor. 15:31; Lk. 9:23-24).

For more on today’s study visit:
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