How can I overcome a habitual sin?

The first thing to consider in how to overcome habitual sin is to note the change, or transformation, that takes place when a person is saved. The Bible describes the natural man as “dead in sin and trespasses” (Ephesians 2:1). As a result of Adam’s fall into sin, man is born spiritually dead. In this state of spiritual death, man is unable and unwilling to follow and obey God and habitual sin naturally follows. Natural man sees the things of God as foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14) and is hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). When a person is saved, a transformation takes place. The apostle Paul refers to this as the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). From the moment we place our faith in Christ, we are in the process of sanctification.

The process of sanctification is that by which those who are in Christ are conformed by the Holy Spirit into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). Sanctification in this life will never be fully complete, which means that believers will always struggle with remaining sin. Paul describes this battle with sin in Romans 7:15–25. In that passage he notes that, even though he desires to do what is good in the eyes of God, he often does what is evil instead. He does the evil he doesn’t want to do and fails to do the good that he wants to do. In this, he is describing every Christian’s struggle with sin.

James says we all sin in many ways (James 3:2). Experience tells us that we struggle differently with sin, perhaps one sin being more of a tripping point for one believer than another. For some it might be anger whereas for others it is gossip or lying. We might refer to a sin that is particularly difficult for us to overcome as a “besetting” sin or a "habitual" sin. These besetting sins are often, but not exclusively, habits that we developed during our lives as unbelievers and require more grace and discipline to overcome.

Part of the process of overcoming these habitual, or besetting, sins is in recognizing the transformation that has indeed taken place within the believer. Paul writes, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). When Paul says, “Consider yourselves dead to sin,” he is telling us to remember that, in coming to Christ, the power of sin has been broken in our lives. He uses the metaphor of slavery to make this point. We were at one time slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:17–18). At the cross the power of sin was broken, and, in becoming Christians, we are set free from sin’s mastery over us. Therefore, when a Christian sins, it is no longer out of the necessity of his nature, but because he has willfully submitted himself to sin’s dominion (Galatians 5:1).

The next part of the process is recognizing our inability to overcome habitual sin and our need to rely on the power of God’s Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. Back to Romans 7. Paul says, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out” (Romans 7:18). The Christian’s struggle against sin is one in which our ability does not match our desire. That is why we need the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul later says, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit, through God’s Word (John 17:17), works sanctification in the people of God. Habitual sin is overcome as we submit ourselves to God and refuse the temptations of the flesh (James 4:7–8).

Another part of the process of overcoming habitual sin is to change the habits that facilitate it. We have to adopt the attitude of Joseph who, when tempted by Potiphar’s wife to come to bed with her, left the room so quickly that he left his cloak in her hands (Genesis 39:15). We simply must make every effort to run from the things that tempt us to sin, including access to food if we are given to overeating, and access to pornography if we are tempted to sexual sin. Jesus tells us to cut off our hand or pluck out our eye if they “offend” us (Matthew 5:29–30). This means removing from our lives the things that tempt us to sin even when those are things we enjoy. In short, we have to change the habits that lead to habitual sin.

Finally, we need to immerse ourselves in the truth of the gospel. The gospel is not only the means by which we are saved, but it is also the means by which we are sanctified (Romans 16:25). If we think we are saved by grace, but sanctified by our own efforts, we fall into error (Galatians 3:1–3). Sanctification is as much a work of God as justification. The promise we have from Scripture is that He who began a good work in us will complete it on the last day (Philippians 1:6).

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How can I overcome an addiction to internet porn? Can addiction to pornography be defeated?

Studies show that terms relating to porn are by far the most commonly searched-for terms in the internet search engines. Every day, literally millions of people do searches related to the porn industry. The powerful imagery of internet pornography is highly addictive. Many men (and women) have been caught in the snare of internet porn and find themselves helplessly addicted to its visual stimulation. This results in uncontrollable lust, an inability to experience true sexual intimacy in marriage, and often intense feelings of guilt and despair. Pornography is the #1 cause of masturbation, sexual assault, and sexual deviancy. Most importantly, pornography is offensive to God, and is therefore a sin that must be confessed, repented of, and overcome.

There are two primary aspects in the battle to overcome an addiction to internet porn: spiritual and practical. Spiritually, addiction to pornography is a sin that God desires you to overcome and therefore will enable you to do so. The first step is to make sure you have genuinely placed your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you are unsure, please visit our page on salvation and forgiveness. Without salvation through Jesus Christ, there is no possibility of a true and lasting victory over pornography: “Apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Papaano ko mapagtatagumpayan ang kasalanan sa aking buhay Kristiyano?

Sinasabi ng Bibliya na kailangan nating mapagtagumpayan ang ating mga kasalanan at ito ay sa pamamagitan ng mga sumusunod:

(1) Banal na Espiritu - ay isang kaloob na ibinigay sa atin ng Diyos upang maging matagumpay tayo sa ating pamumuhay bilang Kristiyano. Pinaghambing ng Diyos ang mga gawa ng laman at ang bunga ng Banal na Espiritu sa aklat ng Galacia 5:16-25. Sa mga nasabing talata tayo'y tinawag upang lumakad sa Espiritu. Ang lahat ng mga mananampalataya ay mayroon nang Banal na Espiritu ngunit nabanggit sa nasabing talata na tayo ay nararapat ding lumakad sa Espiritu at dapat na nakahanda lagi sa pagsunod sa kanyang kalooban. Sa ibang salita, dapat tayong laging handang sumunod sa gabay at kalooban ng Banal na Espiritu sa halip na sumunod sa kagustuhan ng ating laman.

Ang ginagawa ng Banal na Espiritu sa buhay ng isang mananampalataya ay ipinakita sa buhay ni Pedro. Bago siya napuspos ng Banal na Espiritu itinatwa niya si Hesus ng tatlong beses. Ginawa niya ito pagkatapos niyang sabihin kay Hesus na handa siyang sumunod sa Kanya hanggang sa Kanyang kamatayan. Ngunit matapos siyang tumanggap at mapuspos ng Banal na Espiritu, nagsalita siya ng buong tapang sa harap ng mga Hudyo tungkol sa kanyang Tagapagligtas.

Ang sinasabi ng Bibliya patungkol sa pagtatagumpay laban sa pita ng laman.

Karamihan sa mga salita sa Bibliya na isinalin sa salitang “pita ng laman” ay nangangahulugan ng “masidhing pagnanasa.” Ang masidhing pagnanasa ay maaaring masama o mabuti, depende sa pinagnanasaan o sa motibo sa likod ng pagnanasa. Nilikha ng Diyos ang puso ng tao na may kakayahan para sa masidhing pagnanasa upang hanapin natin Siya at ang Kanyang katuwiran (Awit 42:1–2; 73:25). Gayunman, ang konsepto ng “pita ng laman” ay laging may kinalaman sa masidhing pagnanasa para sa isang bagay na ipinagbabawal ng Diyos at ang salitang ito ay laging kasingkahulugan ng pagnanasang sekswal o pagnanasa sa mga materyal na bagay.

Ibinibigay sa atin sa Santiago 1:14–15 ang natural na proseso ng hindi mapigilang pagnanasa ng laman: “Kundi ang bawa't tao ay natutukso, pagka nahihila ng sariling masamang pita at nahihikayat. Kung magkagayo'y ang kahalayan, kung maipaglihi ay nanganganak ng kasalanan: at ang kasalanan, pagka malaki na ay namumunga ng kamatayan.”

Ayon sa mga talata, nagsisimula ang pita ng laman sa isang masamang pagnanasa. Hindi kasalanan ang tuksuhin ng masama. Tinukso rin si Hesus (Mateo 4:1). Nagsisimula ang kasalanan kung “nahihila” tayo ng ating pagnanasa sa lugar na hindi nararapat. Kung nararanasan natin ang masamang pagnanasa, mayroon tayong pagpipilian. Maaari natin iyong tanggihan gaya ng ginawa ng Panginoong Hesu Kristo at muling ituon ang ating pansin sa daan na nais ng Diyos na ating lakaran (Mateo 4:10). O maaari natin iyong paunlakan at pagisipan. Gaya ng sinabi ng isang tao, “Hindi natin mapipigilan ang mga ibon na lumipad sa ating ulunan, ngunit mapipigilan natin sila na gumawa ng pugad sa ating ulo.” Kung dumarating ang mga tukso, tandaan natin na may kakayahan tayo na labanan iyon. Maaari nating piliin na bumagsak sa tukso o lumaban dito.

The Works of the Flesh

The desires of the flesh produce the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-21).  The Bible admonishes us not to gratify or carry out the desire of the flesh (v.16).

How do you not fulfill the desire within your old nature that leads to evil behavior?

There are really two dynamics at work in Galatians 5:16-17.  There is the promise that is realized in those who walk by the Holy Spirit.  If you walk by the Spirit, you will definitely not fulfill the desires of the flesh.  The person who walks by the Spirit will be able to resist the flesh in the end – in its wicked desire that is bent on your total domination.  One dynamic spiritual principle leads to spiritual slavery.  The end result is an evil lifestyle as described in vv.19-21.  If you yield to the desire of the flesh, this is what your life will produce.

How would you like to be married or live with the individual described in vv.19-21?  "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19-21).

ANTHEM: Strategies for Fighting Lust

Article by

John Piper

Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org

These are six tested and proven strategies for fighting lust. I have in mind men and women. For men it’s obvious. The need for warfare against the bombardment of visual temptation to fixate on sexual images is urgent. For women it is less obvious, but just as great if we broaden the scope of temptation to food or figure or relational fantasies. When I say “lust” I mean the realm of thought, imagination, and desire that leads to sexual misconduct. So here is one set of strategies in the war against wrong desires. I put it in the form of an acronym, A N T H E M.