There is a doctrine that is becoming popular that teaches that a Christian can reach a point in their lives where sin no longer has an effect on them. They cease to sin.

Wow.

I always cringe when I hear a fellow follower of Jesus say something like, "well, I have that temptation under control! Moving on to something else."

The enemy will attack us many times NOT in areas that we consider our weaknesses, but in those areas we consider our strengths.

Of course the concept that we are beyond sin goes totally against the Word of God.

John writes in First John 1:8, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

Hopefully, as we grow and mature as Christians sin has less of a hold on us, and we better able to resist temptation. But as long as we are in the flesh in this world of sin, we will wrestle with sinful desires and sin.

What's the key?

I Like like what Henri Nouwen has written.

Henri Nouwen once said in a Leadership journal interview:

"I cannot continuously say no to this or no to that, unless there is something ten times more attractive to choose. Saying no to my lust, my greed, my needs, and the world's powers takes an enormous amount of energy. The only hope is to find something so obviously real and attractive that I can devote all my energies to saying yes.

One such thing I can say yes to is when I come in touch with the fact that I am loved. Once I have found that in my total brokenness I am still loved, I become free from the compulsion of doing successful things."

You are loved by God. Let's focus in on that this day. Let's say no to sin and yes to the savior.