Are you desperate?

Sin is as close to us as our own skin and we can easily become comfortable with this ever present enemy. After all, how do we consistently wage war against our very own flesh? We have to always be in a state of desperation! Not desperation in the sense of not knowing where to look for the answer or to whom to turn for relief. Instead, we know that our only hope for overcoming sin is in Jesus and the power of His Holy Spirit dwelling in us. But here is the rub: When we feel strong in ourselves or become confident in our own mastery over sin or comfortable with this sin or that hint of immorality, we have already begun to loose the battle.

I have been there... If you are a believer, then you have been there, too. We have to be desperate! We have to desperately depend on the grace of God to give to us the righteousness that we cannot achieve for ourselves. We have to desperately plead for Jesus to overcome sin in our hearts. We have to desperately walk in the Spirit each day, knowing that the moment we stop leaning on His strength, we will fall.

I have a couple of friends that are caught in this battle right now. They know that they are being beaten by sin and the consequences of their choosing sin are looming. But they are not desperate yet. They like the sin just enough that they don't want to take the drastic measures that will protect them. I am praying for desperation for them and for me. I don't ever want to forget that I am powerless without Jesus and that when I go into battle poorly equipped or in my own strength, I am doomed.

Hebrews 12:4 says, "In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood."

What about you? Are you desperate in your struggle against sin? Are you desperately clinging to Jesus for victory over the sin that is never far from you?

"Lord, I have no power on my own. I have no righteousness on my own. I am desperate for you, for your presence in my life, for your power to bring victory to my struggle, and for your glory to be displayed through me."

He must increase, I must decrease.

JasonPS