THE BATTLE WITH SECRET SIN

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)
 
Romans 8:5-9
 
To gain an understanding of the title Oswald Chamber’s devotional book – “My Utmost for His Highest” – read today’s (12/27) devotional. We will never be able to give our utmost until we win the battle with secret sin.
 
I was challenged in a talk once with the question, “Where do your idle thoughts go?” You may be winning the sin battle when you are in public but are you surrendering to sin in your private life? That’s where most of us fall … when nobody is looking … when we are away from home … when nobody around us knows our name or our face … when no one can see what we are doing. Are you stealing on the job (either materials or time)? Are you being unfaithful in your marriage? Are you allowing evil to enter your body through your eyes, your ears or your mouth (pornography, bad jokes, alcohol or drugs)?
 
To win the battle with secret sin, you must not be “controlled by your sinful nature”. You must surrender to the control of the “Spirit of God living in you”. When your sin nature has controlled an area of your life for a long time, the battle to surrender to the Spirit of God can be long and difficult but only when this battle is won can you give your utmost for His Highest.