Overcoming nagging sins. In preparing this writing, I peered over the book of Joshua. What happened to him externally, I use internally as encouragement while going through my daily battles.
“So I find this law at work. Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” — Romans 7:21 Joshua was kicking butt and taking names by the boatload, utterly destroying Ai. After an all-night march, he and his men fought all day! Imagine that? Marching all night, then fighting all day. The Five Amorite kings who came up against him fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah.
Invasion From Within
I could only imagine what the young leader was going through at the time. “I cannot stop to deal with these clowns right now, put a stone in front of the mouth of the cave, and I’ll deal with them once I handle my other enemies!” Imagine achieving everything you toiled for, yet still burdened with an internal foe. No matter how you try to hide it, it’s still there, until you deal with it. It could be procrastination to porn addiction, indolence to indecisiveness. As the spotlight gets brighter and brighter, one becomes more cunning at tucking away their kings in the cave. Not dealt with, just tucked away.
Traditional news media cycles and social media feeds are often inundated with men at the top of their game who “seem” to be winning outwardly, yet on the inside, their kings are beating on the wall, begging to be let out, frequently chipping away at the stone! A conquest without confronting internal issues is a faux sense of accomplishment. Who’s really winning? I think about men from Anthony Bourdain to Alexander McQueen, Dov Charney, to Harvey Weinstein. You and I might very well fit on that long list of men who didn’t confront their kings.
Victory From Above | Overcoming Nagging Sins
As men, we’re called to be the foundation of the family, the one who bears the weight. We have the capacity to do so because of the One who bears the weight for us all, yet we still have to confront the kings in our own caves. We don’t do this on our own, but with God’s strength; a continual dependence on Him. Victory is a process that requires a level of commitment, persistence, and all-out grit. Twelve rounds of exchanging well-executed blows, defensive and offensive tactics to win, and mental conditioning and stamina. The best way to conquer each king… slay one at a time. Because you my friend, are “more” than a conqueror.
Takeaway: We’ve all got secret sin; don’t let them hide in your cave and dwell there forever. Confront your kings.
Now go be Uncommen!
Author: Christopher Wiggins
This article spoke to me and I know I’ll have to re-read it to get more of the hidden content. It spoke to my situation, albeit I got to it too late to save my marriage.
Im praying for your marriage, my friend. I too am in the battle for my marriage. Time is not my friend, but we serve a God who is mighty to save. Lord, I declare restoration. Whatever that looks like to Kerwin I claim it. We surrender to your will for our lives during this time of great distress. We claim victory. Exodus 14:14 and 2nd Chronicles 20:15-20 are verses I’ve been given during my separation. Just be still and know He is fighting for us.
I pray for restoration of your marriage. You are not alone rest on the Lord knowing his will and plan for your life is always greater than what we can see in the here and now.
A couple months ago my prayers changed from my wants and desires, to, God search my heart for the sin I have burried there. Reveal these sins to me so that they can be conquered. It has been a rough couple months. God is so merciful that He is showing me where I need to change. That I obey, and surrender to His will and purpose for my life. I to am admist marriage problems. Seperation. Always remember we didn’t get in this mess over night. So it takes time to get on the “new track. Trust and Obey our Father, He wants what is best for us.
As I stand in the doorway of defeat I came upon this reading. It was timely and I too, like so many other men, am dealing with hidden sins. I want to do what God wants, but I seem to only bow to my flesh everytime life gets hard and the temptations are all to strong. Lord heal me of these addictions and forgive me of my sins. I know You won’t take me out of this situation but I do know that You will walk me through it to the end.
I too struggle with hidden sins. I be going along and everything seems to going great, and then wham, I am falling again. Thank you for the article. It shows me that my Father us still speaking.
Wow!! I am so glad to see that I am not alone…my hidden sins are trying very hard to break me… recently I confessed them to my wife…I am blessed to have her, as she was immensely understanding, unlike other wives I am sure who would scream divorce…she is willing to help me overcome my hidden sins, and with with lots of prayer, I know I will overcome, by God’s grace and mercy…I am just sick of being ok for a while, then fall right back into the nagging sins, and feeling ashamed to even go to the Lord in prayer seeking repentance and forgiveness…but He is the King of Kings, who loves me unconditionally…and the devil is a LIAR!!!! I love the Lord so much, and just need to live a life that is holy and acceptable to Him…thanks for this article!!! Please keep me in prayer…thanks and blessings!
This article is right on time. I’m currently going through this now. I’ve been avoiding the issues for years and my wife as well as the Lord has been trying to get me to deal with them. I’ve been afraid of doing it but I see that I’m not the only one going through this. I agree with my brothers the devil is a LIAR! Now is the time & this is the place to deal with them, my wife has put up with me doing our first year of marriage and she’s constantly praying for me to make the decision to deal with my issues. And with the Lord’s help, I will conquer my issues. Keep me in your prayers. Be blessed my brothers!
It is a challenge for us all. I do wonder if even Paul struggled and that some of these things that pop up every so often are there to keep us humble, so we don’t get to the point of thinking we’ve got it all sorted?
Dealing with sin is exhausting. Once some battles are won, it’s not over. It’s never over, it’s war until the end. Peace with God is the only peace available through JC until heaven. Flesh, devil and the world are often against us. Some of the tools are the armor of God. Put them on!
The “Kings in my cave” that were not dealt with eventually cost me my marriage. The hardest part about dealing with it all, is that I neglected God’s ways to escape until it was too late. Nonetheless, God has been good to me through it all. He had come confront some of the “kings in my cave”. It was hard and very comforting at the same time. Today, I am divorced but I have found a restored relationship with my Father in Heaven. Men, know that God is with you. Submit to Him with all sincerity and He will help you. While I am marred with a divorce, I am strengthened by the Lord. Turn to Him and He will help you in your time of need.