Most Christians fail at living like the Christian life because they’re attempting to live for both the world and to Jesus. I’m not really sure why after thousands of years we still think this could work out with a better ending, or even a different ending, than failure. We find ourselves combating habitual sin despite outwardly expressing absolute loyalty to our Saviour. We make ourselves hypocrites and fake the Christian walk publicly, but in private we know our true hearts.

The Bible clearly indicates through Scripture that it’s one master or the other:

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” We cannot serve two masters loyally.

Jesus also says in John 12:46, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” We cannot be light and dark at the same time.

We’re told by Paul in Ephesians 4, “But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” By learning the truth of Jesus, we change ourselves from old to new, but we cannot be old and new at the same time.

As Galatians 5:21 says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

We, as Christians, have a very clear choice before us. We can choose to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength and this choice will lead to a life of light, joy, love, and peace. Or we can choose to not love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength which will lead to being completely ruled by the chains of the world, the flesh and the devil.

One path leads to light; the other to darkness. You cannot walk some gray middle path between the two because such a path does not exist: you’re either all in or you’re all out.

Which path are you on today? We only have 2 choices:

1. Forsake sin and choose God’s way.
2. Follow sin and choose the world’s way.

These two paths both lead only to one destination each.

To leave your sin completely, or in biblical terms this would be to repent, and choose God’s way, you will find yourself led to life. Proverbs 12:28 tells us, “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” In the life brought by the Spirit, you find yourself enjoying the products (or fruits) of the Spirit: joy, peace, love, patience, etc. You will find yourself led to fulfillment, a greater purpose, hope, and light.

To refuse to leave the path of sin is to deliberately lead yourself to the end result of death and destruction. Proverbs 16:25 tells us, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” When man chooses what he thinks is right (picks his own truth), he lends himself towards sin and continues blindly to the death of all joy, peace, and happiness. As we see in Romans, “the wages of sin is death.” Sin always, always, always results in the high price of death.

We know that “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path,” but sin equally darkens the path of the unrepentant sinner: they don’t even realize what’s causing them to stumble through life and they don’t see the end of their walk. Proverbs 4:19 tells us, “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.”

So, my friend, I must ask: are you tired of stumbling through life? Are you tired of feeling the deep darkness? Are you tired of feeling like you’re dead inside even while you’re still alive? Are you ready to release the burdens, turn your feet around, and get on the right path? Here’s three ways to help you successfully repent of habitual sin:

1. Call your choices what God calls your choices. If your habitual sin is lying, don’t tell yourself that you just “stretch the truth sometimes” or that you “just tell little while lies when they’re needed.” If your habitual sin is gossiping, don’t find ways around calling it gossip. God specifically names sins and it’s important that we name them as well. We cannot repent of a sin that we’re not willing to admit we struggle with. Because the Bible tells us, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold,” we know that names matter to God.
2. Ask for help. Never underestimate the power of a prayer to God asking for help escaping a temptation to sin.
3. He’s got the ultimate power and He’s going to be able to offer the greatest help. Also, ask for accountability from someone in your life. Ask your people to help you overcome your faults. I think this must be why we’re instructed in James 5:16, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” A righteous man can help a person who wants to be righteous to become righteous because he already has figured out the way to go (the path to take).
4. Never go back. Proverbs 26:11 tells us, “As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. I can’t speak for you, but I don’t want to be the epitome of that word picture and I definitely don’t want to be known as a fool. Once you make the decision to stop your habitual sin habit and once you have made a promise to yourself, other people, and/or God to stop, you cannot break that promise. You must never return to the sin that held you in darkness. Don’t allow failure to be an option when it comes to sin. Because it’s all or nothing with God, we must approach obedience to His Word as all or nothing. If you’re willing to break a promise, even a promise to yourself, one time, it opens up the possibility of failure every time you approach temptation.

If I could, I’d make the choice for you: I’d choose to live free for you. But I can’t make the choice for you no matter how much I may want to. I truly believe every woman should live free from the chains of guilt, shame, sadness, depression, and anger that come with living in habitual sin. But it’s got to be your choice. You have to choose which path to take, my dear. Choose well.