Day 1

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” Romans. 6:1-2

We have said it to ourselves a thousand times. I might as well go ahead and sin, get it over with, confess it and move on…maybe this will be the last time. We know that is a lie. It will not be the last time. If it were the last time, then why are we facing another last time this time, and the time before that and the time before that and the time before that?

Then we fall a little further and think; “If I sin again then God’s grace reaches a little further and I am a little more forgiven and grace and forgiveness are good things…right? Notice what Paul says at the beginning of verse 2. “By no means!” This is one of the strongest phrases Paul could have used to say…Absolutely Not!!! No Way at all!!! To take something as incredible and wonderful as the grace of God and His forgiveness and use it as an excuse for sinning…that has got to be one of the worst excuses and the most ridiculous logic of all time.

Then he makes this statement; “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer.” Now here is some truth to chew on. First, we have died to sin. We will understand that phrase more as the chapter unfolds. However, notice that second part of that verse; “How can we live in it any longer?” The answer that we need to think about and burn into our brains is…WE CANNOT LIVE IN SIN ANY LONGER!!!”

When this passage uses the word live here think of it as more than just being alive. We can certainly be alive in sin…we do it all the time. However, we are miserable and we feel our life sucks. However, God wants us to be ALIVE! To live with a sense of love and wellbeing and to have joy and peace in our life.

Sin always has and always will cause death. It separates and destroys. In the garden of Eden death entered the world through sin. It destroyed the perfect intimacy between Adam and Eve. It has brought separation between you and God and everyone around you. We cannot live in sin…we die in sin. The signs of death are all around us when we choose to sin. The signs of death are fear, anxiety, anger, rage, sorrow, depression. We hate ourselves and despise others. That to me does not sound like living…it sounds more like dying.

Our sin nature lies to us. It says; “Want to “live” a little? Go ahead and rebel, this will feel good and you will feel alive. After enough times it almost becomes automatic…we become addicted. Sin and our desires carry us away with less and less resistance. However, after we bite and the thrill is gone…which usually happens moments after we sin, then we are not feeling life but death. There is and never will be for us life to be found in sin. Life comes only from God. Life feels like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Choose life for yourself today. Say no to sin and yes to God and He will give you the life that you really want. It is real and it is so much better than the momentary cheap thrill we get from following after our flesh.

So fellow struggler do you want to pursue purity? Do you want to experience the true life that God has for you? Do you want to be well and allow God to heal you of the wounds that are causing you to act out in sexual sin? This devotional will teach you first what you need to know and then what you need to do.

However, let me warn you. There is a battle going on for your life. God wants to see you grow in grace and be healed. Satan wants to destroy you. Please, do yourself a favor and be faithful to read this devotional everyday for 40 days. Fast from television or reading the paper. Set aside half an hour for reading this book and for prayer. Pray the prayers I have written out loud. Then make a few notes of what the Spirit of God says to you during your time with Him.

Heavenly Father - Thank you that I have died to sin. Thank you that I am alive in Christ today and can experience real life from you. Help me to see sin for what it is and to not believe the lies that it tells me. I want to be pure today and ask you to fill me with the Holy Spirit. Please open my eyes to see sin as it really is and what it does to me and those I love. Help me to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

Proverbs 3:3
“Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.”

180 is a blog that focuses on helping people recover from sexual addictions. Once a week I will post a devotional from the book 40 Days of Purity. So if you are on the journey of recovery already or need to get started perhaps this will be a place you will find help and hope.