We Need to Break Our Agreement with Sin

I’m working my way through the book of Isaiah and using the 365-day devotional, The Vision. I’m learning so much about rebellion and obedience. Friends, we need to break our agreement with sin.

Every morning as I sit with the Lord, He presses upon me the need to obey His Word and His ways. I love when He tells me to rejoice always (Philippians 4:4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16), and if you’re happy, then sing and dance (James 5:13). Those are easy for me to obey.

But then there are times when Jesus says, “Ah, Michelle, there’s something I need to talk to you about.” Ugh! It’s like when your boss asks to see you. Doesn’t your heart drop? Are you like me and assume you’ve done something wrong?

Truth is, sometimes we have done something wrong. Sometimes we think and behave in ways that are not in alignment with God’s Word and ways. When we disobey, resist, and oppose God’s Word, that’s rebellion. That’s called sin.

Friends, God revealed to me that we need to break our agreement with sin.

Years ago, I struggled with anger. There were specific circumstances in my life that riled me up. Now, anger itself is not sin, but it’s what we choose to do with it that can become sin. I wasn’t just angry. I had become an angry person.

I allowed anger to control me. I exploded daily. I sinned out of my anger.

Jesus challenged me to do what His Word said. Particularly, regarding my anger He said, “Get rid of it!” 

I remember vividly the Holy Spirit’s conviction and instruction: “Do not sin out of your anger. Get rid of it!” (Ephesians 4:26-31)

BUT I didn’t know how to get rid of it. Seriously! 

Do you ever struggle knowing you are guilty of a particular sin, but you don’t know how to get rid of it?

Be Brave:  Acknowledge Sin!

The first thing we need to do is acknowledge what sin is. Sometimes we don’t even know that something we are doing or thinking is sin. How do we know? God’s Word tells us and sometimes, He uses His kids to tell us too.

I had two such close friends who had earned the right in my life to tell me the truth.

Friend One: “Michelle, I don’t like who you’ve become. You are angry.”

Ouch! Not you’re acting angry. You ARE angry.

Friend Two:  A couple of days later over a cup of coffee, looked tenderly at me and said, “Michelle, this is not the Michelle I know or like. I don’t like this Michelle.”

Ouch! She didn’t like me anymore or who I had become. 

“Wounds from a friend can be trusted”

Proverbs 27:6

Both friends confronted me and my sin. They didn’t know the other had said anything.

Three times in one week I was told I had a sin problem by three different people. I’ve shared before how God uses threes to get my attention in my blog post called “We Will Have Trials.”

For the rest of that week I pondered their words. Truth hurts sometimes. I was hurt, but their courage to tell me the truth also help set me free.

^“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32

Too often we blame others and circumstances for our own sin problem. I did. The old phrase, “They made me do it!” doesn’t cut it with Jesus. Sure, maybe someone provokes or exasperates us, but we choose to sin. 

The reason we choose to behave in so many sinful ways is because we’ve agreed to behave that way. Newsflash:  We don’t have to agree!

We need to break our agreement with sin.

We can break our treaty with sin. We don’t need to accept, settle with, or concede to sin. Anything that trips us up and prevents us from agreeing and aligning with God’s Word and ways we need to get rid of. We need to break our agreement with sin.

Try a Lifesaver!

I’m going to be your friend now and tell you some hard truth. In present days, I’ve witnessed a few sins, especially out in the public domain. I’m not going to tell you which one you personally may be struggling with. You can ponder these with God, read His word to find out about more types of sin. But I will say, we all struggle with sin of some kind.

What are some sins we need to break our agreement with?

Anger and rage. We need to break our agreement with anger and rage. There are many adults displaying temper tantrums these days. It’s time to close our mouths, calm our raging emotions, and suck on some lifesavers for a few minutes. 

Trust me, this is an actual strategy God had me use. Those little candies take about 10 minutes to dissolve and by the time they are gone, anger dissolves too.

Okay, sometimes I needed more than one candy. I bought a few rolls of lifesavers as I was getting rid of my anger. Through prayer, counseling, and practicing anger management strategies, I successfully got rid of the controlling anger.

We need to break our agreement with sin. Try a lifesaver.

Bitterness, as in bitter words. There’s no lack of people spewing harsh, contemptuous, and cynical words at one another. This is not in alignment with God’s Word. Eat some honey to be reminded what sweet should taste like.

We need to break our agreement with the sin of bitterness.

Foul language, profanity, yelling, and insults. Have you heard any of these come flying out of anyone lately? I sure have. We need to break our agreement with words and tones that do not build one another up. Stop tearing others down.

Do you need to be reminded how yucky foul language tastes to your receiver? Put soap in your mouth. Taste it yourself.

“All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice [spite, nastiness].”

Ephesians 4:31, HCSB

As Christians, we need to break our agreement with the sin of foul language, profanity, yelling, and insults.

Impatience and irritability. How many of us struggle waiting in line or driving in rush hour? How many of us have displayed agitation with waiting our turn? Have you ever gotten behind someone driving at snail pace and you have places to be? Relax. You’ll get there. 

And STOP being a jerk to the cashier who is learning. You’ll get your goods, pay for them, and be on your way soon enough.

“The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience.

2 Corinthians 12:12

And…

“Love is NOT irritable.”

1 Corinthians 13:5

Friends, in these days we need to have utmost patience and love for one another.

We need to break our agreement with the sin of impatience and irritability.

Impure and filthy things. We need to abandon everything morally impure and all forms of wicked conduct (James 1:21, TPT). Not just some things, but Every. Single. Thing. that is moral filth and vile behavior. I can’t help but think of pornography as I write this. 

If you’re struggling with pornography, confess to someone who has earned the right of trust in your life. Don’t tell just anyone. Be wise. Be humble and get some help overcoming the impure things you may be doing or thinking.

Jesus forgives. He guides. He helps us overcome sin.

We need to break our agreement with impure and filthy things.

Lies. We need to stop lying. In Proverbs 6:16-19, there’s a list of seven things God detests and lying makes the list twice! Friends, we’ve probably all lied at one time in our life, but we need to break our agreement with the sin of lying. It’s not okay. God detests this sin. Stop lying. Be honest and speak truth only.

We need to break our agreement with sin.

We are ALL Sinners

Friends, this is no time to pretend about our agreement with sin. We all have sinned. We all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but this is no excuse to remain in sin. 

We need to break our agreement with sin.

We are on a journey to heaven. We will each meet Jesus face to face one day. May we each meet Him fully surrendered and overcomers. He’s ready and willing to help us with our sin problem. He showed us on the cross.

He’s shows me every single day. He showed me I had an agreement with anger controlling me rather than me controlling my anger. Jesus gave me a lifesaver:  Himself, friends, and some candy. How sweet is that?

Jesus is not about condemning us. He’s patient, kind, lovely, gentle, not rude or self-serving. He wants His children to become more like He is and how He is. He’s ready to work with you.

Jesus is willing to help you break your agreement with sin. Are you willing to break your agreement with sin?

If you’re willing, please comment with these words:  I am willing.

I don’t need to know what sin you need to break your agreement with. Jesus knows. But I will pray for you.

 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23