If you are struggling for victory over sin, you are not alone.  Here are some tips on How To Get Back Up When Besetting Sins Keep Pulling You Down.

RUNNING THE RACE BEFORE YOU

REAPING THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY OWN FAILURES

I remember one particular time in my life where I was sure my race was done.  God had convicted me for so long of my sin and yet I kept on in it.  Then one day, it was as if God pointed to the words in Proverb 29:1, “shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy” and looked at me.  I was reaping the consequences of my sin and my goodness;  the fear of the Lord really hit me.

And yet, His mercy endureth forever.

AND THEN FALLING AGAIN

I truly was repentant of my sin and wanted to change.  I took the steps to change.  And then one day, I fell again in a big way.  As I was driving home from that place where I should not have been, a deer jumped in front of my car and I slammed on the brakes.  My car did a 180 and slowly skidded into a mailbox.  I want to cry even now as I think about it.  God spoke to my heart, “Melissa, need I remind you that your life is in my hands?”

Yes!  The fear of the Lord truly is the beginning of wisdom.  And so, I started again.  I took the steps I needed to take get things right.  I had to put up all those little protective walls that I had been pulling down that made way for my fall.  I had to humble myself and make things right.

I have had plenty of experience with besetting sins and I want to share with you some things I have learned in this marathon of a life about How To Get Back Up When Besetting Sins Keep Pulling You Down.

NUMBER ONE – YOUR RACE ISN’T DONE YET

It doesn’t matter if you are 14, 21, 40, or 65; today matters the most.  There are no “glory days” in the Christian life.  There is only one glory day and that is when you cross the finish line.  So, don’t quit today and don’t assume tomorrow will be easy. 

That may sound a little scary, but if you look at the long view and stop looking at what is right in front of you; you can see that victory or failure is not about the fact that you messed up again.  Victory is one thing and one thing alone; finishing.

THE RACE ISN’T OVER WHEN YOU ARE OLDER

I have seen good people raise good kids in church and then when the children are grown it is as if they just stop running.  They kind of step off the race course.  Some make their way to the escalator and let it carry them to the end as they forsake the Great Commission (Mark 16:15) and fall prey to apathy.  Others get off the course completely; even forsaking the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25) as they fall prey to discouragement, bitterness or pride.  Then there are those who get tired of fighting off temptation and at the end of their lives they find themselves bound by the sins of their youth (Psalm 25:7).  They destroy their testimony and often their grown children in the process.

THE RACE IS JUST BEGUN WHEN YOU ARE YOUNGER

And here you are in your youth fighting the sins of youth.  While the sins of youth seem awful and dirty and yes they can dramatically change the course of your life, they are no bigger or smaller than the sins of pride, worry and discontentment that come in the next stage.  Don’t beat yourself up.  Just don’t give up the fight. (Proverbs 24:16)

So, step one in How To Get Back Up When Besetting Sins Keep Pulling You Down is to remember your race isn’t done yet.  Never get so wrapped up in today’s sin that you lose perspective that this is just one battle in one stage and that you can still finish your course as long as you keep running. 

NUMBER TWO – PRAY FOR A WAY OF ESCAPE

GAINING VICTORY OVER ONE SIN ONLY TO GAIN ANOTHER STRUGGLE

I want to get back to my story.  I truly did have victory over that sin area of my life.  As God had done in times before, He provided a way of escape. (1 Corinthians 10:13)  I did not really know it was that at the time, but looking back I see His hand of protection.  So, for a while I had great victory because there was no temptation.  But wouldn’t you know it, where one temptation faded into the background another popped up in its place.

That is just how this life is.  When you are running a marathon and the adversary’s only goal is to get you to stop, he doesn’t care which sin stops you.

I look at the different seasons of my life and the different sins with which I struggled and I can see clearly that even though I failed tremendously (sometimes for years on end) that I also had great periods of victory.  I am also thankful to say, that those sins that had me bound so tightly and over which I literally had no victory on my own, God provided a way of escape.  I am so grateful!  I can distinctively think of four times where He literally changed nearly everything in my life to remove me from temptation’s way.

WHEN WE DO WRONG BECAUSE WE WANT TO

He knew I wanted to do right.  I really, really did.  I just kept falling.  I think of my song, “I Owe It All To You” and the words,

“Sometimes in life I turn away from You because I want to.  I know I don’t always admit to it that way, but it’s true. 
I say ‘It’s just this once and it’ll be okay’ and then I turn around and I walk away from You.
It doesn’t take long before the fun is all gone and I’m alone and hurt and ashamed. 
Then I hear a voice I know and with my head hung low, I turn to You. 
I say, ‘I’m sorry, Lord.  I am so ashamed.  I was wrong, I know things aren’t the same
But if You’ll use me, let me live my life for You.”

Man, that was my struggle right there, and if you are reading this than you probably understand it completely.  We try and fail and try and fail and try and fail.  We know we are going to do it again because we love our sin and then we hate ourselves because we love our sin, and then we try and fail some more.

God is not a liar.  He WILL provide a way of escape.  Pray earnestly for it.  Don’t give up.  

So, step number two of How To Get Up When Besetting Sins Keep Pulling Us Down is “Pray for a way of escape.”

NUMBER THREE – ACCOUNTABILITY

Outside of music, a lot of the sins of youth are related to purity.  I know that I am writing to females and I will try to be discreet while being direct.

BOYS

When it comes to boys, you need to create boundaries.  If you struggle in this area, then find an older godly female (in person or remotely) who can mentor you about relationships and who will teach you how to get to know a guy without being alone with him. You can learn if he’s “into you” or just into “what you are doing for him.” 

My Amazingly Deep Thought videos have content about this.  You can learn how to overcome your weakness by finding your real value outside of boys.  Then you can learn how to develop a relationship with someone who wants you to be pure just as much as you do.  But you need to set some boundaries and reach out to someone you can trust.  A lot of godly women have been where you are and have seen a lot and they will see your humble heart and try to help.

SECRET SINS

When it comes to things you read, watch and do alone, I recommend things like Covenant Eyes that have accountability reports that can be sent to someone you trust.  Get rid of internet on your phone or in your house.  Throw away things that cause you to stumble. (Matthew 5:29 – 30) There are programs like “Reformer’s Unanimous” at churches that help you focus on your Christian walk.  Maybe you have tried these things and still find ways around them, that doesn’t mean you should quit them.  Rebuild the walls.

CONFUSION

Maybe you are having confusion about feelings towards other girls.  You are not alone.  There are other Christian’s who have struggled with confusion in this area. Please feel free to contact me or contact your pastor’s wife or youth pastor’s wife.  You do not need to be embarrassed.  Don’t let Satan get the victory by keeping you from seeking help.

The biggest thing is that you don’t quit the fight.

IN CONCLUSION

Remember step number one, your victory isn’t dependent upon this one sin.  The race is won by finishing so keep on.

Then step number two, pray for a way of escape and keep praying and keep trying.

and lastly,

Step number three, seek accountability.  Make it harder for yourself to fall.  When you want to fall, you will make a way, but when you are feeling stronger make it harder for yourself to fail when you are feeling weak.

I honestly could go on about this topic, but it would take quite a bit of time.  I am trying to keep these things bite sized.  I want to encourage you to keep reading these blog posts and watching the Amazingly Deep Thought videos.  They will help you, little-by-little, to build a strong foundation and learn how to have the best kind of life by learning the principles of biblical living.

Here is a great video on Five Things I Would Have Done Differently if I could do it all over again.  Please check it out and subscribe to keep learning more about How Christian Girls Can Have The Best Life.