Are We Victorious Over Sins?

1 John 1:1-2:2

Victory over sin is what we want! Victory or to be victorious means having won a battle or to be triumphant. It also refers to being characterized by victory. Winning over temptations has become a regular occurrence. Just think about it...through Christ we are really achieving victory! We have actually stop practicing the evil and started living the righteous. Conquering and triumphing over the poor habits that have defeated us is the new normal! Becoming a real winner where it matters most is our reality! This is God's offer to us Believers through Jesus Christ.

To finally come to the place where entrenched sins have been thoroughly rooted out of our lives. Yes, those motives, thoughts, and actions once defined us but not anymore. By the grace of God, the power of the Word and the influence of the Spirit we have laid aside sinful behaviors and habits and are generally walking in obedience and righteousness. Though progress has been a little slow at times yet, a notable difference is evident now. God has changed us and life is good! We are not all we desire to be, but we certainly are not where we once were. Praise the Lord!

I know...some of you are saying to yourselves, "Victory over sins? Is that really possible in the real world?" I understand that walking in righteousness more than sinfulness may sound strange to some, but that does not make it less true. The ability to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord experiencing the transforming power of grace is God's design for EVERY believer. Without a single exception it is God's plan for each of us to break with sinful habits and feelings to walk in godliness and holiness. Now...you are wondering how this could be possible for you...right? Well keep reading. I have good news!

Though some folks deny their sinfulness, faithful believers habitually confess sinful failures and in return enjoy victory over them! They greatly value confession, repentance, the blood of Jesus, and Spirit empowerment. Continuous fellowship with our loving Heavenly Father, the joy of winning instead of living defeated, and power from the Holy Spirit is promised to each of us. EVERY ONE of us! Humble and sincere believers come regularly and boldly into the presence of God, and we can know deep in our human spirits that God has indeed forgiven and restored us. Beloved, such Christians enjoy life with our Father. Once again let us consider how we can fellowship with God by noting the fourfold attitude toward sin:

1. Denying It
2. Confessing It
3. Victory Over It
4. Repeating It or Falling Into It

I.                   DENYING IT (1:8-10)    

II.               CONFESSING IT (1:9) 

III.            VICTORY OVER IT (2:1; cf. 1:7, 9)

A.                 Victory possible

1.                  God’s perfect standard is set forth for His children that we should not sin; this is victorious living.

a.                   Because God is perfect, His standard for His people is absolute perfection. Sin can and should be conquered through the power of the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 6:12–14; 8:12,13; 1 Cor. 15:34; Titus 2:11,12; 1 Pet. 1:13–16).

b.                  God is pointing to the triumphant Christian life. Believers’ sinful tendencies do not encourage sin; they actually put perceptive Christians on guard against sin. We are not powerless against sin.

1.      Furthermore, God would not be God if He said: “These things I write to you so that you sin just as little as you possibly can.” God cannot condone sin in the least degree, and so He sets perfection before us as the goal.

2.      The Lord Jesus did this with the woman who was caught in the act of adultery; He said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

3.      God wants us to understand that every battle with temptation is a part of a greater struggle.

a.       Ephes. 6:12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

b.      Each one of our struggles has a spiritual core to it. Each battle against temptation—each choice we make for good or for evil—is part of an ongoing struggle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. That’s the big picture we must keep in mind in our desire to become victorious over temptation. We are not winning for ourselves alone in one isolated incident for one moment on this earth, but our victory is part of a much bigger and eternal victory.

B.                 Its method

1.                  Word of God (2:14)

a.                   1 John 2:14, I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

b.                  The young men are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might—strong against sin and error because they have His Word in them. They have overcome the wicked one because the word of God abides in them. This emphasizes the importance of constantly feeding on the Bible and having it ready to repel the attacks of Satan. The word of God, residing in their hearts in an unhindered, welcome state, was that which, gave these young men victory over Satan (Eph. 6:17).

2.                  Divine nature (3:9)

a.                   1 John 3:9, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

b.                  “God’s seed” is His nature, given to each believer at the time of conversion (John 1:13; 2 Peter 1:4). The point here is that the child partakes of the nature of his Parent. Sin can never spring from what a Christian truly is at the level of his regenerate being.  We are set up for victory!

3.                  Indwelling Holy Spirit (4:4)

a.                   1 John 4:4, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

b.                  Reliance on God is the secret of all victory whether over sin or heresy. The indwelling Holy Spirit (1Jn. 3:24; 4:13; Rom. 8:9)is mightier than Satan (1 John 5:19). The Holy Spirit leads and empowers us to live righteously (Rom. 8:17). We have nothing to fear, for even Satan’s hosts with their perversions can’t defeat us as we rely on the Spirit.

At the same time, the Lord knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust, and so He has graciously made provision for us in the event of failure.

IV.                   REPEATING IT OR FALLING INTO IT (1:7-2:2)

A.                 Admit that we do sin (2:1).

1.                  “If any man sin…” John did not want his readers to sin, but he knew that none of them was perfect and that all would need the help available from their Advocate.

2.                  How often should you confess? Confession should be continual. Anytime you recognize that you sin, you must come to God and confess your sin. This isn’t so that your salvation can be kept current and up-to-date as some think, but so that you can live and walk in continual freedom and intimacy with the Father.

B. What to do when we sin

1.      Recognize advocacy (2:1-2).

A.     The Lord knows our frame and our need of assistance.

                                                                                                   i.      The word “advocate” used to be applied to lawyers. It means, literally, “one called alongside.” When a man was summoned to court, he took an advocate (lawyer) with him to stand at his side and plead his case. An advocate is one who comes to the side of another person in time of need in order to help.

                                                                                                 ii.      This is exactly what the Lord Jesus does for us when we sin. He immediately comes to us in order to restore us to fellowship with Himself—the Lord seeks to bring us to the place where we do confess and forsake our sin.

                                                                                                iii.      When we confess our sins to God, because of Christ’s advocacy God forgives us.  He represents believers before God’s throne, and the merits of His sacrifice make possible the forgiveness of the believer’s sin. 

B.     The Relationship with our Father is maintained by Christ’s advocacy.  “…we have an Advocate with the Father.” It does not say with God, but rather with the Father. He is still our Father even if we sin. This reminds us of the blessed truth that though sin in a believer’s life breaks fellowship, it does not break relationship. When a person is born again, he becomes a child of God. God is henceforth his Father, and nothing can ever affect that relationship. A birth is something that cannot be undone. A son may disgrace his father, but he is still a son by the fact of birth.

C.     Notice that our Advocate is “Jesus Christ the righteous.” It is good to have a righteous Defender. When Satan brings some accusation against a believer, the Lord Jesus can point to His finished work on Calvary and say, “Charge that to My account.”

2.      Recognize provision made for it (1:7-9; 2:2).

A.     Continue to walk with God in the light of truth and holiness (1Jn. 1:7-9).

B.     Rely on Christ as the propitiation for our sins.

                                                                                                   i.      This means that by dying for us, He freed us from the guilt of our sins and restored us to God by providing the needed satisfaction and by removing every barrier to fellowship.

                                                                                                 ii.      God can show mercy to us because Christ has satisfied the claims of justice.

C.     Know that Christ satisfied the wrath of God. God’s wrath against sin may not be a concept congenial to the modern mind, but it is thoroughly biblical.  The Cross has indeed propitiated (satisfied) God and has met His righteous demands so thoroughly that His grace and mercy are abundantly available to both saved and unsaved alike.

                                                                                                   i.      God was just in that He punished sin, but He is also loving in that He offers free forgiveness through what Jesus did at Calvary.

                                                                                                 ii.      Read 1 John 4:10, and also give some thought to Rom. 3:23–26.

D.     Give Christ the praise of your heart for all that He really means in life—in your devotion, pursuits, and personal relationships.

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners! Jesus! Lover of my soul. Friends may fail me, foes assail me; He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Jesus! what a strength in weakness! Let me hide myself in Him; tempted, tried, and sometimes failing, He, my strength, my vict’ry wins.

Jesus! what a help in sorrow! While the billows o’er me roll, even when my heart is breaking, He, my comfort, helps my soul.

Jesus! what a guide and Keeper! While the tempest still is high, storms about me, night o’er-takes me, He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

Jesus! I do now receive Him; more than all in Him I find; He hath granted me forgiveness; I am His, and He is mine.

Chorus: Hallelujah! what a Savior! Hallelujah! what a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end.  –Osbeck, Kenneth W.: Amazing Grace

3.      Confess it.

A.     Ultimately, full confession (admitting the sin, asking in faith for God’s forgiveness, and repenting of the sin with a resulting change of behavior) has to do with restoring and maintaining intimacy with God.

B.     The Lord desires to walk in close fellowship with you today. He longs to have a walking-and-talking-together relationship with you.

Confess to the Lord that you have done things, said things, thought things, and believed things that make you uncomfortable in His presence. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins and to remove your feelings of guilt and discomfort in His presence. Believe that He not only hears your request but also grants it fully. And then walk with the Lord! Talk to Him. Share your life with Him, and invite Him to share His life with you.

Confession opens the way to receiving forgiveness and enjoying a close relationship with your loving heavenly Father. Confession is vital to your awareness of His presence, and it should be continual.

Beloved, do not settle for a defeated existence when you can actually live in grace, power, and triumph in Jesus Christ. He is our Advocate with the Father, He shed His precious blood to pay for our sins, and He is with us in the constant battles against sin. Yes, sin is real and it is powerful; you might even say it is real powerful! However, it is no match for our Lord Jesus and the power of grace at work in our experiences. Our part is to keep short accounts with God and to believe in the power of the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all sins! Don't deny your sin; confess them as soon as you are convicted by the Spirit of God. Victory is yours; you are assured of it through Christ Jesus. Take up the battle anew and refuse to allow any sin to enslave or dominate your life. God wants you to experience positive changes. If God is for you then you can indeed break the power of entrenched sinful failures. Remember you have hope in your Advocate the Lord Jesus Christ who resides at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.  So what are you waiting for? Claim your victory!