Stomp out Sin!

Last week I had a strange dream.  In the dream I found myself in a house that was infested with mice and rats.  Traps littered the ground, all of which had caught multiple rodents in a single snap.  It was a bizarre sight, rats lined up side by side in formation.  I had been called in to deal with the problem and end the infestation.  With determination fueled by disgust of the horrible condition of the home, I set to my task immediately.  In fact, the rats had become so bold and numerous that the people who lived in the house were starving:  the rodents were eating all the food!

As I emptied the traps, I began to set them out again.  The most disturbing moment was when an occupant of the home came and asked me not to set out the traps, at least not right away.  Perhaps feeling a bit sorry for the rats and mice the woman said, "I didn't think you would put out the traps again so soon.  Shouldn't we give them a week or two?"  Perhaps she hoped that the rats wouldn't need to be killed, but they would just leave on their own.  I was incredulous:  here these poor people are struggling to survive, being eaten out of house and home.  We can't afford to wait, I told her.  Why should we allow rampant breeding and stealing of food without a fight?  Should we allow the rat population to recover?  The people in the house were conflicted:  they hated the rats, but they didn't want to kill them.  They knew drastic action needed to be taken, but didn't want to do anything to change the situation.

I had a shocking surprise when I entered a large room.  While I had been trapping rats and mice on one side of the house, the rats had been feasting on pizza!  Hundreds of pizza boxes had been placed on a table in a grid pattern, and I looked in horror as the rats gorged themselves until they became literally sick.  By the time the inhabitants of the house came into the room, the food was gone.  All that was remained was the waste and filth left by the rats.  I don't often experience emotions in dreams, but I was very angry.  I was more angry with the people than with the rats for allowing the condition to degrade to such a state.  The rats had a comfortable living arrangement.  They were simply following their animal instincts.  But he people had means at their disposal for a long time to change the environment and chose to do nothing.  They wailed pitifully when they saw their food was gone.  They dried their tears, shrugged their shoulders, and hoped to eat tomorrow.

I can't help but think this is an illustration of a spiritual sort.  God has offered people forgiveness and deliverance from sin, freedom from the tyranny of the flesh, and the power to live holy, righteous, God-fearing lives.  God has granted Christians the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to help, empower, and guide us through this life.  But because of our flesh, the cares of this world, and the raging enemy of our souls, we can allow things into our hearts, minds, and homes that will damage our relationship with God.  We stop following Jesus closely.  We slowly give into temptations and coddle addictions.  We neglect the reading and studying of God's Word, becoming spiritually anemic, weak, and sickly.  We allow the flesh to dictate the conditions of our lives rather than submitting to God and standing strong in the LORD and in the power of His might.

If there is a rat or two in your house, odds are you would immediately act:  place poison, bait and set traps, close any holes or gaps where the rats are getting in, or call an exterminator.  We must be just as vigilant with spiritual disciplines!  When we have a single sinful thought or attitude, we must immediately confess it as sin and take it captive.  When we fall into temptation we must confess it before God and other brothers and sisters in Christ so they might hold us accountable.  This is nothing new for any Christian who seeks to follow Jesus Christ faithfully.  The trick is to stay focused and strong in Christ day after day, week after week, year after year - without giving an inch in our lives to sin.  Sin is like a roach or rat infestation.  It does not start with 1,000 roaches:  it does not start as an infestation at all.  It starts with one roach and one little egg.  Unchecked over time, with ample resources and minimal resistance, a few roaches will grow in numbers until the professionals must be called if anything is to be done.

Jesus is a Saviour, Deliverer, and Redeemer.  He is able to drive out demons with a word:  is stomping out any sin too hard for Him?  He has paid the price on Calvary for our sins and sicknesses with His own blood.  Our part is to confess our need, receive the cleansing of His blood by grace through faith, and walk uprightly, remaining sober and vigilant.  We have an enemy named Satan, but Christians have a Saviour named Jesus the Christ!  We never need be hungry again, for He will satisfy our souls.  If there are rats in your home or heart, declare war and follow Christ's lead.  If there is anything in your life which is sapping your spiritual vitality, be rid of that thing:  end the conflict once and for all.  Psalm 60:12 reads, "Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies."  Willpower doesn't do anything against sin:  God is the one who stomps our enemies and enables us to be valiant!