Christianity Is Not About Fighting Sin in Your Own Strength

Remembering the time I was newly saved, I tried to fight my sin on my own accord and figured out that I failed miserably. When I started to spend more time with God to help me overpower those sins the more sin was defeated. When sin was defeated, that was not me but God who defeated the sin and apart from Him, I have no power against sin except by His grace. Any power against sin is not by might, nor by fleshly power but by the Holy Spirit which convicts the Christian of their sins at the same time, empowers Christians from their sins.

Many Christians can backslide not because of a love for sin or a lack of conviction from it (which is impossible because they are saved and they are growing in grace) but because they trust in their own might and power. Have they forgotten therefore that when God saved them, He does not leave them alone but He is with them. One can read in Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5 (which cites the previous verse) give the promise to Christians, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Salvation is not God saves the person and then says, "You are on your own." but when a person is saved, God makes them His own and He certainly does not want Christians to rely on their own strength. If you have a sin you cannot conquer by yourself which the Holy Spirit is convicting you about, take it to God and His Holy Spirit will aid you in that battle, do not fight the battle against sin yourself because it is God that gives you power against it.

Do you remember the time when Samson in Judges 15:16 did the impossible with a donkey's jawbone? No ordinary man can use a donkey's jawbone to make donkeys out of a thousand Philistine. He claimed glory for himself rather than God and his downfall came in Judges 16. Would have he trusted God, he would have not fallen into Delilah's snare. Likewise, many true Christians have shown they are Christians not by avoiding sexual sins but by repenting of it like David did. Reading 2 Samuel 11, David fell so idle, he got so confident over his victories that it only took the sight of Bathsheba's bath from his palace rooftop that fateful evening to destroy him. Joseph was able to resist Mrs. Potiphar because he relied not on his own strength.

When it comes to working out one's salvation, it is God that works within the believer (Philippians 2:12-13). Working out one's salvation fear and trembling is not about working out your salvation in your flesh to complete it but rather, it is in continuing growth in grace recognizing that it's God and not you who works. The more you realize that it's God who works in the believer, the more you have fear and trembling to take credit for yourself. A Christian's good works is the necessary outcome and not the necessary cause of salvation.

As the song "I Am Willing Lord" goes it says from start to end:

Sometimes when I am down
And I don't feel like you're around, oh Lord
Feelin' so sorry for me
Not knowing that all the while
You're working to see if, when I'm put thru' the fire
I'll come out shinin' like gold
Oh Lord, Lord please don't ever stop working with me
‘Til you see I can be all You want me to be

I am willing, Lord
I am willing, Lord
To be just exactly what You want me to be

I am willing, Lord
I am willing, Lord
To be just exactly what You want me to be

Often when I ask why
Teach me then on You to rely, oh Lord
You surely know what is best
May I learn that in confidence and strength I can rest
Then, leaning fully on You
My questions fall one by one
Dear Lord, Lord please don't ever stop working with me
‘Til you see I can be all You want me to be

I am willing, Lord
I am willing, Lord
To be just exactly what You want me to be

I am willing, Lord
I am willing, Lord
To be just exactly what You want me to be