How to Get Power From God over Sin
According to the Bible, God has all power, and there is no power that is not ordained of God (1 Chr. 29:11-12; 2 Chr. 20:6; Ps. 62:11; Zech.4:6; Rom.13:1-3). If all power is of God and if Satan’s power was given him by God then it is clear who has all power. It is equally clear that if one wants power one should go to God for it and not seek it from demons. Jesus said, “If any man serve me, him will my father honour” (Jn. 12:26). Every child of God at the new birth receives power to become a son of God, and this opens up to him all the possibilities of power from God over all the works of the devil (Jn. 1:12-13). Children of God are commanded to “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” and to “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:10-18).
Paul speaks of believers having the “treasure [of God’s power] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Cor. 4:7). He also states that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4-6). Think of it! Power through God to destroy the works of the devil and to bring down every thought and imagination to the obedience of Christ! How can men have this power and continue in sin and defeat? How can such a one go about teaching that we have to sin every day in thought, word, or deed and that the flesh has to sin daily? Such men have not come in contact with the reality of the Christian experience and the power that each child of God can have. They make poor leaders, even of the blind, and as Jesus said, “if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Mt. 15:14).
No man who is in the least interested in truth and in his eternal welfare should listen to or support any man who teaches that one cannot get a Christian experience which will save him from his sins and keep him from living in sin. Peter said, “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time … As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [manner of life]; Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy … Seeing ye have purified your souls … Being born again … having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust … give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (1 Pet. 1:5, 14-16, 22-23; 2 Pet. 1:3-10). Everyone born again lives free from the sin business (1 Jn. 2:29; 3:5-10; 5:1-4, 18; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:24; Gal. 5:24).
This holy living is done by the power of God and not of ourselves. It is possible because we are made free from the law of sin and death and because we walk not after the flesh but after the spirit (Rom.8:1-13). Shall we lower our concept of the Almighty to say that He cannot save from sin or keep free from sin those whom He redeems? If God can do this and He chooses not to do it, then sending Christ to die that this may be done is a failure, and also making full provision in the gospel that this may be a normal life for every child of God is a farce.
It is just as definite as can be that sinners “shall not inherit the kingdom of God”; so if Christians are sinners and all other men are sinners, then not one person will be saved (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:16-24; Rom.1:29-32; 8:1-13).
There is a natural power of godliness that comes with the new birth, and those who have only a form of godliness deny the power of it (2 Tim. 3:5). God’s power gives each one “all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3-10). The power from God to live clean and holy is ours for the asking. We can use this power of godliness to demonstrate to other sinners that there is a reality to the gospel and that all men can be saved and kept from all sin (1 Jn. 1:7, 9; 2 Cor. 5:17; Titus 2:11-15). It takes power from God to live victorious over sin, the flesh, the world, and the devil, but God Our Saviour has all power to sanctify and make us “meet for the Master’s use, prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:18-26).
Not only can we have power to live a life pleasing to God, but we can have power from God. The way to get this power is to make a full surrender to God, renouncing all sin and bad habits, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ to save from all sin and impart sufficient power to overcome. When one believes from the heart he is cleansed from all sin (Rom.10:9-10). When one receives Jesus, not mentally or formally, but in reality, this cleansing takes place (Jn. 1:12). When one believe that Jesus is the Christ, not only mentally, but from the innermost soul, which belief includes turning to God from sin and Satan, this cleansing also takes place (Acts 26:18; 1 Jn. 5:1-4).
You may say that I have done this and I still have my sins and habits. There has been no change. It may be that you have not made the sufficient change that is necessary in order for God to work and complete the change in your life. The first thing to do is to get the fact settled that there must be a change, and there will be when one gets into Christ as proved by the following Scriptures: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17); “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24), “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7); He has “washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5).
It is ridiculous even to think that any man could have this kind of a change in his life and still continue in his old sins. Because it is clear there must be a change, then do the one necessary thing in order to have this change brought about. All one has to do is obey what the Bible requires, and then the rest is up to God. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9). It is impossible for any man to confess his sins and not be forgiven by God. It is possible for a man to confess part of his sins and not be heard of God. One will not be forgiven if he holds back some sin and habit and refuses to give it up or to have hatred in his heart until he refuses to forgive. But when a man is honest with God and gives up his sins and habits and is willing to forgive all men and make proper restitution where possible, God will not fail to forgive and make him a new creature.