I didn’t really want to talk about this. Sin isn’t exactly a fun topic—it’s like the vegetables of spiritual growth. But when the Holy Spirit says, “You’re going to talk about this today,” well… here we are.
We’re a church called to look outward. Everything we do should be with the goal of reaching people around us. And in order to do that effectively, we’ve got to be able to hear from God clearly. That’s why eliminating sin matters—it gets in the way of that connection.
If you’ve given your life to Jesus, you are not an old sinner saved by grace. You were saved by grace. Now you are a child of the Almighty Living God. That’s who you are.
We’re not under the old covenant anymore. Back in the day, sacrifices just covered sin. But now, because of Jesus, it’s blotted out. Gone. Erased.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."
— Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)
Sin separates us from God because He is love. It’s not about Him being mad at you—it’s about you being out of alignment with His nature.
Paul talks about it like running a race. It’s not a one-time event—it’s an everyday discipline.
"Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize."
— 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NLT)
When Paul talks about being “temperate,” he’s talking about self-control. That’s a big deal. Your body is still flesh. Your mind is being renewed, yes—but you’ve still got to bring your flesh into submission daily.
Sin clogs your spiritual hearing. It’s like trying to text with a bad Wi-Fi connection. Delayed, glitchy, frustrating. But the Holy Spirit hasn’t moved—you have.
I get frustrated in traffic. I don’t cuss at other drivers, but I’ve definitely yelled at them in my car. And that’s when the enemy likes to pounce.
He tells you that you blew it. That you’re disqualified. That you’re no longer worthy of health or provision.
But that’s not how the Holy Spirit convicts. He doesn’t condemn—He corrects. He says, “Bless them and move on.” And just like that, the issue is done.
I’ve felt the weight of guilt. I’ve felt like God was mad at me—like I wasn’t good enough. But that shifted when I started dealing with the sin the Holy Spirit pointed out. Not out of fear, but out of desire to stay connected.
It’s like cleaning a car. First the big stuff, then the small. And the more I cleaned, the more joy bubbled up in me. Accidentally joyful, even.
Holiness just means “set apart.” That’s all. You are uniquely qualified to do something for God that no one else can do. You have people only you can reach.
Think of your spiritual life like a corroded battery terminal. If it’s gunked up with sin, it can’t carry the power. But once you scrub it clean—boom. The power flows freely.
Adam and Eve messed up and hid. That’s what sin does—it makes us want to retreat. But what we should do is run to God. Crawl up in His lap and say, “Father, I blew it.” And He’ll say, “I know. Let’s move on.”
If there’s sin you don’t want to release—maybe an addiction or a relationship—that’s real. I’ve been there. I’ve held onto relationships I knew were wrong because I didn’t want to let go.
When that happens, ask the Holy Spirit to make you willing. Tell Him, “I don’t want to let this go, but I trust You more than I trust myself.” He’ll work with that.
There’ve been times I felt completely trapped by sin. Like there was no way out. That’s when confessing to someone else can help. Sometimes you need a buddy. We’ve got people for that if you need someone to pray with you and walk it out.
And don’t compare your race to someone else’s. I’ve never smoked, never really cussed—but that doesn’t make my struggles any less real. Maybe yours is anger. Or food. Or porn. Or unforgiveness. We all have things.
We want to stay spiritually sharp so we can respond quickly to the Holy Spirit. If He tells you something—do it. Don’t let unaddressed sin slow down your response time.
Maybe it’s something small—like how you speak to your spouse. Or your tendency to speed. The Holy Spirit will point it out. And when He does, respond.
"I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified."
— 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NLT)
You’ve been cleansed. You’ve been set free. You’re already qualified because of Jesus. But the reason we keep cleaning off the junk is so we can be effective.
There are people only you can reach. But if your spiritual battery is corroded, the power won’t flow like it’s supposed to. That’s why we clear it out—not to be “better,” but to be ready.
When you come to church, come ready to be used by the Father. Somebody in the room might need your exact gifting. So let’s stay sharp. Let’s stay clean. Let’s stay ready.
Because it’s not just about us—it’s about the people out there that need what only you can give.
