struggle against sin

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Hebrews 12:3-4

Sin-fighters rejoice! Jesus has already fought the hardest part of the battle for you! He endured the cross, despising its shame, so that He could perfect our faith (Hebrews 12:2). The cross He endured for us is a source of our strength. We can fight sin, trusting His work and not our own, finding strength and encouragement, looking to the cross and believing the gospel. We don’t have to bleed out in our sins because Jesus has already done so, winning the fight against sin and death.

But we do still have a struggle against sin. And we always must come at it looking at the cross of Christ, repenting and believing as we trust Jesus. This fight is always with us. It is often a daily struggle. We must always dose our thinking and actions with the gospel so that the struggle against sin can be won in us by the cross.

Lord Jesus,

I confess I need this look at the cross. I struggle against sin in me. But I praise You for You took all my sin upon Yourself, enduring hostility from sinners for me. You do not want me weary from sin fighting. You don’t ask me to shed even one drop of my own blood against my sin. You forgive me because Your sacrifice covers it all, every wrong thought I think, every evil intention in me, and all my selfish actions and violations of God’s holy standards. Thank You, my Savior! I confess. I believe. I embrace the gospel as a sin-fighter.

Amen