Hebrews 12:1-2 Weight and sin snare broken. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. The things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Victory in every area of life is possible in Jesus Christ.
Weight and Sin Snare Broken
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
The “therefore” connects chapter 12 with chapter 11 and the witnesses testified dying in faith of the promises of God. There are many generations of faith filled believers they have already fought the fight faith; you too can make it! My heart was stirred with “let us lay aside…” God was preparing my heart to write these notes, I woke up this morning with my mind upon every believer should know the schemes, lies, and devices of the devil. How can we lay aside if we are unaware of what has ensnared us and delayed our victory. By knowing the schemes of the devil we can lay aside every weight and sin that can take us off course from the race we have been called to run. Endurance for the race can be poured into our heart as we recognize the besetting sins.
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Two of the biggest besetting sins are twins, complaint and un-forgiveness. When we hold complaint against one another we retain one another’s sin. That why the Apostle Paul admonished us to put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering. We don’t have to muster the strength to put away the complaint and give forgiveness. Put off the old man and be made new in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man; the new man has all it needs to put off complaint and walk in forgiveness.
2 Corinthians 2:10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Forgiveness is one of the greatest tools in this covenant of grace. God’s forgiveness is so great toward us; it is our empowerment to forgive others. One of satan’s greatest devices is to get us to continue to walk in un-forgiveness. Not forgiving gives the devil room to take advantage of us!
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
Many have never consider completely what it means to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Unfortunately it has been retranslated to work for your salvation with fear and trembling. Working for and working out are two different things; working out will bring maturity and strength to the believer. Working for becomes the besetting sin that we need to lay aside. Working out your salvation is a submitting to the work of God who works in you both to will and do for His good pleasure. There are stumbling blocks to God doing His good pleasure in the believer!
Verse 14 shows us a weight that besets us and gets us off course. “Do all things without complaining and disputing…” Complaining and disputing is one of satan’s greatest weapons of choice. When our mouth has complaint and disputing it inhibits us from walking blameless and harmless as children of God. Complaining and disputing is a snare of satan. The body of Christ can walk free from that snare; it will enable Christ to shine on and through us. God calls us to lay aside such a weight! Holding fast the word of life instead of having complaint and dispute in our mouth, can move us from defeat to victory! Victory is God’s intended purpose for every believer.
2 Timothy 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
There are tell tale signs that we have been ensnared by a lie of the enemy of our soul. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Those ensnared often lack in one or more of these areas. Not walking in righteousness, peace or joy in the Holy Spirit can be a sign that of entrapment snared by the enemy.
If one knew they were deceived in any given area of their life it would no longer be deception. However, the word of God can bring light to the deception. Receiving of the truth brings one back to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil is put into action. When we are snared by weights and besetting sins we are captive to do the will of the devil in that area. Christians hooked on pornography, addicted to cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, or any other sinful lifestyle are ensnared; the truth found in Jesus Christ can set them free completely from any and all sin. Jesus said it! He who the Son sets free is free indeed!
Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.
We have talked about complaint and un-forgiveness being twin besetting sins, deceptions of all types, and now anger. Walking in an angry lifestyle, as all besetting weights and sins, give place to the devil to work havoc in our lives. The list could go on and on; however, the solution is more important than to complete a list of besetting sins and weights.
1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God and looking for His solution and not our own is a good place to start. Separating ourselves from evil company is another good start. Bringing the care and laying it upon Jesus is another step closer to the deliverance. WE CAN resist satan! The way is exclusive and there is no other way to resist! Resist him steadfast in the faith. When the object of your faith is exclusively in Jesus and no other your victory is at hand. God’s grace will come perfect, establish, strengthen , and settle you! God will be glorified in your life.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith! Our deliverance can not be in any other. If our expectation is in any other the ensnarement will continue.
Romans 6:7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Look to Jesus. He has been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Jesus! Jesus' death that He died, He died to sin once and for all; but the life that He lives He lives unto God.
LIKEWISE! In the same way Jesus died to sin once and for all and sin has no death has no dominion over Him. You too need to come back to the truth of the cross and what it has done in your life. This is a life of faith. Now reckon yourself dead to sin and alive unto God. Indeed that is where the victory over every weight and besetting sin is at. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and know the advocacy He provides. Jesus has ended the hostility between God and man by nailing it to the cross. Jesus sat down… the spring board for our next Bible study!
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