Day 30: It Always Starts Out Small

Read: Romans 6:8-14

            What started as a series of small invasions became an international conflict. One man’s cunning strategy nearly toppled the entire world. Who was this man? Adolf Hitler.

            The whole world was shaken when, in 1939, Hitler invaded Poland and World War II began. No other conflict in history has ever matched the destruction of WWII. Germany became practically unstoppable. At one point, Hitler had claimed almost every major power in Europe. How did seemingly minor political controversies become so cataclysmic?

            In the same way that appeasement slowly unleashed Hitler’s power and the world’s destruction, our small compromises with sin can slowly unleash detrimental powers within us. As Romans 6:8-14 explains, we need to die to sin just as Christ did. We must not allow it to have mastery over us! We can no longer offer our body parts to sin as instruments because it will only feed its ever-growing evil desires.

            How can you walk in victory? To do this, we must look to the ultimate example of victory: Jesus Christ, Himself. Christ cannot die again, because His resurrection was final. With His power, He defeated death once and for all, and will not die again. He made no compromise. His death paid for sin in full, and He now lives to God. Paul tells us that we are to live “in the same way” as Christ, fully consecrated to God and no longer serving our sinful nature.

Paul gives us a far better alternative: to give ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. We can allow Him to use us to serve others, share His gospel, and glorify His name through upright living.  Not only can we walk in victory over sin, but we can be agents of righteousness in this world!

Victory in Christ does not surrender, and it does not try to make peace with the enemy. Because of grace, sin loses its power over us, and we no longer have to satisfy its evil demands. When you get discouraged, look to Christ’s victory on the cross and follow His righteousness.

What sins have you been appeasing? What tiny compromises are you allowing to creep into your life? Spend time today asking God to point out where sin is growing in your life and ask Him to help you experience Christ’s victory. Allow God to transform your heart into an agent of righteousness.