Sin: Its Desire is For You, But You Must Rule over It
February 19, 2017      |     By: Jonathan Brickley      |      Category: Sermons      |      Location: El Dorado
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Psalm 51:16-18 (NIV)
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Sin begins with simple disobedience

Hebrews 3:12-13 (NIV)
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Sin's deceitfulness
- Hardens our hearts
- Leads to discouragement
- Causes us to turn away from God
- Creates in us an unbelieving heart
- Creates in us a sinful heart

Genesis 4:1-9 (NIV)
1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.”
2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Offering of Sacrifice = First fruits of soil
Offering of Obedience = Firstborn of flock

Results:
- Anger (at the Lord, but directed at his brother)
- Downcast face
- Murder
- Lying
- Hard Heartedness

How can we "Rule Over" sin?
1) Get correct perspective on sin
2) Realize it's a heart issue
3) Realize the deceit
4) Love the TRUTH (Confess & Consider)
5) Obey from your heart

Romans 6:17 (NIV)
17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.

II Corinthians 11:3
3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Devotion TO CHRIST!

Sincere - "Genuine, real. Free of deceit, hypocrisy, or falseness"
Pure - "Unmixed. Free from foreign elements or contamination."
Devotion - "Profound dedication. Ardent love & loyalty."