Life Of Victory

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Life Of Victory
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Life Of Victory

• Many youth complain of falling in the same sin
  over and over.
• Some of them start to believe that there is no
  way to overcome sin.
• Others try harder but start to give up.
• Many feel very desperate.
• They start to live a sinful life because they
  feel that there is no hope.

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Life Of Victory

• But the Lord Jesus Christ overcame the sin and
  gave us victory over it.
• St. Paul says, but thanks be to God, who gives
  us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
  (1Cor 1557).
• St. John also says, For whatever is born of God
  overcomes the world and this is the victory that
  overcomes the world, our faith (1John 54).

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Life Of Victory

• Also we read in 1John 214 I write to you,
  young men, because you are strong, and the word
  of God abides in you, and you have overcome the
  evil one
• Also St. John says, Little children, you are of
  God, and have overcome them for he who is in you
  is greater than he who is in the world (1John
  44).
• So how can we live the life of victory?

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The Formation Of Sin

• In order to understand how we live the life of
  victory, we should study the formation of sin.
• St. James in his letter chapter 1, explains to us
  how sin is formed.
• In James 114 we read each person is tempted
  when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

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The Formation Of Sin

• So, the starting point in formation of any sin is
  the desire (e.g. sexual desire, love of money,
  gluttony, vengeanceetc.)
• When the desire finds an opportunity, it will
  cause temptation.
• For example when the desire of love of money
  finds an opportunity (unguarded money) it will
  cause a temptation to steal.

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The Formation Of Sin

• When the sexual desire finds an opportunity (you
  are alone with a person from the opposite sex) it
  will cause a temptation for sexual immorality.
• When the desire of gluttony finds an opportunity
  (non-fasting food during the Great Fast), it will
  cause a temptation to break your fast.

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The Formation Of Sin

• So, we can say that
• Temptation Desire Opportunity
• What if there is an opportunity but you dont
  have a bad desire, do you think that you will be
  tempted?
• Examples
• The Lord Jesus Christ.
• Joseph the righteous.
• Daniel and the three young men.
• St. Anthony the great.

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The Formation Of Sin

• St. James continues saying, Then desire when it
  has conceived gives birth to sin (James 115).
• The desire conceives when it is fulfilled by the
  action.
• So, we can say that
• Sin Temptation Action.
• Sin (Desire Opportunity) Action.

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The Formation Of Sin

• A person can be tempted yet he can keep himself
  from sinning.
• For we have not a high priest who is unable to
  sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in
  every respect has been tempted as we are, yet
  without sin (Heb 415).
• If we control our actions, then even if we are
  tempted, we will not sin.

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The Formation Of Sin

• St. James concludes saying, sin when it is
  full-grown brings forth death (James 115).
• What is the full grown sin?
• It is the sin without repentance.
• Any sin can be forgiven if we repent, but the
  only sin that will not be forgiven is the sin
  without repentance.

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The Formation Of Sin

• St. James says that the full grown sin leads to
  death.
• This is both physical death and eternal death.
• We know that many people may suffer diseases and
  death because of their sins (e.g. STD).
• For any one who eats and drinks without
  discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon
  himself. That is why many of you are weak and
  ill, and some have died (1Cor 11 29, 30).

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The Formation Of Sin

• Also sin without repentance leads to eternal
  death.
• Unless you repent you will all likewise perish
  (Luke 133).
• So we can say that
• Death Sin - Repentance.
• Death (Temptation Action) - Repentance.
• Death (Desire Opportunity Action) -
  Repentance.

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The Formation Of Sin

• To summarize
• Temptation Desire Opportunity.
• Sin Desire Opportunity Action.
• Death Desire Opportunity Action -
  Repentance.
• Now we knew how sin is formed and what are the
  components of death, so what is the way to
  Victory?

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The Way To Victory

• If the starting point in the formation of sin is
  the desire, then the starting point in the way of
  victory is
• Sanctification Of The Desires
• As we mentioned before that if our desires are
  sanctified and holy, even if there is an
  opportunity we will not be tempted.
• How can we sanctify our desires?

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Sanctification Of The Desires

• There is a simple rule we all should know, GIGO.
• GIGO means garbage in garbage out.
• This means if the input is garbage, then all the
  output will be garbage too.
• This is true for your physical body.
• If you eat rotten food, you will get gastro
  -enteritits.

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Sanctification Of The Desires

• The same is true about your spiritual life.
• If the input is garbage, the output also will be
  garbage.
• What is the input? It is everything that goes in
  your senses (what you see, what you hear, what
  you taste, what you smell, and what you touch).
• What is the output? It is your desires.

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Sanctification Of The Desires

• If you allowed garbage to enter through your
  senses, then all your desires will be garbage
  too.
• In the same way if you allow only what is holy to
  enter through your senses, then all your desires
  will be holy too.
• Lets replace GIGO by HIHO.
• HIHO means Holy In Holy Out.

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Sanctification Of The Desires

• In John 153 we read, You are already made clean
  by the word which I have spoken to you.
• So if you read, memorize, keep, and apply the
  word of God in your heart you will be made
  clean.
• Also you need to guard your senses and keep their
  gates closed all the time.

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Sanctification Of The Desires

• We read in Song 412 A garden locked is my
  sister, my bride, a spring shut up, a fountain
  sealed.
• If you have a precious garden, you will keep it
  locked all the time.
• In order to keep the water of the spring clean,
  you have to shut it up.
• The same of for the fountain.

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Sanctification Of The Desires

• How do you value your heart? Is it like a garden
  or like the street?
• Pro 423 says, Keep your heart with all
  vigilance for from it flow the springs of life.
• When Nehemiah built the walls of Jerusalem said,
  let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until
  the sun is hot (Neh 73).

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Sanctification Of The Desires

• What does it mean when the sun is hot?
• We pray in Psalm 147 12, 13 Praise the Lord, O
  Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For He
  strengthens the bars of your gates He blesses
  your sons within you.
• Also we pray in Psalm 1413 Set a watch, O
  Lord, before my mouth keep the door of my lips.

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Escaping Any Opportunity Of Temptation

• The second point in formation of sin is
  opportunity, so we need to avoid any opportunity
  that may cause temptation.
• It may take sometimes to sanctify all my desires,
  so during this time, I should escape from any
  opportunity for temptation.
• Lot the righteous did not do that by choosing to
  live among the wicked.

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Escaping Any Opportunity Of Temptation

• St. Peter said about him, For that righteous man
  dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed
  his righteous soul from day to day with their
  unlawful deeds (2Peter 28).
• The angels said to Lot, Flee for your life do
  not look back or stop anywhere in the valley
  flee to the hills, lest you be consumed" (Gen
  1917).
• Being among the unrighteous, even if we have good
  morals, may corrupt these morals.
• Do not be deceived Bad company ruins good
  morals (1Cor 1533).

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Escaping Any Opportunity Of Temptation

• The word Flee or Escape implies that there is
  a danger that you need to avoid and the only
  solution is to ESCAPE.
• The Lord instructed us to watch and pray lest we
  enter into temptation (Matthew 2641).
• In order not to enter into temptation, you need
  to escape from any opportunity
• Your tools in doing that are prayers and
  watchfulness.

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Escaping Any Opportunity Of Temptation

• St. John the dwarf asked the monks to pray for
  him when he went to Baeesa to rescue her from the
  life of sin and iniquity.
• Proverbs 1810 tells us that the name of the
  Lord is a strong tower the righteous man runs
  into it and is safe.
• Pray, be watchful, and mention the name of the
  Lord and you will escape any opportunity for
  temptation.

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Developing Self Control

• You may say but I cannot escape all the
  opportunities. The evil is surrounding us
  everywhere. What shall I do?
• If your desires are not totally sanctified yet,
  and there are opportunities that you cannot
  escape, then you need to control your actions.
• Develop self control. You need to learn how to
  say NO to temptation.

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Developing Self Control

• Remember that sin temptation action.
• Developing self control will stop temptation from
  growing into sin.
• Self control is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
• But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
  patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
  gentleness, self-control against such there is
  no law (Gal 522,23).

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Developing Self Control

• Those who have no self control will be tempted
  easily.
• A man without self-control is like a city broken
  into and left without walls (Proverbs 2528)
• St. Paul advises the married people, do not
  refuse one another except perhaps by agreement
  for a season, that you may devote yourselves to
  fasting and prayer but then come together again,
  lest Satan tempt you through lack of
  self-control (1Cor 75).

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Developing Self Control

• It is clear from this verse that fasting is the
  tool that you need to develop self-control.
• In fasting we say NO to the desire of food.
• Learning how to say NO to the desire of food will
  help you to say NO to any temptation.
• Also when you are filled with the Holy Spirit,
  you will develop this fruit of Self-Control.

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Developing Self Control

• St. Paul exercised self control But I pommel my
  body and subdue it, lest after preaching to
  others I myself should be disqualified (1Cor
  927).
• Also in 2Tim 17 we read that, for God did not
  give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of
  power and love and self-control.
• St. Paul also instructs Titus his disciple
  saying, Likewise urge the younger men to control
  themselves (Titus 26).

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Repentance

• You may ask now, what can I do if my desires are
  not totally sanctified, some opportunities cannot
  be escaped, and sometimes I am not strong enough
  to control myself, so I fall?
• My answer to that is NOT to let your sin be fully
  grown by not repenting.
• Thanks be to God who gave us the Mystery of
  Repentance and Confession in order to wash away
  our sins in the tears of repentance and in the
  Blood of the Lamb.

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Repentance

• Repentance is to leave the life of sin and to
  return to God as the prodigal son did.
• Repentance is to renew your mind and to have the
  mind of Christ so that you may be transformed
  (Rom 122).
• Repentance is not only to leave the sin but to
  hate it. Hating sin is the only assurance that
  you will not return back to it.

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Repentance

• Repentance is
• Admitting my sins and shortcomings (David the
  Prophet).
• Regretting from my heart how I disappointed God
  with my actions (St. Peter).
• Promising God that I will never return back to my
  sins again (The Prodigal Son).
• Correcting the consequences of my sins
  (Zacchaeus).
• Having strong hope in the acceptance and
  forgiveness of the Lord (the sinful woman).
• Confessing my sins to God in the presence of the
  priest to receive the absolution (the believers
  during the apostolic time Acts 1918).

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Conclusion

• Temptation Desire Opportunity
• Sanctify your desires by
• Keeping the Word of God in your hearts.
• Guard your senses.
• Escape opportunities by
• Life of prayer and watchfulness.
• Mention the name of the Lord.
• Sin Temptation Action

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Conclusion

• Develop Self-Control by
• Fasting.
• Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• Death Sin - Repentance
• Live the life of Repentance by
• Self Examination.
• Mysteries of Confession and Communion.