HABITUAL SINS

                                                            Ephesians 4:11-24

INTRODUCTION: We all struggle with indwelling sin or habitual sin. C. S. Lewis in “The Great

Divorce” called our indwelling sin our “Red Lizard.” We all want to get rid of our Red Lizard but

we don’t want to kill it. Our Lord tells us our battle with indwelling sin is spiritual. When we

allow the Red Lizards of sin to live on in our hearts and minds they will continue to vex us in our

spirits and they will hinder our growth in Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:11.

I. DEALING WITH OUR LIZARDS

The apostle Paul in eight verses tells us what it would really mean to kill our Red Lizards of

indwelling sin in our lives: Ephesians 4:17. Those are strong words that won’t draw a crowd. If

you want a crowd tell them what they want to hear: 2 Timothy 4:1-4; Colossians 3:5-7. Our

Lord expects His sons and daughters to allow Him to put our Red Lizards to death:

Colossians 3:8-10. The Red Lizards in your heart tell you it’s ok to live in sin but God says

something very different: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Peter 2:13-14; Matthew 5:27-28. God is

saying to us today: “It is time to put your “Red Lizards” to death! Matthew 16:24-25; Galatians

5:16-25. The simple fact is that the truth does not unite people. The truth comes to divide, to

separate those who truly love the Lord and follow Him from those who say they love the Lord

but do not put to death their sinful ways: John 8:44-47. When we continue in our sin all is not

well: Hebrews 12:14-15. If we are truly born again it will show itself in holy living:

Matthew 7:21-23; Ephesians 4:17-18; John 10:10-11. We must confess and repent of our sins

not cover them: Proverbs 28:13-14. How do we harden our hearts? By not confessing our sin

and renouncing them. Ephesians 4:19: our sin hardens our hearts and we must have more sin

to feel something.

II. THE SON OF GOD WILL SET YOU FREE!

Our Lord Jesus said to the people of His day: John 8:31-36. Do you long to be truly free? Do

you long to feel the life of Christ flowing into and trough your life? When we surrender our

lives to Christ, He sets us free and the “Red Lizard” that controlled our lives now is under

Christ’s control and we can begin to live life that is truly life! Ephesians 4:19-21;

Ephesians 4:22-24. Our true freedom does not come from trying harder to follow a list of rules;

our freedom comes in choosing to crucify our old man and taking the very life of Christ in its

place. Luke 9:23-24. When we trust Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we become a

new creation in Him: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20. If we choose not to put our Red Lizards

to death we will corrupted by our own evil desires: Ephesians 4:22.

III. WHAT RED LIZARDS ARE ROBBING YOU?

Now we get personal! What Red Lizards are still in control in your life? God said of His chosen

people, Israel: Jeremiah 2:13. If we will surrender to the Holy Spirit, He will take us in another

direction; a new way of thinking and a new way of living: Titus 2:11-15. Remember, we are

saved through faith in Jesus Christ unto good works God planned in advance for each of us:

Ephesians 2:8-10. What the apostle Paul is telling us here in Ephesians 4:18-24 is that we must

not drink the water of this world. It will seem to slake our thirst; it will taste so good to our

flesh, but it is poison, it will harden our hearts and deaden our minds and lead us to a continual

lust for more! John 10:10-11.