Sin Messes You Up

Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.” Joshua 7:13 (NKJV)

The city of Ai was a fourth of the size of Jericho, and Joshua figured that it was going to be an easy win, so he only sent 3000 soldiers. Boy, was he wrong. The Israelite army was easily defeated and had to flee for their lives. Back at camp, confused and frustrated, Joshua asks God, if He brought them across the Jordan to deliver them into the hands of the Amorites to destroy them. God answers him and say's "it's sin in your camp that messed you up, and until you get rid of it, you will keep losing to your enemies." Upon doing a search, Joshus found that Achan had disobeyed the Lord's command and taken spoils from Jerico. For his sin, Achan and his family were put to death.

Just like the Jews of the Old Testament, sin messes up Christians today. Alcoholism, gambling, drug use, phonography, anger, theft, and co-dependency are just a few of the sins that can mess us up. As Christians, we are to support one another in overcoming sin. Galatians 6:2 tells us to "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, we will fulfill the law of Christ." Luckily there are Christ-based recovery groups in the church today to help put our sin behind us. Celebrate Recovery is one of them, where we go to give our hurts, habits and hangups to Christ who saved us.

Choose not to let your sin mess you up anymore. Give your hurts, habits, and hang-ups to God. Attend a recovery meeting like CR, because not one of us is without sin and we need each other's support to overcome our personal sin.