We have all seen and heard those commercials promoting tourism for the city of Las Vegas - AKA Sin City. Their catch line became, "What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!" I guess the concept being, you can do whatever you want here, and it will be our little secret. The very essence of this sales pitch being you can do things here you might not otherwise do, and no one will no about it. But this couldn't be farther from the truth.
We can see in the Book of Numbers Moses warning the tribes of Gad and Benjamin to obey the Lord in what He had instructed them to do - if they chose not to, their sin would find them out. All too often, people think they have gotten away with their sinful actions, only to have them resurface later.
We can see an example of this in the Book of Genesis. We read of the story of Joseph and of how his brothers had sinned by throwing him into a pit and eventually selling him into slavery. They thought their actions would solve their problem of jealousy and anger, and yet their sin found them out many years later (Gen. 37-50).
When you think about it, this is what sin always does - it entices us into believing it is the answer for something, and into it being able to fulfill a need in our life. It can be the temptation to gamble in an effort to win some money to handle a financial problem, or to buy the things they are coveting as well - the car, or lifestyle your neighbor has. It can be the temptation to have an affair, or to go and get drunk and seek to forget ones problems.
The fact is, it can be just about any type of temptation to sin, and we don't have to go to Las Vegas to be tempted or to act upon our temptations either.
As tempting as sin may present itself, it never truly satisfies in the way we perceive it will - it always leaves the sinner longing for more. The more a person sins, the more they desire to fulfill the lust of the flesh. The fire of sin burns hotter and hotter, never having enough to fuel it completely. In the end a person will find himself or herself still wanting something more to bring true lasting satisfaction and fulfillment - and it will never be found in stoking the coals of sin. Only Jesus can truly meet the need we have deep within our lives for fulfillment.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)
As Christians, we must deal with any and all sin within our life by confessing it, repenting of it, and allowing God to use it to help others by sharing what we have learned from it. All too often, people attempt to cover up the things they have done wrong, thinking they can hide it. We see Adam doing this very thing in the Garden of Eden once he sinned by eating the forbidden fruit - it was only then that he knew the difference between good and evil and immediately he became ashamed of being naked.
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Genesis 3:6-7 (NKJV)
It is always the same pattern of Satan tempting, man partaking in what is forbidden, the damaged caused by the sinful action, including the consequences of the sin finding them out.
I want to encourage you today to bring any unconfessed sin before the Lord and lay it at His feet in prayer. Ask for His forgiveness, repent of any ongoing actions you may have in your life - those actions not in the will of God. Seek His forgiveness and cleansing today. Jesus' blood was shed for your sin, and it is ample payment for any sin one confesses with a truly repentive heart. Walk in the Spirit by abiding in God's will and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). Remember, once you do this, you are forgiven, so don't allow the enemy to come back into your life and attempt to condemn you for these sinful actions which have been paid for by Christ.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 (NKJV)
STUDY QUESTION: What can we learn from Numbers 32:23 with regard to our unrepented, unconfessed sin?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Is there any sin you have not confessed to God and repented of (turned from)?
APPLICATION: Seek the Lord and ask Him to reveal any sin in your life in which you have not confessed and turned from. Now ask Him to strengthen you to walk in freedom from this sinful action. Believe in His healing hand for any strongholds the enemy may have developed - those bad habits you're fighting to quit.
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