God Says Go, My Sin Says No

What a powerful retreat! Students coming to faith in Jesus, repentance of sin, prophetic words! What an impact! But when our dynamic retreat speaker fell to adultery, over a hundred students faced significant disillusionment. His sin annulled much of his ministry.

What about our ministry? Any glaring sin? University students commonly struggle with lust, fornication, pornography, unforgiveness, anger, etc. We hear God’s call and respond, “Yes, I’ll go!”, but sin often dominates areas of our life.

You don’t have to be perfect to go, but you do need to strengthen your walk in holiness with Jesus. Sin cannot only undermine your ministry, but it can even prevent you from going. As a student preparing for your life’s calling, the following simple, yet effective, guidance will ensure when God says Go, your sin doesn’t say No.

Commit to a Holy Life

We all have temptations and struggles. The apostle Peter encourages, “Be holy, because I am holy” (NIV 1 Peter 1: 16). Holiness is a mandate, not an option. Determine in your heart now to take whatever measures are necessary for you live a holy life.

Bring Sin to Light

Here’s the real skinny. There is no such thing as secret sin–God sees it all. We must bring our struggles and sin to the light before the devil exposes it at an inopportune moment.

Deal With Sin

Confess your struggles and sin to your campus pastor or another respected authority. Ask them to hold you accountable.

Embrace God’s Truth

God’s word is true: you are a new creation. The bad and old is gone, and everything is new (2 Cor. 5:17). The devil will try to throw the past at you: “Look what you have done! You can’t be a missionary even for a week!” The devil is a liar, don’t entertain his haunting lies.

Your baggage from the past? Check it in with God, and don’t pick it back up. Follow His call to Go.

We hear God’s call and respond, “Yes, I’ll go!”, but sin often dominates areas of our life.

Do you still have sin you thought you’d conquered that jumps up out of nowhere? Don’t let it disqualify you. Commit to a holy life, bring your sin to His light, deal with the sin, and embrace God’s truth.  Don’t let sin stand in the way of His calling on your life, whether it’s sin you haven’t dealt with or past sin the devil tries to use against you. If your campus leader or pastor is aware of the struggle and says you can go, then Go!

Reflection questions:

What sin have you hid from others but can’t be hid from God?

How can you respond when the devil uses past sin to undermine your calling?