Sins don’t happen alone.  They operate in groups.  If you surrender to one sin, expect more to follow.

Luke 11:26  “Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

This parable speaks of a man who had an evil spirit.  The evil spirit left him.  I believe the story implies that the man worked to rid himself of the evil spirit.  He was successful for a period of time.  However, the evil spirit recruited seven more wicked spirits and barged back into the man’s life.  He was worse off in the end than he was in the beginning!

[shareable]Remember that sins run in groups.  When you open the door to one, you are inviting more to follow.[/shareable]

There are several vital truths found in this parable.

Willpower is not enough to overcome sin.  This man didn’t want the evil spirit.  After it left, he cleaned and organized his life.  However, God isn’t mentioned in the story at all.  You need God’s help to win the spiritual battles in your life.  Resolve, secular counseling, and an organized program will not deliver you alone.  You need God to free you.

This man didn’t practice the doctrine of replacement.  When you remove a sin from your life, you must fill the void of time and energy with good things or sin will eventually return.  

You may be able to get short victories over sin and temptation in the flesh, but there is a boomerang effect.  If you don’t deal with the underlying issues of sin, it will come back at you hard and fast.  Usually, leaving you worse than when you started.

 But there is one lesson of this verse that we must understand today if we hope to get victory over temptation.  

Sin doesn’t travel alone.  When you cave in to one sin, expect more to follow.  Some sins go together so often that I call them “sister sins.”  They are like a family.  

Pride is the “mother sin.”  It was the original sin, and all sins contain an element of pride.  Be humble, or your pride will open a floodgate of sins heading your way.

Sister sins happen in groups or two or more.  The Bible gives many examples of sins occurring together.  Here are a few:

  • Rebellion & Malice       
  • Immorality & Anger
  • Laziness & Theft       
  • Anger & Disobedience
  • Jealousy & Strife       
  • Bitterness & Fornication
  • Hatred & Murder       
  • Lying & EVERYTHING

Lying accompanies most sins.  Usually, people will lie in order to sin, then lie to cover up the sin, then lie about their lies. 

Remember that sins run in groups.  When you open the door to one, you are inviting more to follow.

Sins will keep piling up until you repent of the first sin then those that followed.  God’s plan is to confess sin and forsake sin.  That is the path to victory.

Just say NO to temptation today!

[callout]“Lord Jesus, I’m sorry for my foolishness. I thought that I could control sin once I allowed it in my life. Please deliver me from the sins that I am committing. I confess them as sin and want to stop them so I can be like You. I want to be holy like You are holy. Deliver me. Amen.'[/callout]

Today’s Bible Reading:  Luke 11:1-26

Read this devotional series from the beginning here.