5 Simple Steps to Freedom from Sin

It’s heartbreaking to hear about the struggles some women are facing today. I’m not talking about what to make for dinner or how to get Suzy to dance while Johnny is at baseball kind of struggle. I’m talking about the struggles that change your life in a moment. The ones that have us stunned in disbelief, aching from the pain and wondering, “HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?” 

Secret affairs
Hidden addictions
Divorce
Self-harm
Suicide

We’ve all experienced earth-shattering moments; just fill in the blank of your story_____

My heart aches just tapping these realities on my keyboard.

I know these women. I’ve been this woman. You may know some too. Or maybe she is you?

They’ve got their game faces on {lashes and brows on point}.
They know the drill {chins up, smiles on}.
They are ready to roll {mom jeans buttoned, hems frayed, and holes in place}

Look left – she’s sitting next to you in church. Or, maybe she’s in your bible study? Her IG feed sings, ‘Everything is awesome!’ {as if real life were a Lego movie}. She gushes about the Lord over coffee. And, scripture hangs from her wall in a fancy font on a pretty pallet. 

She looks the part.
She acts the part.

“I’m fine. No, really, I’m fine”.

And, so I repeat, “How does this happen?” 

It’s the question I consider every time I hear of another struggling sister. I want so desperately to understand. I want to learn how to avoid the pitfalls, traps, deception, and lies that lead to such sorrow –gut-wrenching, heart sinking, soul weeping sorrow.

After 20 years of full-time ministry, discipling Christian women worldwide, I’ve noticed a trend that transcends nations, tongues, and tribes.

The biggest mission field today is the girl sitting next to you in church.

I’m on a mission to crack the code.
Stop the madness {and the sadness}.
God wants to turn your hurt into love.
He’s speaking truth over death.
And, I want to declare over you, Freeeedom!! {louder than Mel Gibson in Braveheart.}

It’s time to step off the sidelines. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We are called to get in the game, armor on, swords in hand, and truth at heart. Who’s with me?

Take a good, hard, long look at the ladies in your life.

Behind the smile, one is drowning in disappointment.
Below the surface, another is buried in heartache. 
Deep down, bitterness is brewing into anger and resentment.
Some are now covered in a blanket of shame and regret.
Look around. She’s right there in the weekly hum-drum of your life. 

I know because this gal was me. That was my story. Hidden addictions were my game, and shame was my name. 

Guess what?

I am still her. Redeemed, restored, set free, and on fire for Jesus. Ready to do my part to see women walk in freedom and fulfill their destiny. 

I was deep in sin and shame. Too ashamed and embarrassed to cry out for help. I was the girl sitting next to you in church every Sunday. I lived with one foot on each side of the fence. I loved Jesus, singing his praise, but the rest of the week, I was tormented by temptations I couldn’t resist. They were familiar and fun (in the moment). The grip was tight, the allure was real, and the battle raged—my personal purgatory. 

If ‘they’ only knew?
My family.
My friends.
The ladies in my Bible Study.
My pastors and church leaders.
What would they think, say or do?
If they only knew.

I was too scared to find out. My two worlds never collided. I made certain of it. I had to keep the secrets separate; the skeletons locked up in the closet and the façade alive.

Lying, stealing, porn, promiscuity, masturbation, drugs, and alcohol brewed behind my mask of, “Everything is Awesome!” Some were hidden, some not so secret. 

Too embarrassed to reach out for help. I suffered silently. Until I cracked. I had my mid-life crisis at 29. I needed a change, and it had to be drastic. I knew if I didn’t take serious action that in 10 years, I would still be the same:

Lost
Unfulfilled
Ashamed
Confused
Full of regret

The thought was too unbearable to entertain. So, I abandoned a kitschy-cool job, walked away from a serious relationship, and kissed life as I knew it goodbye. I packed up my Mercedes (cuz kitschy came with a cushy paycheck) and hit the mission field. I needed to find out who this ‘Jesus’ was. For realz.

Boy, oh boy! God showed up. Proving himself real. 

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you”. Matthew 7:7 NLT

That’s ^^ a promise! I got saved, set free, and on fire for Jesus. Surrender, confession and repentance will do that to a girl. 

I was baptized in the Holy Spirit {with the evidence of speaking in tongues}, saw signs and wonders, answered prayers, miraculous healings, and more. The fence I had been teetering was blown to bits. I was all in. No turning back. No plan b. Just Jesus. More of Him, pretty-please.

Thank God that my past is not my future. But you can bet your bottom dollar that I’m gonna let Him use it for His glory. He did it for me – He’ll do it for you.

That’s why I’m here. To share my story with scripture to point ya’ll to Jesus. 

I know what it’s like to sit in church and not really know God.
Lies become reality.
Bad habits {aka sins} sink in.
Heartache abounds.

I should’ve known better.
But I didn’t?
How did I let that happen?
I was lost.
But now I’m found.

If you are lost, you are not alone.

After two decades of discipling women, I’ve learned a thing or two. The dots are connecting now more than ever. Bad habits lead to destruction. The patterns are predictable. But the solutions are simple.

Most ladies I speak with cannot pinpoint where things went wrong or how they got derailed? I get it. Deceit starts small. The shift is subtle. Thus, they can rarely put their finger on the cause.

What they couldn’t explain, the Lord started to reveal to me.

Walk it out: How to Break Bad Habits >>> God’s Way.

5 Simple Steps to Freedom from Sin: Kiss your bad habits goodbye and kick sin to the curb. This is my goof-proof, zero-fluff game plan.

#1: Surrender

Recognize that only Jesus Christ can wash your sin away. He died and rose from the dead – just to prove your debt was paid. One and done. Simply trying harder will not win the battle of bad habits.  Let God have access to every area of your life – He can do more with it than you can. 

God says, “That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you’ve been raised from the dead!—into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.” Romans 6:13-14 MSG

#2: Out with the Old, In with the New

Flip the switch on your bad habit. Replace it with healthier behavior. Stopping cold turkey isn’t sustainable {or fun}. You need a plan to fill the void with something life-giving. During the switch-a-roo, you will discover a deeper sense of joy as you press into the Lord and invest in your well-being.

God promises a way of escape: “We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously”. 1 Corinthians 10:1 TPT

#3: Transparency

This process is about ditching our secret sin. Confessing them to God unleashes new levels of freedom and victory only found in Christ. Finding a trusted friend to confide in adds a deeper layer of accountability, prayer, and support. You can’t go at it alone {nor were you meant to}. Set up times to check in – often and always.

God created us to carry each other’s hardships: “My beloved friends, if you see a believer who is overtaken with a fault, the one who is in the Spirit should seek to restore him in the Spirit of gentleness.” Galatians 6:1 TPT

#4: Praise

Foolproof your freedom with an attitude of gratitude. Passionate praise and adoration to the God we love changes hearts and habits. It establishes a fresh new atmosphere; full of possibility and expectation.

Guess what? Slip-ups happen. So what? Progress over perfection is the name of the game. Don’t let it derail or drag you down. Hop back on the wagon lickety-split with kudos to The King every step of the way. Never underestimate the power of praise.

Let this be your battle cry: “God, pick up the pieces. Put me back together again. You are my praise”! Jeremiah 17:14 MSG

#5: Know Your Why, Know Your Way

Your why is the one constant that will catapult you across the freedom finish line. Here’s your friendly reminder >> It’s not about you! 

Every trial, each mistake, and all of your bad habits are for OTHERS; to teach, lead, empathize, encourage, and equip. When you use them to help others and make a difference in someone else’s life – you add significance and meaning to your own life – not to mention a big fat smile in your heart (and on your face).

Remember God’s why for your life: “However, I have let you live for this purpose: to show you my power and to make my name known on the whole earth.” Exodus 9:16 CSB

Let’s make Jesus famous. God needs you {and so do we}.

Pause.
Take Inventory.

Integrate these simple steps as a part of your daily walk with God. It’s a sure-fire way to lock and load Jesus’ rightful place in your life.  

Giddy up.

As you wake up and walk it out, the Lord is gonna drop His heart’n’soul purpose in your lap (and life).  Stick with Him, sweet friend. God is gonna super-size your dreams as you link arms with Him. Now that’s my idea of a good time!

Are you with meeee?!?!