Break that chain!
“For sin shall not have dominion over you” Rom 6:14 KJV.
This is a true saying and nothing but the truth. Sin shall no longer have dominion over you. You do not have to continue to live a defeated life under the dominion of sin.
When sin comes, it looks as if it is alone, but far from it. Sin comes with a chain of other sins. It comes with a chain of bondage, not just to itself but also to other sins that you never bargained for.
For example, there are many people today who have committed murder through abortion. Not because they set out to commit murder, but the sin of lust and immorality had it attached to their chain, but the victim never saw it. Let’s look at David; the day he saw Bathsheba taking his bath, he never planned to eliminate her husband so as to have her. One thing led to another and at the end of the day, David’s lust brought adultery and in a bid to cover it up, he conspired against Uriah, betrayed his young army officer, set him up and he was murdered. I suspect that if there was any confidant around David after the whole drama, he would confess to him, “I never intended or planned to murder an innocent blood in my life. I avoided killing King Saul even when I had the opportunity. I don’t know how I entered into this mess”.
The jealousy and hatred of the brothers of Joseph had in its baggage, betrayal, murder and lies. The day they were asking Joseph to shut up in the house after he told one of his dreams was not the day they set out to kill him. However, that sin of hatred had a chain that was dragging lies, conspiracy, and murder from behind. They did not see them until the time when circumstances arranged themselves. Indeed, sin comes with a chain. One sin leads to another and to another and to another. If the chain is not broken early, it leads to other bondages. Our prisons today are filled with many people who have the remaining part of their lives wondering what made them do what they did. There are a lot of people whose lives are broken because of some things they have done and they are wondering how they got to the point they are today. Some will even look at their childhood pictures and are wondering what happened that the innocent face in the picture has put his hands into sins he never dreamed. It just started with one innocent-looking enticement to sin and then the chain entangles.
The last person we will look at is Judas Iscariot who kept stealing money from the money box he was keeping for years, parleying with some wrong people in power and never knew that all these would create insensitivity towards sin in his heart, so strong that he would conspire to betray and sell his Master. The day the Lord Jesus called Judas, he did not set out that he would end up committing suicide. He followed like every other person. However, one opened door to sin led to another and the chain continued until he lost all sensitivity towards sin.
Child of God, never you underestimate any sin. It is not alone. It has a chain no matter how simple and innocent-looking it may seem. If you are already trapped, you do not have to continue in the slippery road; you will only end up sliding down even into things you never bargained for in your life. Snap that chain! Sin shall not have dominion over you. That is the truth.
Now one may ask, how can I break the chain?
Godly sorrow: breaking the chain of sin starts with godly sorrow. The prodigal son came back to his senses, asked himself sincere and personal questions which people around him possibly did not know about. He changed his mind and decided to snap the chain of his sinful living. He humbled himself and was even ready to accept becoming a servant in his father’s house.
You must stand before God as somebody who has no arguments in defense. Accept His verdict and tell Him you are sorry. Ask for mercy.
Radical action of turning: breaking the chain of sin involves taking some radical steps no matter whose ox is gored. Whose life is being ruined? Yours! Whose life is entangled? It’s yours! Hence, who will take the radical turn? You! Again, the prodigal son dammed the shame and headed home to face the father he disappointed through his riotous living. He did not stop on the way. He did not branch into bypass. He headed home to face his father, elder brother, relatives and servants. His chain was snapped the day he turned, parked his bags and headed home, not the day he cried over his life of suffering. There are people who may need to move from where they are now to another location if their chains must be broken. Others may take some costly decisions. But in all, make sure that you break that chain. Sin shall not rule over you!
