Besetting sin has destroyed many great people of God, and rendered their lives and ministry impotent. Presently, many professing believers and ministers have backslid because of besetting sin.
The sin is set upon a person’s life, family, group of families, or a particular nation. It is a sin placed upon a person to destroy him or her. It is a sin that assails over a person, group of persons, an establishment, or a nation. It is the master of sins, a sin that hems in a person’s life. It is a force of sin that surrounds a person’s life. It is a sin that is constantly present to attack a believer.
A besetting sin follows and observes a person’s life to the end if they are not dealt with. It is a habitual sin, which attacks the heart at the slightest opportunity. A besetting sin is a sin fixed by satanic authority on a special appointment to destroy a person’s life. It is a force from satanic kingdom and it is always very resistant to change.
A besetting sin is a sin that is ready to challenge the prayers of its victim before God. It is an obstinate force from the pit of hell assigned to steal, kill, and destroy human souls, making them unfit for heaven. It is an inbuilt sinful power inside or outside man. It is a settled persistent evil force that is always in defiance to the righteousness of God. It is a sin that is always ready to oppose righteous living.
“For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil, which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
(Romans 7:14-24).
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Besetting sin is a foundational bondage. It is one of the worst problems of humankind. It is the greatest and the most stubborn bewitchment against humankind. No deliverance is complete without deliverance from sin. The day Paul overcame his besetting sin, he really thanked God.
“I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin”
(Romans 7:25).
Biblical Examples of Besetting Sins
- Abraham – (Lies): In the days of Abraham, the besetting sin fought and defeated him when he went outside the will of God to live in Egypt (Genesis 12:10-16). The same sin later manifested in the life of his covenant son, Isaac (Genesis 26:7).
- Simeon and Levi – (Anger): These young men laid the foundation of anger in their lives, and it followed them and their lineage (Genesis 34: 25-31; Exodus 32: 25-29; Deuteronomy 33:8-11; Numbers 25: 14; 16: 1-3, 15, 31-33).
- Reuben – (Immorality): (Genesis 49: 1-4, Deuteronomy 33:6, 1 Chronicles 5: 25-26).
- David – (Immorality): (2 Samuel 11:1-27, 12:1-12) Confession of sin is good; but it is better to avoid sin than to dabble into it, and begin to confess it later (2 Samuel 12: 13-23; 18:1-7, 29-33; 19:1-4; 1Kings 2: 5-11; 11: 1-43; 12: 1-33; Psalm 127).
- Judah (immorality): – Gen. 38: 1-2. Check the people that came from the tribe of Judah, and you will notice the effect of immorality on them – David, Solomon etc.
Biblical Examples of those who Overcame Besetting Sin
The following are some of the people who overcame besetting sins in the scripture:
- Jonathan (foundational bondage):He rejected his father’s foundational bondage; thus, jumping out of his father’s family curse (1 Samuel 15:22-23, 26-29; 34-35; 16:1-2; 18:5-30; 19:1,8-24; 18:1-4; 19:1-5; 20:1-4,11-17, 27-34, 42). He received his divine inheritance (2 Samuel 1: 13-37; 9:1-13; 19:24-30; 21:1-9).
- Jabez (poverty): Jabez prayed himself out of family curse and poverty (1 Chronicle 4:9-10).
- Ruth (idolatry, sudden death): Ruth overcame her evil foundation when she took a good decision for God (Ruth 1:14-19, 22).
- Rehab (prostitution): She took a good decision to save God’s servants, and she jumped out from the evil foundation of prostitution.
- Enoch (sinful foundation): (Genesis 5:18-24).
He took a good decision and jumped out of a sinful life that was besetting him as he decided to walk with God. In addition, we all need to emulate him.
No matter how powerful a besetting sin may be the grace to overcome it is made available by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Prayers to Overcome Besetting Sin
- Oh Lord, I hereby repent of all the various manners I have intimidated others, in the mighty name of Jesus.
- Father Lord, forgive me all my sins, in the name of Jesus.
- Heavenly Father, let your Holy Spirit fill every vacancy in my life, in the name of Jesus.
- Every lion in me intimidating my fellow human beings, be swallowed now by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, in the name of Jesus.
- I shall not plant the spirit of fear in others, in the name of Jesus.
- Spirit of truth, possess me and make me gentle, in the name of Jesus.
- I shall not intimidate others again, in the name of Jesus.
- I refuse to be intimidated by any evil giant, in the name of Jesus.
- Any evil power intimidating me in the dream, lose your hold and die now, in the powerful name of Jesus.
- You my character, receive deliverance, in the name of Jesus.