Besetting sin is the sin that hangs around a person, left and right. It is a sin that takes away people’s power to know what to do. Besetting sin is a sin at hand. It is a persisting tendency in the heart to do or desire what you are not supposed to do. It is a compulsory power pulling you away from your God and from his will that is clearly written down in the scriptures. It is a sin or sins that can easily overcome a person.
You cannot finish the victorious Christian race you began if you are beset by sin. You can lose a lot of blessings by battling sin. Even though you may spend a lot of time praying and fasting, crying out to God, and receiving many benefits from him, all your efforts will be for naught if you commit even one besetting sin.
“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”
Hebrew 4:1
Moses had a besetting sin of impatience and anger and it prevented him from entering the Promised Land. It will not allow a believer to run his Christian race consistently or to get to his destination.
“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”
Hebrews 4:2-3
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Besetting sin can make a true believer turn away from God. It can cause him to see the Christian life as an impossible race. It can make a believer to grow cold and leave his first love. It can make a believer turn away from the full lights of the gospel to compromise little by little towards sin and the world. A person who is a victim to any besetting sin will begin to allow little foxes into his life, arguing that it ‘does not’ matter, until his spiritual life is reduced into worldliness. He will start getting weak without realizing it until the flesh gains supremacy over his spiritual life. He will begin to commit some sins outwardly without minding it. People around him will observe it but he will not because he has gotten used to it. This continues until he sees nothing wrong with it again. The worldly society around him will gradually creep into him unknown to him. He may even become covetous and will start taking bribes, steal or, tell lies without having any feeling of guilt. He may even start compromising his faith little by little. Pride, lust, self-indulgence, and love of money, the world and care of the world will start manifesting in him but he will not take it serious. Such people if placed in leadership positions can use authority to intimidate others or can inordinately use authority. They can even be too busy to pray.
Even if there may be an unregulated or unconquered besetting sin present, the sufferer could be led to feel that everything is well. After being placed in the family way by her father five times, a young girl fled from his occult father and sought aid from a pastor. She was really invited to stay in the church for prayers by the pastor, who likely had the consuming sin of immorality. The pastor slept with her after the evening prayers. The little girl claimed that anyone who committed this transgression with her ultimately did the same with other women, imparting the same spirit of immorality into them. She also informed me that a victim of this nature begins to perform more miracles which attracts people to him for further defilement.
That is to tell you that outward ministerial success with a besetting sin is a deceit of the highest order. No matter how powerful a pastor or a believer may seen to be, if his life is not straight, he should be avoided.
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
There is a story of a pastor in a recent article. The story explained the success of the pastor’s rapidly growing congregation from a handful to eleven thousand members. Paul Yonggi Cho and some others conducted church growth congress in his church. They found out that this man was involved in immoral acts with some ladies in his church. The numbers of ladies made known were about ten. Despite his numerous immoral affairs with these women, many people still troop into his church to ask for the secret of his numerical growth. The Pastor when he was confronted about these facts; said that he was busy with programmes and conventions that he had no time to seek the face of God for restoration.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Matthew 7:21-23
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The devil is a master planner and a mighty deceiver. It takes a spiritually led person to discern his actions. He can allow you to prosper and even receive answers to your prayers as long as you will not resist your besetting sin. He has assisted many believers to prosper and even receive answers to their prayers as long as they did not resist their besetting sin. He has assisted many believers to pray very well and receive answers provided, they allowed anger, malice or immorality to reign in their lives. He can even give them victory over some major battles of life but held them down with partial obedience as their own besetting sin.
To others who are ready to resist him, he tried to hinder or delay the answers to their prayers. But whatever be the case, believers should hate besetting sin, with perfect hatred and fight it to the end until it finally bows to the Lordship of Christ.
Prayers Against Delayed Answers
- Any power ready to hinder the answers to my prayers, die, in the name of Jesus.
- I destroy the root of any besetting sin in my life, in the name of Jesus.
- Oh Lord, empower me to pray with faith, in the name of Jesus.
- Blood of Jesus, release answers to my prayers, in the name of Jesus.
- As I pray today, Oh Lord releases the answers, in the name of Jesus.
- Holy Ghost fire, burn to ashes every anti-prayer spirit, in the name of Jesus.
- Any power assigned to delay the answers to my prayers, fall down and die, in the name of Jesus.
- Anointing to pray and receive an answer, fall upon me by fire, in the name of Jesus.
- Blood of Jesus, flow into the root of my life, in the name of Jesus.
- Any power of worldliness assigned to rob me of my benefits, die, in the name of Jesus.