If you feel sorry and repentant for repeat sins, pray using scripture and try to identify what situations, decisions, activities or friends led you down that path again.
Be mindful that Jesus made payment for ALL sins committed both past, present and future at once. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven.
Table of Contents
1. Repent sincerely
Repentance involves being truly sorry for what one has done and making an internal commitment not to repeat those acts again. At first glance, this may not appear visible to others. Paul noted this when discussing Solomon and Asa; Paul asserted they didn’t appear different but did change (I Kings 14:11). Alternatively, someone’s sincerity of repentance can become obvious through actions like Jonah demonstrated here:
If you truly wish to feel sorry for your sins, it is essential that you recognize their magnitude within. Though difficult, this step will ensure your repentance will be accepted by God. Additionally, scholars vary as to what constitutes major and minor sins; examples could include associating partners with Allah (shirk), murdering someone (violence) and adultery (zina).
True repentance involves changing one’s behavior. In order to do this, practical steps such as avoiding temptation and leaving harmful environments should be taken. Furthermore, repenting of any wrongdoings that violated other people’s rights demonstrates sincere regret for your sins while restoring those affected.
True repentance requires faith that Jesus’ death and resurrection have provided a permanent solution to your sins. According to Peter’s writings, believers can rejoice in our salvation due to “the grace that was given us in Christ Jesus,” an inheritance against the wrath of God. Therefore if you follow Him you no longer need to ask forgiveness for past transgressions as these have already been covered by his sacrifice; but if your behaviors continue to cause problems then genuine repentance must occur before returning back into sinful patterns – or face punishment from Him for continuing transgressions!
2. Beware of temptation
Temptation is Satan’s way of getting us to disobey God. It takes many forms, from food and alcohol, through drugs, lustful thoughts or any number of other activities – to stop temptation from overpowering you, you must learn how to recognize it – the Bible says we all experience temptation at some point but God never allows it beyond what you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). To remain aware of temptation’s presence and avoid its destructive power try limiting situations, decisions or activities which cause temptation, such as food, alcohol consumption. Additionally telling someone trustworthy can help support and pray for them both.
Keep yourself busy so you have no time to focus on things that lead to sin. Work hard, play with friends, and pursue hobbies; taking part in these things should keep your mind occupied so there’s less of an opportunity for sinful activities to enter your mind. If a situation occurs where sin could potentially enter, remember God has instructed us all to flee immorality and youthful lusts (Matthew 6:18, 2 Timothy 2:12) If the urge strikes quickly get out!
Be mindful that one day you won’t be tempted by sin at all! Even if it seems difficult now, take heart that change takes time and effort – stay strong and don’t give up fighting! Know that God forgives sincerely when you turn back to Him with repentant hearts – one day your freedom from sin will arrive completely! Keep working towards that end goal; God loves you! –Amy Jones of Amysjourneythroughthebible.com/
3. Take practical steps to avoid it
Once you’ve taken steps to genuinely repent of a sin, it is crucial that you take the necessary steps to avoid repeating it in future. Prayer and taking a close look at situations, decisions, activities or relationships which trigger those bad habits is helpful for this; conversely it might also be wise to inform a Christian friend so that they can pray alongside you and encourage you; especially helpful if gossiping tends to be your habit!
If you find yourself talking badly of other people behind their backs frequently, perhaps limiting your time with them would help. Also it would be prudent not to go places that tempt you towards sin – for instance bars may tempt drunkenness so perhaps avoid going there altogether; avoid anything which could trigger temptation such as certain television shows or movies too.
Reminding yourself who you truly are may sound counterintuitive, but remembering that at your core you are moral will make it easier to overcome bad behaviors.
One reason that Christians fall into repeated sinful behavior is due to insincere repentance, something the Bible explicitly warns against. Additionally, God can easily detect hypocritical repentance; He won’t forgive it otherwise.
Repeated sin can be seen as an indicator that you don’t take its severity seriously enough or that there needs to be extra work done in overcoming that particular sin. But always keep Jesus’ blood as an aid in repenting truly from repeated offenses; so long as your efforts at avoidance continue with genuine repentance then forgiveness for that particular act can be found within its scope.
4. Ask for forgiveness
Sin can often form habits that are difficult to break. Therefore, it’s crucial to seek God’s forgiveness and ask Him for assistance to overcome them. Additionally, try avoiding what led you into temptation in the first place by spending more time praying, reading your Bible, and reaching out to other Christians for support.
When approaching God with an appeal for forgiveness, it is key that you do it in good faith and honestly. This means truly regretting any actions taken and making the decision not to repeat them again. Pray out loud for guidance if possible to express what’s on your heart. Lastly, focus on your relationship with Jesus instead of any bad habits – He loves you no matter what.
Be mindful that, even after asking for forgiveness, you could fall back into the same sinful habits again. Therefore, taking steps to avoid them in future is necessary; you could tell another Christian friend about your struggles so they can pray with and encourage you; alternatively you could write out all your struggles in a journal and read it when the urge for sin arises.
Another key point to keep in mind is that in order for God to forgive you, you must first show mercy by forgiving others. The Bible and Jesus provide ample proof of this point. Additionally, keep in mind that He does indeed forgive all forms of sin even repeated ones that keep coming back up again and again.
Sins that cannot be forgiven include any act that violates the Holy Spirit, such as blasphemy. Only Jesus Christ’s grace can provide forgiveness; if you accept His gift of forgiveness then all will be well regardless of your actions.
