There is a placard penned by an anonymous writer that has gone around titled “5 Things You Can’t Take Back”.
1. A stone after it’s thrown
2. A word once it is spoken
3. An occasion once it is missed
4. An action when it is done
5. Time once it has passed.
Each of us has thrown a stone, spoken an unkind word, missed an important event, acted the fool and realized that time is passing by. We’ve all wished we hadn’t done this or that. We’re all sinners. There is no one exempt from making a mistake. As sinners, we have the opportunity to be saved and forgiven by the grace of God through Christ Jesus, but we do make mistakes. Each of us, no matter who we are, what background or walk of life are all bound to err. The Scripture is clear, the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak so what we need to avoid sinning is power not to do what is wrong. It was the great apostle Paul who confessed “I do what I don’t want to do and don’t do what I want to do”. The great “chief of sinners” said that. He then called on “picking up the cross of Christ daily”. So what we need, sinners that we are is Jesus daily. We need His power. Jesus overcame death. He can overcome our sin for us as He lives in us.
When a person has asked the Holy God of the universe, the Holy Spirit, to live inside of him or her, there is definitely life-changing behavior. It is power unleashed. It is power that we just cannot understand. It is Emanuel- “God with us”.
Those who do not have the Holy Spirit in them cannot possibly live a pure and righteous life because there is no power inside of their being. Rather, the flesh lives inside of that person with no spiritual life for power. Since the only real and possible way to prevent sinful behavior is to fear the Lord, a person must have Him (Christ) in their being. For power over sin, a person must have the Holy Spirit of God in them. That Holy Spirit only comes if they have confessed their sins or wrong-doing and come to God in full belief. That is it, plain and simple. There is no other way to reject sin, stay away from things we should not do and keep ourselves out of trouble. If we fear God, we will then realize that in all cases we are in the presence of our Maker, Creator and God and we will be held accountable for everything we do, every thought in our mind and every act that we commit.
God is watching. He is our only hope and the more we realize that He is there, we must give Him our allegiance in full measure.
There are indeed mistakes we can’t take back. The scripture notes: “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life”. It is a great scripture to help illustrate the possibility of death when we sin. Sometimes we err on earth in our relationships, financial situations, home and life dealings, business endeavors and more. After we’ve committed a grievous sin and it has been made aware to others, there is no way to “take it back”. It is something like the proverbial “feathers in the wind”. When the feathers are strewn by the wind, there is no way to pick them all up again. The wages of sin is death. It could be the death of a marriage, the death of our credit score, the death of a family relationship, the death of our job with a company and the list goes on. When we do things that cause death in any area, we may never be able to “get it back” Only Jesus overcame death and so only by Him could we ever revive any sin-filled mess we have caused.
This morning I was walking towards my Sunday School room in downtown Jacksonville, Florida near the main bus station depot when I spotted an apparently newly minted but empty liquor bottle. My first thoughts were about its owner. I wondered if that person finished it off by him or herself. I wondered if he or she spent the only money in their possession to buy it. It came to mind if that person was truly satisfied by the results of the empty container or miserable making a mistake not to be taken back.
There are definitely mistakes we cannot take back but it does not have to be so. If we will simply ask God through Jesus Christ to come into our heart He will indwell our being and give us a power known only unto His own. Won’t you try Jesus today? There will be no mistaking His love, power and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which will give you strength to overcome sinful behavior.
For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37.
If you are struggling with anything that you remotely feel you can’t conquer, try Jesus. He is your hope and power for success.
Prayer of Forgiveness
Dear God,
I know that I am a sinner. I have sinned against you. I need a savior and I cannot save myself. I confess my complete failure and trust in Christ today. I believe He died on the cross carrying my sins with Him. Forgive me Lord Jesus and come into my heart. Change me. Live inside of me and make me new and I will serve you all the days of my life.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Galatians 5:16 – I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 – Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
King James Version, Public Domain