One Sin Will Destroy You

Walking in the light, this is where the joy is found, the joy of a clear conscience, nothing between my soul and the Savior. Isn't it amazing that the Lord has set it up such that a new convert can have more reality than an elder. He can be walking in more light than an elder.

Walking in the light, that's where you find the sensible presence of God, the sweet assurances of God. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way. But if there's any darkness there, it's like you're running in mud.

If there's any darkness there, it's like you're growing crops that are being choked out by weeds. It's like you're trying to plow with a rusty plow. The chariot wheels they drive so hard.

Depression and perplexities that cannot seem to be fixed if you're not walking in the light, if your heart isn't open. Duncan Campbell, he tells the story that in Scotland he was riding with another person and the car malfunctioned and stopped. It was at nighttime and they didn't have a flashlight.

They couldn't see how to fix it. And then they looked over there and they saw this lighthouse and they realized if we can push the car down there, we'll get it in the light and we can see to fix it, and they did. You've got to get your heart in the light in order to be repaired.

This is where you find more light. In your light we see light. Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart.

Willingness is just such a key. Isn't it? If any man is willing to do his will, he will know of the doctrine. A willing heart is very, very precious in the sight of God.

Walking in the light, this is where we find the power. It says in Romans 13 that we ought to put on the armor of light. That is a powerful thing.

I remember soon after I was converted, the Lord showed me I needed to go and make things right at the bookstore, the university bookstore. I'd shoplifted some books. And so the clerk directed me to the manager of the bookstore.

The manager directed me to the administrator of the union. And there I walked in to this nice office and this man was seated there with his tie. And I told him that I had been saved from my sins by the grace of Christ and become a Christian.

And do you know that man became white in his face as though I'd pulled a gun on him. And I told him that I needed to repay some stolen books. What authority is lost by darkness.

The cost of a dark area. The cost of allowing a dark area in your heart. I mean, it will mar your testimony like a scratch on a new car.

You can't show it off. You can't look people in the eye. It will hinder your fruitfulness.

It will hinder your joy. It will hinder your usefulness in the kingdom of God. It will sap your strength.

We bought an ATV some years ago and got a lot of work out of it. And all of a sudden it began to malfunction. I mean, it would cough and sputter and spit and backfire and no power.

And we took it in and they took the motor apart and said we got it fixed and they didn't. And we took it in a second time and they still thought they had it fixed. We took it in a third time and you know, it was some little device on the handlebar.

I'm talking about allowing a little area of darkness in your heart. It will hurt you. It will harden your heart.

Soft choices make hard hearts. Look at Lot's wife. It will deceive you.

If you allow some besetting sin, some secret sin, some hidden sin, eventually it will deceive you. You cover it at first. You make excuses for it.

Then you begin to talk about it and defend it. And then you begin to laugh about it and brag about it. It will deceive you.

Look at the effects of one sin. Look what one sin did to Abraham. Look what one sin did to Noah.

Look what one sin did to Moses. Look what one sin did to David. What one sin did to the rich young ruler.

This one thing you lack. Look what one sin did to Adam and Eve and the whole human race. What one sin did to the Son of God.

It will hinder your ministry. Because of one point of disobedience, God sought to kill Moses. Look what one sin will do to the church.

Achan. He hindered the whole congregation. Maybe most every.

The historic revival is started by someone stepping into the light. We've heard about the Canadian revival, some of us. And you know, it looks like it started at Bill McLeod's church in Canada.

But really, it started in Michigan when at a meeting, one teenage girl stepped into the light. If you've got an area of darkness, if you've got to be setting sin, if you've got a bondage there, don't pass it by. Work on it.

An athlete, the coach tells him you're going to win if you just get this one area right. A concert pianist. He might have the whole piece real good, but there's this one troublesome area.

What does she do? She works on it. Right, Catherine? She works on it and works and works until it's all smoothed out. Do that also with your heart.

Keep it that way. Isn't it something the way God has made it? I mean, here's this one thing that's fluttering around in my conscience. And all I've got to do to get back into the light is down deep, honestly, sincerely say, Lord, I agree with You against that thing.

I'm going with You. If you're not a true Christian, if you love darkness here, you'll get it there. Outer darkness.

This is the condemnation that light has come and men love darkness rather than light. You know your heart. You know what's going on there.

You better step into the light with God. No darkness at all is what He asks and requires. If you're not a true Christian, don't think that the blood of Jesus will avail for you.

It only avails for those who are walking in the light. Duncan Campbell said again, Calvary will not cover what you are unwilling to uncover. If you're not a Christian, if you're not a true Christian, go for any light you can find.

Any light. Go for any light. The evangelist told Pilgrim, do you see that light over there? Head for that light.

If you're in a cave and only one person had a flashlight, you better walk in the light while you've got some light or darkness is going to overtake you. If you do, you will be a child of light and you'll be able to say, the Lord is my light and my salvation. God is light.

That's the message John says we have heard from him. Scripture says that he that doeth evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be manifested or exposed. Everyone that doeth truth comes to the light that his deeds might be manifested as having been wrought in God.

When you see somebody coming to the light getting honest, God's already done a work. And He's doing a work. And His deeds are manifested as having been wrought in God.