I’ve been learning to drive recently, and I often find myself tripping up on one particular segment in the circuit. 

The crank course is annoying. At least for me, those sharp 90º turns require some good judgment before turning, lest I strike the kerb for the umpteenth time. 

But under the guidance of my instructors and a good amount of practice, I find myself more confident at manoeuvring the car and navigating the bends that come my way.

In the same vein, having victory over sin is like learning to drive. It is a process full of twists and turns, and we have to take it one step at a time, with Jesus right next to us.

Sin doesn’t define who we are

The first step to having victory over our sins is not letting them define us. 

Jesus bore the penalty of our sins on the cross, setting us free. Jesus rose from the grave on the third day, defeating death and allowing us to have eternal life through Him. 

Because of Jesus, we are no longer a people defined by death and seared by sin. Because He rose again, we have been given a new life.

We can have a clean slate because we are made new in Christ. We can live a life that pleases God, as the Spirit empowers us to, rather than being stuck in a cycle of sin.

When we let our sins define us, we allow ourselves to be trapped in that cycle, and we cannot freely move forward into the new life that God has given us.

During my very first driving lesson, I was absolutely terrible at braking and accelerating. I was so clueless that I floored the accelerator, thinking that it would be as stiff as those in the arcade.

It took a conscious choice for me not to let my former mistakes dictate how I would learn to drive. Yes, I was once terrible at driving, but that is now behind me. They don’t represent how I drive now. 

Jesus died and rose again so that we could be made anew, so put off the old self and don’t let it cling to you!

Stones will be rolled away when Jesus guides us

Having victory over sin is not something that we can do on our own. Our own strength isn’t sufficient to overcome recurring fleshly desires. 

That tombstone that sealed the grave was immovable. Standing at 2 tonnes, no human could push it on their own.

We all have similar huge stones in our lives. For some of us, it could be shame and guilt that prevent us from being honest with God. Or maybe, it’s a persistent struggle with a particular sin or thought pattern. 

Whatever the stone looks like — take heart. Our God brings victory and is mighty enough to overcome any obstacle.

Mark 16:4 reads: “But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” 

That morning, the stone was rolled away supernaturally. Can we trust Jesus to guide us and remove the obstacles in our path towards triumphing over sin?

While learning to drive, I knew that I needed my instructor beside me to guide me through the twists and turns, and tell me what to look out for.

Similarly, we all need a Guide for our journey through life; the next step in being victorious is to have faith in our Instructor to help us out.

As with all things, speeding gets you nowhere (it’ll probably get you into a crash!). Victory over sin is not an immediate process, but a journey that requires patience.

“Set free” also means forgiving ourselves

To be truly set free from sin, we also have to forgive ourselves. Jesus’ resurrection shows us that the sacrifice made by Him was perfect. We have been forgiven and are no longer condemned to living a life of sin.

So, let’s not beat ourselves up and condemn ourselves for our past sins. In Christ, victory isn’t just a concept – it’s a way of life. We can’t be victorious if we’re stuck in our old ways and mindsets. 

If we sin, repent and lean on Christ for the strength to try again. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Our chains have been broken. The stone has been rolled away. Today, you and I have been set free — free to follow God’s perfect will for our lives. 

But one last question remains: Will we trust Jesus to help us follow His will and have victory over sin?