A Story

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
1 Corinthians 15:57

A pickpocket once strolled into a rescue mission and
was converted. He saw in Christ pardon for sins and
power against them. Rejoicing in a new life he went
on his way planning for the future. "In my unregener-
ate days," said he to himself, "I used to pick twenty
pockets a day. But now I am a Christian man, and I
know that to pick pockets is a sin. So I must give it
up--gradually, of course. Tomorrow I'll make a start
and for the rest of this month I shall pick only ten
pockets a day: next month by striving and struggling
against this sin, I'll cut down to five a day--for I am
a Christian man now. By the end of the year by con-
stant endeavor (and the help of God) I hope to give
up picking pockets altogether."

Do you believe that story? The writer does not. But
have we not been guilty of this very thing in our deal-
ing with bad temper, pride, irritability, jealousy, un-
loved? We expect a pickpocket, or a drunkard, or a 
gambler to give up his sin once and for all--the very
moment of his conversion. We tell him--and tell him
truly--that Christ is able to give him complete and
instant victory. Is God unable to give us a similar vic-
tory over what we deem to be lesser sins? He is able
to make us "more than conquerors."

Victory is a gift of God and not a growth. Paul recog-
sized this. He did not say, "Thanks be to God who 
gives us a gradual victory," but "gives us the victory
through Jesus Christ our Lord."

There is no such thing as a gradual victory over sin--
although we may think there is. God's gifs are perfect.
the fact is, He gives us Jesus Christ Himself to dwell
in our hearts by faith. And Jesus Christ keeps us.
Can we trust Christ to do it?   
An unknown Christian

Reader, I came across this story some time ago and
it caught my attention--after I thought about it for
awhile. May you find him adequate to deliver you
out of every dominating sin. He really is our victory!