Sin Addiction: Guarding the Avenues to the Soul

Time is drawing to a close. Now, more than ever before, it is imperative to guard every avenue to the soul through which Satan would seek to entice and ensnare.


Sin is addictive. It does not matter what the sin is: anger, malicious gossip, drugs, evil surmising, pride, nicotine/alcohol, pornography, masturbation, or something else. It is all addictive.

he only answer for any of us is found in Yahushua. Each one is answerable to Yahuwah for his own soul. As Scripture explains, “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in [the land], they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Master Yahuwah.” (See Ezekiel 14:14.) With probation soon to close, every single one of us must search our hearts for hidden sin and surrender it all to Yahushua.

Lust—for sex, for food, for drugs, foranything impure—is the appetite of demons expressed through human beings. The only way Satan has to entice the soul is through the five senses. These must be carefully guarded. A healthy diet, an abstemious life-style, sufficient sleep, all work together to guard and strengthen the five senses.

Satan entices through the five senses, but he ensnares through the mind. Those who would be purified and made ready to greet the Saviour at His coming must be diligent in guarding the thoughts because thoughts dwelt upon, become feelings. And it is the thoughts and feelings combined that form the character.

Going to Heaven through the grave is different than being translated without seeing death at the Second Coming. Everyone who goes to Heaven without seeing death, will come up to some point or struggle in their lives over which they cannot conquer on their own. It does not matter if 95% of a person’s character is inherited tendencies to evil or if only 5% is comprised of inherited tendencies to evil. Only Yahushua can save. A person with 95% inherited tendencies to evil can still be saved if he surrenders all to the Saviour. And a person, raised in the best environment, of Yah-fearing parents, with only 5% inherited tendencies to evil, can still be lost if he thinks he can overcome in his own strength and refuses to surrender to Yahushua.

“The injunction to cleave to Yahuwah will be precious to us if we will understand and obey it. Trust constantly in Yah. Have unswerving faith in Him because of the unmistakable evidence given you of His love and power. Never does one stretch out his arms in faith to the Saviour, but there are placed around and underneath him the everlasting arms, and he is comforted and sustained.” (Ellen White, Letter 17, January 14, 1903.)

Many are inquiring, “How am I to make the surrender of myself to Yahuwah?”¹ You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that Yahuwah cannot accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice Yahuwah has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to Yahuwah its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Yahushua; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.²

One area that is particularly difficult to the men of the final generation is sexual impurity. Many sincere Christian men struggle with addictions to pornography and masturbation. What needs to be clearly understood is that these sins start with the eyes. When a man allows his eyes to linger on a woman’s body, the mind and imagination become engaged. Christian women dress modestly, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the man to allow his eyes to linger, or to choose to avert his eyes. Where the eyes are allowed to linger, the thoughts are inclined to dwell.

“When we come to Yahuwah confessing our unworthiness and sin, He has pledged Himself to give heed to our cry. The honor of His throne is staked for the fulfillment of His word unto us.

“… Our great High Priest remembers all the words by which He has encouraged us to trust. He is ever mindful of His covenant.

“All who seek of Him shall find. All who knock will have the door opened to them. The excuse will not be made, Trouble Me not; the door is closed; I do not wish to open it. Never will one be told, I cannot help you. Those who beg at midnight for loaves to feed the hungry souls will be successful.”

(Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 148)

Steps for Conquering

Whatever your cherished sin, there are four specific steps you can take to overcome:

1. Call upon the name of Yahuwah. Claim the promises applicable to your situation and pray, fully expecting to receive an answer.
2. With determination and great firmness, state your intent. Be specific and put it into words.
3. Ask Yahuwah to make you aware of impending danger when you first start to wander close to temptation. Ask Him to remind you to pray and ask for help before your emotions are enticed into lusting after the desired sin.
4. Have friends help hold you accountable.

Having a trusted group, even if only one other person, with whom you can be mutually accountable, can be a tremendous help in overcoming addictions to sin. The men and women who work to spread truth via WLC are committed, heart and soul, to Yahuwah. But we, too, are still human. We, too, still make mistakes. We, too, still need a Saviour.

Take Sin Seriously

Brothers and sisters, the end is too near to gamble with our salvation. We need to take sin seriously. We need to guard the avenues to our souls. In the storms of life, turn to the Saviour and He will lift you up.

Do not listen to the enemy’s suggestion to stay away from Christ until you have made yourself better; until you are good enough to come to Yahuwah. If you wait until then, you will never come. When Satan points to your filthy garments, repeat the promise of Yahushua, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37. Tell the enemy that the blood of Yahushua cleanses from all sin. Make the prayer of David your own, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7.

Arise and go to your Father. He will meet you a great way off. If you take even one step toward Him in repentance, He will hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite love. His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very first reaching out of the heart after Yahuwah is known to Him. Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after Yahuwah is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of Yahuwah goes forth to meet it. Even before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the human soul.³