Is Your City Sin City?

As I write this, I am sitting in a great hotel room in Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. When I was getting ready to come here, I told one of the pastors at my church that I was going to Sin City. He responded by asking, "What city is that?" His next comment was even more striking. He stated that every city is sin city nowadays.

I have been thinking about that and it is so true. It is hard to differentiate one place from another in the universal sense of sinfulness. However, we have to acknowledge that each area has its own particular wickedness that seems to prevail. For instance, here in Las Vegas, gambling is abundant. I have observed scores of people sitting motionless in front of machines that are sucking up their finances. There is a certain excitement in the bells and whistles, to be sure. I have seen high stakes tables where people wager more money than I make in a month on the draw of some cards or the toss of some dice. I have taken a look at the people and you can almost tell those that have been in this environment for a long time. There is a certain quiet desperation in their faces. I have seem more boobs and booze here than I have ever seen in my life, and I only went out one night.

This may not be the dominant spirit where you live, but do not think your area is exempt. There is something, if you really stop to look at it, that is recognizable as a territorial sin issue. In Houston, as in much of the South, religion is the ruling spirit. People are very religious and attend church faithfully without ever changing their lives by establishing a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. They follow big name preachers and wear membership in large churches as a badge of honor.

However, I did not come to bring you bad news. I came to encourage you that even though you may be living in a realm that is ruled by a demonic principality, you have weapons in the Spirit that can give you the victory.

The Word of God declares that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. It is not the people that are the problem. Instead the Bible declares that are problem is principalities and powers, the rulers of darkness in this present world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. (See Ephesians chapter 6). There is good news for us in I John 4:4. It tells us that if we are in Christ and He is in us, He is greater in us than the one who is the ruling force in the world.

That is great news! Jesus has already overcome the enemy, no matter what it looks like. However, we must live out that victory in our daily lives. It seems difficult sometimes when we look around and see evil everywhere. But God always causes us to triumph - in every situation the people of God can be the overcomers, receiving the spoils of war.

Be encouraged to ask God to help you realize the victory that has already been given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. He will do it!