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{The Application
Application for the Godly
Advantages of Holy Duties
Holy Duties Are Our War against Corruption and Sin}
Holy duties are our war against corruption and our striving against sin. Whenever we are striving with250 God, we are striving against sin. Duty and sin contend for the victory; while duty holds up, sin goes down; when duty slacks off, sin gets up. Holy prayer will make us weary of iniquity or our iniquity will quickly make such praying a weariness to us.251 It is not in the interest of the flesh to allow the heart to be much in prayer or other duties. Therefore among the whole body of carnal people, only a little prayer serves them just fine.
There is no better way for Christians to be revenged against sin and see their desires on this enemy than to bring it before the Lord. They never fight against it with greater zeal or with more success than upon their knees. When the sinner kneels in earnest before his God, his lusts must quickly kneel to him. When we confess sin and lay it open before the Lord, complain to the Lord of it, cry to the Lord against it, and press upon Him His promise and covenant to help against sin, these are the mightiest artillery barrages our souls can make to beat down sin’s strongholds. When the Lord hears the groanings of His Israel under the oppressing Egyptians, He will arise and relieve them. Christians tell one another how sad it is with them and what woeful work they have with a proud, covetous, hard, or hypocritical heart. And you may tell one another such sad stories long enough, but you will find little help. Go tell your God of your sins; carry them before the throne of grace; make your complaints against them there; there you will find compassion and deliverance.
250Prayer is often compared to striving with God or wrestling with God. God transforms us as we pray, no matter what answer He sends. He provides for us and answers our prayers according to His perfect wisdom. But let there be no mistake: God and the believer are on the same side against sin, and so on.
251See, for example, 1 Peter 3:7.
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