THE SERIOUSNESS OF SIN

"When Paul speaks of giving ground to the devil in Ephesians 4:27, he is teaching that the habitual practice of sin can lead to an increased involvement of Satan in the life of a believer... 'If I cherish sin in my life, Satan will seek to exploit it'... demons like to pour gasoline on a fire that is already burning. A moral issue that begins with succumbing to the evil influence of the flesh may escalate into a greater spiritual problem. Just as flies and rats are attracted to garbage, unclean spirits are drawn to unclean thoughts and behaviors. This does not mean that everyone who falls into a period of sinful behavior will end up becoming demonized. It does, however, underline the seriousness of sin and the need to get rid of the garbage and extinguish the fires" (Clinton Arnold, 3 Crucial Questions About Spiritual Warfare).