I'd just taken a firm stance on Christians compromising in the area of entertainment. The whole next day it felt like I was fielding comments from those who agreed and too many who disagreed, as I continued to stand firm. Honestly, I was feeling pretty confident in my stance. And then I read a post by a tremendously respected friend about “Little Lines that Christians Cross”. That’s when any self-assurance that I may have had from my previous comments came to a crashing halt as I realized that I was watching one of the shows on her list. And I enjoyed it. (Hanging head in shame) Even though I knew this show was objectionable, I watched it and thought, “It won’t affect me, God will understand.” And then I read her comment, and felt the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Immediately, I asked God to forgive me for watching the show and for making excuses and compromising even though I knew it was questionable. Then I determined that I wouldn’t watch it again. I’m done. No matter how little the line, I don’t want to live in compromise. So why am I sharing this with you? Because I think it’s important to admit that all of us struggle with areas of compromise, and we all need to be open to the Holy Spirit’s conviction. The fact is that we live in a sinful society, and we all have a sinful nature. From time to time, we all fall into the trap of excusing sin and compromising with what we know is right. We are all in the process of allowing the Holy Spirit to clean us up, making us more like Jesus, and removing sin from our lives. It’s the process of ongoing sanctification. God is never done working on us. However, this truth shouldn’t be used as an excuse to continue sinning. Rather, it should make us aware of our continual need to be open to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When you feel that conviction, whether it be through a sermon, in a time of prayer, as you read God’s Word, or in the challenging words of a fellow believer, we need to be open to hearing correction and changing. Once we recognize the error of our ways through conviction, we need to respond. First, we need to repent. We need to ask God to forgive us for compromising with sin and disobeying His Word. It helps to confess the specific sin you have committed. For instance, I asked God to forgive me for watching a particular television show. Then, we need to change. Essentially, stop doing it. Walk away from sin. Do everything within your power to overcome this sin in your life. Finally, ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of any other “little lines” you may be crossing. Be open to His conviction and correction. Dare to be radical in your faith and determine that you don’t want to cross little lines any longer. As He continues to point out areas, continue the process of repenting and change. Remember, this is not a once and done process—it’s continual. It’s how we grow in Jesus, how we mature in our faith, and how we become the holy followers of Christ we were created to be. Continually growing, Adessa
Adessa Holden is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God specializing in Women's Ministry. Together with her brother, Jamie, they manage 4One Ministries and travel the East Coast speaking, holding conferences, and producing Men's and Women's resources that provide practical Biblical teaching for everyday life.
When asked about herself, she'll tell you "I'm a women's minister, a sister, and a daughter. I love to laugh and spend time with people. My favorite things are chocolate, the ocean, sandals and white capris, anything purple, summertime and riding in the car listening to music. It is my absolute honor and privilege to serve Jesus and women through this ministry.
