Christian Living
Have you ever flogged a bat?
If not, I don’t recommend taking it up. Bat flogging entails finding these nocturnal creatures as they circle for insects, then interrupting the hunt by hurling rocks into their flock.
Neighborhood friends and I used to occasionally do this in high school. Why was this entertainment? I haven’t a clue, but do remember the last time we ever thought it would be fun to throw rocks at something with wings and fangs.
It was a summer night in 1975, and there was a popular fashion for teenaged girls. It was a two piece shirt comprised of a solid tee worn under a flowery blouse that tied at the waist. It was a cute look and one of my friends wore it on a group flogging adventure. It proved to be a smart choice.
One of the bats under flog-attack broke rank and pursued us through a dark field. Until then, we thought bats were blind. Guess what? They aren’t—and this bat discredited the myth by taking 20-20 aim at my friend and latching on to the back of her billowing blouse. (Thankfully she was wearing her big, 1975 “Farrah hair” up that night, or the bat might have gotten stuck in the starch required to hold that do.)
I can only imagine how horrifyingly creepy it was to hear bat wings beating right against your head, along with whatever noises a bat makes. Nobody else heard those noises because our friend’s ear-splitting screams cancelled any sounds within a 10 mile range. She never stopped moving and plowed through that field like a tractor on turbo. As she ran, she untied the blouse and threw it—and the bat—off her back.
That was the night we outgrew bat flogging.
Though so long ago, the image of her ripping away that blouse is recalled whenever I think of scripture from Hebrews 12:1: “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”
Wouldn’t it be great to get sin off our back the way my friend threw off that bat? One good rip and all that hinders is gone?
The world insists we can accomplish anything with self-discipline and determination. Granted, such traits factor into success, but we can’t mistake them for master keys that free us from the captivity of sin. That’s because sin is about more than mind and body—it’s an attitude of the heart, one that seeks to please ourselves. It’s the “all about me and mine” mentality, driven by pride, self-love, worldly focus, desires of the flesh, unbelief and non-surrender to God’s power to shape our lives. The “about us” clutch is too gripping to break on our own. Only through Christ can we overcome the world; without Him, we can do nothing. (1 John 5:4-5, John 15:5)
Romans 6: 6 assures believers that the old self was crucified with Christ “that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Belief influences behavior, so we must embrace this teaching and recognize that we’re new creations and the old is gone. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Only when we truly take ownership of who we are in Christ will we remain focused on Him, able to live by the Spirit and not the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16, Romans 8:5)
This doesn’t mean we’ll never sin again. Oh, we will, but the Spirit will convict and counsel us to immediately leave it at the cross, not allow it to linger, set us back or take root and throw us from the road we’re called to travel. (John 14:26) We’ll quickly return our eyes to Christ and get back in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)
Staying focused is nurtured through prayer and praise, obedience and trust, spending time in the Word and amongst other believers—and when we stop flogging the bats that entice us to sin. By that, we stop self-inflicting trouble by choosing environments, situations, activities and relationships that hinder our walk with Christ. In Matthew 5:30, Jesus said “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away”, teaching that we’re to avoid, eliminate or better manage anything that wants priority above Him and tempts or causes us to sin.
Whatever sin pursues us, it wants to latch on and ride our backs. Through Christ we can cast it off and step into freedom—but first we must claim the victory already secured for us on the cross.
The day we do that is the day we’ll begin to outgrow that sin.
©Donna G. Morton, February 2007
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 758 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Donna Morton or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 758 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.