Expected Response

‘…Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master’ Gen.4:7

How did God expect Cain to respond? Simple God said ‘why are you so angry? The Lord asked Cain. Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master’ Gen.4:6-7. God told Cain what was about to happen. Isn’t God amazing? God said to Cain this is about to happen to you. Subdue this thing, confront it, and deal with it. So God rejecting Cain’s offering and rejecting Cain’s person was not to condemn Cain as it were but was to teach Cain and afford him the opportunity to grow. But Cain took it personal and decided to kill Abel who had been accepted. God was pointing out to Cain that what was happening was to grow him – God wanted him to focus on the important thing which was for him to grow spiritually and the fruit will be reflected in his offering. Cain was probably enraged because he felt that his offering was better than Abel’s own yet he was rejected. Couldn’t God have accepted Cain’s offering deficient as it was? So that everyone will be happy. But God did not say that because that will not help Cain. God says you have failed this exam, you have to pass it. Retake the exam. Deal with it, do not let it deal with you.

The fundamental rule of victory in battle is that you cannot conquer what you are not willing to confront. So He is saying to you and I to confront the issue, do not sweep it under the carpet, do not ignore it. Face up to the issue that is before you in your relationship. God did not say sin is at your door, jump out from the back door and run away. God says face it and deal with it by overcoming evil with good [Rom.12:21]. You can only overcome evil with good. The only way to overcome pride is by becoming humble. So if you are in a relationship with someone who is proud, you conquer his/her pride with humility. You can’t conquer pride with pride.

Prayer: Father, help me to conquer in every area of my life by doing good as prescribed in Your Word, in Jesus Name.