Battle Plan

As a pastor, I regularly meet with people who are intent on overcoming a serious sin in their lives. Yet, as you well know, those serious sins rarely yield easily. Far more often than not they demand a long and intense battle.

To help in this battle I have put together what I call Battle Plan. Battle Plan is a worksheet that is primarily meant to be used with the assistance of a mentor or pastor (though it can be used individually as well). It is heavily dependent upon John Owen and his instructions on overcoming sin. It begins by identifying and understanding a sin and its consequences, and then progresses to a plan to overcome that sin. There is also a weekly sheet that is used to track progress.

I suggest spending a significant amount of time on Part 1: Assessment. Here you will do what John Owen refers to as “loading your conscience with the guilt of the sin.” You will understand the sin, the ways it behaves, and the effects it has had in your life and faith. Then progress to Part 2: Action, which will guide you as you put off old patterns, attitudes, behaviors, and habits and put on new patterns, attitudes, behaviors, and habits. You will also consider what actions are appropriate as you battle against the sin. Finally, use the tracking sheet with a mentor or accountability partner to track the sin’s ebb and flow in your life and to measure your progress. Read more