We can overcome any sin

"And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron" (Joshua 1:19).

The Lord had commanded the Israelites to drive out the evil inhabitants of the land of Canaan. In the book of Numbers we read, “And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 51"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places. 53And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it…55But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. 56 And I will do to you as I thought to do to them." (Num. 33:51-55).

When the Israelites first crossed over Jordan into Canaan they began to drive out the enemy with God's help. But when it appeared that certain battles would be too costly the Israelites made compromises with the enemy. In exchange for taxes and the cost of driving out the enemy, the Israelites allowed them to dwell among them. God warned that these types of compromises would lead to the enemy becoming thorns in their sides. And that was exactly what took place.

Similarly, God has given his redeemed people today (Christians) the power through his Spirit to drive out or put to death the sins of the flesh. Paul wrote, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:13). One of the reasons that the Israelites stop short of driving out the evil inhabitants of the land was because of their iron chariots. But if they would have surrendered to God and trusted in his power the Lord would have continued to drive out the enemy in spite of the iron chariots. We must never believe that certain sins are too hard for us to overcome. The sin we allow to remain will bring pain and misery to our lives. But by surrendering to God and yielding to the Spirit of God, we can overcome any sin and live victoriously.