Taking possession of the Garden

and are the next step into further permanent bondage. Transgressions are related to trespass, which is a wilful violation of the law (human or Godly law).

3. Sin = Missing the mark.

Insufficient to satisfy a requirement or meet a need resulting from such inadequacy.

The English word for sin is derived from archery. The archer would draw the bow and shoot the arrow towards the target. If he missed the mark, the overseeing official would yell "sin." The Hebrew meaning of sin is: Slipping away from where you should be;

Prov. 25:28 Whoever has no rule over his spirit is like a city, broken down, without walls

Sin refers to an action, something that happens in the real world. Iniquity is an attitude of the heart. Iniquity will eventually lead us to sin. Iniquity is the same as unholiness. Any area of our life that is not set apart for God is an area of iniquity. The way to take possession of the Garden is to be cleansed from ALL our iniquities.

Scripture talks about Sin (singular) and Iniquities (plural). Jesus came to take away our sin but the iniquities of our heart are removed through a process of cleansing that we Christians call "Holiness" or living "Holy lives". Forgiveness of sin is instantaneous but cleansing of iniquities is progressive and takes time.

2. How can I get rid of iniquities?

Have you seen ads for Clearsil, Proactiv, or other acne treatments? They usually exaggerate things and show the face before and aft the application of the "miraculous" product that makes you look good and perfect. They also make sure you get hooked to the remedy so they can bank on you. They show how a person with acne is not accepted and how they suddenly become lovable after their skin is cleansed from the rush. Well today I want to teach you how to get rid of spiritual acne. God accepts you just as you are, he loves you even if you have iniquities but He cannot bless you if you keep having wrong attitudes that burst from your heart.

James 1:23-25 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

A hearer is like a person that looks into the mirror and sees the acne of his/her own iniquities. Quickly that person forgets about his face and doesn't take any action to correct the problem. A doer is a person that sees the problem and acts upon it. The doer will be blessed in his doing!

If you want to get rid of your iniquities you need to be washed by the Word. God places pastors, evangelists, teachers, apostles and prophets in your way so you can identify the iniquities of your heart and act upon it. As a pastor I've found that people that are religious become easily offended when I point an iniquity in their lives. The spirit of religion causes people to have spiritual pride, the religious person thinks that he is already purified from iniquities because he doesn't commit sin very often. However God has a higher plan. He wants to bless you by removing the iniquities out of your life. Pastors will confront your sin and your iniquity with the purpose of helping you. If you don't allow your pastor to correct