FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
Kill Everything That Is Killing You
Living with Ruthless Spiritual Intentionality
There’s a jarring urgency in the phrase: Kill everything that is killing you. It’s not a suggestion; it’s a call to war. From a biblical perspective, this is exactly the posture we’re commanded to take against sin and anything that threatens our life in Christ. It’s not enough to manage sin or hide it in the shadows. We’re told to destroy it.
Paul writes in Colossians 3:5, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” This is strong language, which is violent, intentional, and non-negotiable. Sin isn’t a pet to be tamed; it’s a beast to be slain. Because if we don’t kill it, it will kill us.
James 1:15 warns us that, “desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” The sin we leave alive will grow stronger and deadlier. It erodes our peace, robs us of joy, and ultimately suffocates our spiritual vitality.
Some of what kills us isn’t obvious. Fear. Shame. Lies we’ve believed for years – You’re not enough. You’ll never change. God doesn’t really love you. Jesus calls Satan the father of lies (John 8:44), and these falsehoods poison our minds and hearts. But Jesus also gives the antidote: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Killing what’s killing us often means confronting lies with truth.
Not everything that kills us is classified as sin. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely…” Some things may simply be spiritual dead weight – distractions, toxic relationships, unchecked ambition, or even good things elevated to god-like status. If it’s pulling us away from Christ, it needs to go.
Jesus didn’t mince words: “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away…” (Matthew 5:30). He was calling for radical spiritual surgery. Not self-harm, but decisive action to remove what corrupts our hearts.
And fear, the great paralyzer, must also be confronted. Scripture says again and again: Do not be afraid. Why? Because fear shrinks our faith and sidelines our obedience. The cure is trust in God’s sovereignty and goodness.
Here’s the hope: you’re not alone in this fight. Romans 8:13 reminds us that “if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” The Spirit of God empowers us to kill what is killing us and to live the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10.
Take inventory.
What is draining your soul? Stealing your peace? Weakening your faith? Kill it.
And in its place, let Christ’s life take root and flourish.
– Joe Bouch
