Planning a Visit? Here’s What to Expect at our North Canterbury Location.

At City Impact Church North Canterbury, our Sunday services are all about connection and growth. With a close-knit community, we gather to encourage one another, deepen our faith and worship Jesus together. Here’s what you can expect when you join us:

WARM WELCOME

As soon as you arrive, our friendly team will be there to welcome you and help you feel at home. We have an on-site carpark, as well as plenty of street parking—just look for the flags. If you need any assistance, simply ask someone wearing a lanyard—they’ll be happy to help! Head upstairs to meet our Location Pastors, Ps Jonah and Tineke. Ps Jonah is always ready to greet you with a handshake and give you a tour of our church.

HEARTFELT WORSHIP

At City Impact Church, we begin every service with heartfelt praise and worship led by our team. There’s something special about lifting our voices together in unity. You’ll find the lyrics on screen, making it easy to join in as we praise God and shift our focus to Him. We move into powerful worship songs that glorify Jesus and create space for the Holy Spirit to move. It’s a beautiful time to connect with God, feel His presence and be strengthened in faith.

PREACHING & PRAYER

KIDS CHURCH

We believe church should be exciting and meaningful for kids too! Our Kids Church provides fun, engaging programs designed to help children learn about Jesus in a way that speaks to them. With praise and worship, interactive Bible stories and age-specific activities tailored for children aged 1 year through school year 6.

When you arrive, you can either check your child in right away or have them join you for worship before heading to Kids Church. Simply visit the Kids Church check-in area, where our friendly team (look for the Kids Church T-shirts!) will be ready to assist—especially if it’s your first time. Your child will receive a registration sticker and you’ll be given a corresponding number, which you’ll need to present at the end of the service to pick them up.

We’re here to give you and your family a smooth, enjoyable experience—because we love seeing kids grow in faith and have a blast doing it!

YOUTH

City Impact Youth – Youth (Years 9–13)
Our Youth nights are the place to be for anyone in Years 9 to 13! We meet every second Friday at church for a night packed with fun, faith and connection. Expect epic games, wild challenges, delicious food and a whole lot of laughs. It’s more than just a good time—it’s a space where young people can build real friendships, grow in their relationship with God and be encouraged in who they’re called to be. Whether you’ve been coming for a while or it’s your first time, we’d love to have you with us. For more information, click here.

City Impact Youth – YADS (Ages 18-30)
YADS is for the Young Adults of our North Canterbury Location, designed for everyone aged 18 to 30! It’s a place where we do life together, grow in our walk with God and build meaningful connections. We meet on the first Sunday of every month at 6:30pm, so come along and join us for an amazing time of community, encouragement and faith! Follow us on Instagram for more info!

LET’S CONNECT AFTER THE SERVICE

After the service, take a moment to connect with others over coffee and conversation. Church is about more than just the service—it’s about building real relationships and doing life together.

MEET THE LOCATION PASTORS

Meet our Location Pastors, Ps Jonah and Tineke Tuiletufuga. They are here to support you, pray with you and help you find your place in our church family. When you visit, be sure to introduce yourself—they would love to meet you! To read more about their journey to City Impact Church, click here.

SERVICE TIMES AND LOCATION

Our North Canterbury location holds services every Sunday at 10:00am & 6:30pm at 6 Kingsford Smith Drive, Rangiora, North Canterbury.

We can’t wait to see you this Sunday! Whether you’re coming for worship, connection, or to explore faith for the first time, you’re so welcome here. For more information on our North Canterbury location, click here.

As we continue exploring this topic, we’re unpacking a key tension in the Christian life: why we still struggle with sin even though Jesus has already defeated it. Read the notes below to understand what Christ has done at the cross, what we experience today, and how God is shaping us through the ongoing journey of sanctification.

The Power of Sin

Overview
The Defeat of Sin’s Power
The Struggle with Sin’s Influence
Why We Still Struggle With Sin
The Victory We Can Have Over Sin
Conclusion

Overview

Many of us understand that when Jesus gave His life on the cross, He defeated the power and authority of sin. He became sin in our place so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Yet, it’s clear that sin is still present in the world, and many Christians still struggle with temptation and sinful habits. This can feel confusing. If sin has been defeated in Christ, why do we still struggle with it?

In this blog, we’ll explore:

The defeat of sin’s power at the cross
The ongoing influence of sin
Why believers still struggle today
How we can walk in victory over sin

The Defeat of Sin’s Power

At the cross, Jesus didn’t just deal with sin emotionally or symbolically. He broke its authority and dominion over believers completely.

We are no longer slaves to sin.

Romans 6:6–11 explains this clearly:

Our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

This is a decisive spiritual reality for everyone in Christ:

Sin no longer rules over us
We are no longer under its authority
We are now alive to God in Christ Jesus

Before salvation, sin wasn’t just something we did. It was something that ruled us. Paul uses the image of slavery to explain this:

“You were once slaves of sin…” (Romans 6:17–18)

A slave does not have full autonomy. In the same way, sin shaped our desires, decisions, and direction before Christ.

Freedom through Christ’s exchange.

Jesus broke that system through His death and resurrection:

“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin…” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Through Christ’s sacrifice:

We are freed from sin’s power
We are transferred into righteousness
Sin is no longer our master

But this leads to an important question: If sin is defeated, why do we still struggle?

The Struggle with Sin’s Influence

Although sin’s power has been broken, its presence and influence remain in the world.

Sin is no longer our master, but it still tries to tempt, lure, and influence us. We still live in a fallen world where spiritual battle is real.

Even Jesus experienced temptation, yet He never sinned.

Scripture is clear that believers must still actively resist sin:

Ephesians 6:10–12 – We wrestle against spiritual forces
1 Peter 5:8 – The devil seeks to devour
James 1:13–14 – Temptation comes through desire

We are still in a spiritual battle

While sin no longer rules us, it still:

Appeals to our flesh
Uses external influences
Seeks to draw us away from God

However, sin will not always remain. Scripture promises a future where it will be completely removed:

“He will wipe away every tear… death shall be no more…” (Revelation 21:4)

Why We Still Struggle With Sin

To understand the tension we live in, we need to understand the three stages of salvation (Ordo Salutis):

Justification

We are saved instantly

Freed from sin’s power
Declared righteous in Christ

2. Sanctification

We are being saved progressively

Freed from sin’s influence over time
Becoming more like Christ

3. Glorification

We will be saved fully in the future

Completely free from sin’s presence

Where we live now

We currently live in sanctification:

Sin’s power is broken
Sin’s influence is still present
Sin’s presence will one day be removed

State of sin vs acts of sin

A helpful distinction:

State of sin: We are no longer separated from God
Acts of sin: We still sometimes fall and miss the mark

Being saved does not mean we never sin again. It means sin no longer defines our identity or separates us from God.

We are:

Fully forgiven in Christ
Still being transformed in daily life

The Victory We Can Have Over Sin

We are not powerless against temptation. Scripture gives us practical ways to walk in victory.

1. Identify the sin

You cannot overcome what you refuse to acknowledge.

2. Understand there is no condemnation

“There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

Conviction leads us to God. Condemnation pushes us away from Him.

3. Recognise triggers

Identify patterns and remove environments that fuel temptation.

4. Repent quickly

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just…” (1 John 1:9)

Don’t delay restoration.

5. Bring sin into the light

Confession breaks secrecy. Sin grows in darkness and weakens in the light.

6. Remember your identity

You fight sin from freedom, not for freedom.

“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Romans 12:2)

7. Rely on the Holy Spirit

Change is a process empowered by God, not human willpower alone.

“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…” (Philippians 1:6)

Conclusion

Jesus has defeated sin, but sin has not yet been fully destroyed.

That is why:

We are free from sin’s power
We still face its influence
We still experience the process of sanctification

One day, at glorification, sin will be gone completely. Until then, we live in the tension of already free, but still being transformed.

The good news is this:

Sin does not define you
Sin does not separate you from God
Sin does not have authority over your life

You are justified, being sanctified, and one day will be glorified.

And in the meantime, the Holy Spirit is faithfully shaping you into the image of Christ.

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GLOBAL IMPACT 2026