Christians are not given a pass when it comes to being tempted. But ... what we do have is 'the way of escape'. God will always present a path to freedom for those who are His.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
The Lord is not a faraway, uninterested observer, leaving you to fumble along through life. Jesus Christ is with you in the struggle. He promised ... I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)
Satan is 'the accuser of the brethren' and would have us believe that temptation itself is a sin. It is not. Don't be deceived by the 'father of lies'.
Sin only takes place when we 'give in' to temptation. The enemy plants a false sense of guilt in the mind of a believer ... with the hope that he'll pull away from the Lord in shame.
Jesus is intimately familiar with the battle ... For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15-16)
Christ quoted Scripture to resist temptation. The Word of God has always been our best defense against the attractiveness of sin, and the better we know it, the easier it will be to claim victory ... I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)
God also provides a way of escape through prayerful vigilance. Jesus told Peter, James, and John to 'watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak'. (Mark 14:38)
And, most importantly, defend yourself against temptation's lure by not 'flirting' with it ... Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on. (Proverbs 4:14-15)
It is the power of the Holy Spirit that enables you to successfully navigate this life ... Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)
Our loving God only does that which is most beneficial to His children, most crushing to the tempter, and most glorifying to Himself.
The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer. He is my Stronghold, my Refuge, and my Savior. 2 Samuel 22:2-3
No comments:
Post a Comment