GOOD WORKS:  THREE PART SERIES

Part II:  Overcoming Temptation

 

                When you accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior, you begin the transformation of living a Christlike life.  You set out on your journey to reach the ultimate goal: and that goal is to go to heaven.  Despite what today’s culture has accepted, there is only one path to get to heaven, and that is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.  Once you start on that straight and narrow path, there will be forces and powers that will try to steer you away.  These forces will attempt to use people to steer you away; and not just anybody but your family and friends.  These forces will also use material things to lead you off the narrow path.  These forces will use whatever they can, by any means, to prevent you from being one of God’s children.

                But fear not my fellow followers of Christ.  God has equipped us to overcome these temptations.  It tells us in Ephesians 6:10-13 that, “Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  Now notice the scriptures say the ‘whole’ armor, not some of it or part of it.  Why, because putting on the whole armor of God is the only way to defend yourself from the devil’s many attacks.

                When you put on the whole armor of God, you begin to pay attention to temptation and also overcome them.  1 Corinthians 10:13 states that “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it”.  Isn’t God good?  It says He will provide a way out for you.

                You know sin starts out in the mind and is rooted in selfishness.  Selfishness only cares about itself.  It has no regard for God or anybody else for that matter.  That’s what happens with temptation; it feeds on our selfish desires to make us yield to temptation.  But remember, God will provide a way out for you.  When you put on the whole armor of God you will be able to recognize the way out that God has given you so that you can overcome those temptations.

                There are a couple of ways to overcome temptation.  The first is to avoid temptation whenever possible.  Often times we know beforehand when certain situations will lead to sin.  So instead of entertaining those situations that can lead to sin, we should just turn away.  The second is to flee from temptation.  Sometimes when temptation comes upon you, it is necessary to turn and run away just as Joseph did in Genesis 39:12.  The third is to confess your temptations to God.  These are the ones that you create yourself in your mind.  And the only way to overcome these temptations is to give it to God.  The fourth way is to resist temptation until it leaves.  Just as Jesus was tempted by the devil when he came out of the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), we should also resist the same way.  He referred to the Word of God to aid in resisting the devil’s temptation.

                Please remember that temptation of this world will not cease until we get to heaven.  Therefore, we must put on the whole armor of God daily.  Temptation does not take a day off; it doesn’t go on vacation.  While we are here on earth we will never reach a point where we will stop being tempted.  And we can never get the impression that we can handle temptation ourselves.  We have no power apart from God.