Enduring the Enticements and Temptations
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12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.
41 Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
ENDURING THE ENTICEMENTS AND TEMPTATIONS
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS FULL OF VARIOUS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENTICEMENTS AND TEMPTATIONS. TEMPTATIONS CAN COME KNOCKING AT OUR DOOR AT ANY MOMENT AND ANY TIME
AND CAN STARE US IN THE FACE WHEN WE LEAST EXPECT IT.
WE ARE EXPOSED TO TEMPTATION FROM THE MOVIES WE WATCH….MAGAZINES WE READ….. AT THE GROCERY STORE….BILLBOARDS…..PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE STREET…..AND FROM OUR TELEVISIONS. YES …ENTICEMENTS AND TEMPTATIONS ARE ALL AROUND US.
TEMPTATION IS DEFINED AS AN ALLUREMENT, ENTICEMENT, OR AN INVITATIONS TO ENGAGE IN A IMMORAL ACT……IN A SINFUL ACT…… THAT IS AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE.
AND IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO YOU ARE, HOW YOUNG OR HOW OLD YOU ARE;
IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU ARE A MALE OR FEMALE, NOR DOES IT MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE,
ALL OF US FACE SOME SORT OF TEMPTATIONS IN OUR LIVES.
IT DOES NOT EVEN MATTER IF YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED FOR 1 YEAR OR 30 YEARS, ALL OF US FACE VARIOUS AND DIFFERENT TYPES TEMPTATIONS IN THIS WORLD…..THE WORD OF GOD SAYS IN JAMES:1:14 THAT "EACH ONE IS TEMPTED"
…..THE KJV SAYS IT THIS WAY…..”EVERY MAN IS TEMPTED”….BUT SCRIPTURE ALSO TELLS US IN I CORINTHIANS 10:13 THAT “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]..“
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEMPTATIONS THAT WE FACE IN THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN……..
WE FACE SEX TEMPTATIONS….. DRUG/ALCOHOL TEMPTATIONS…… GAMBLING/MONEY TEMPTATIONS….. LYING AND CHEATING TEMPTATIONS……….STEALING TEMPTATIONS, OVEREATING TEMPTATIONS………EMOTIONAL OUTBURST TEMPTATIONS……CAN I GET A WITNESS?
YES, ALL OF US ARE FACED WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF TEMPTATIONS ……
BECAUSE OF THE ONE WHO IS KNOWN AS THE “TEMPTER”, AND THE “TEMPTER” NAMES IS SATAN, THE DEVIL.....ALSO KNOWN AS LUCIFER OR THE ENEMY.
AND JUST AS HE TEMPTED JESUS CHRIST IN THE WILDERNESS…….SATAN WILL CERTAINLY TEMPT YOU BECAUSE SATAN IS KNOWN AS THE “TEMPTER”. BUT YET IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT EVEN THOUGH SATAN IS KNOWN AS THE “TEMPTER”, THAT DOES NOT MEAN……. HE WILL MAKE YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG.
LISTEN HERE…… SOME PEOPLE ARE QUICK TO SAY WHEN THEY MESS UP ….MISS THE MARK…..OR GET THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE….. THEY WANT TO SAY, “THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT.”
LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR……
THE DEVIL DIDN’T MAKE YOU DO ANYTHING.
YOU DID WRONG BECAUSE YOU MADE THE CHOICE TO DO WRONG.
YES, THE DEVIL MAY TEMPT YOU TO DO SOMETHING, BUT HE DON’T MAKE YOU DO ANYTHING.
SATAN DIDN’T MAKE YOU PUT THAT BOTTLE TO YOUR LIPS……
SATAN DIDN’T MAKE YOU UNDRESS THAT MAN OR WOMAN…..THAT’S NOT YOUR HUSBAND OR WIFE
SATAN DIDN’T MAKE YOU TURN IT TO THAT CHANNEL OR GO TO THAT WEBSITE…..
SATAN DIDN’T MAKE YOU SPEND YOUR RENT MONEY ON THAT POWERBALL TICKET….
THE DEVIL DIDN’T MAKE YOU CUSS OUT THAT PERSON THAT DID YOU WRONG......
NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE BLAMING SATAN FOR MAKING THEM TO DO SOMETHING BAD……
BUT YET YOU EVEN HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THAT GOD MADE THEM SIN.
BUT THE BIBLE SAYS, IN JAMES 1:13 “LET NO ONE SAY WHEN HE IS TEMPTED, "I AM TEMPTED BY GOD"; FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED BY EVIL, NOR DOES HE HIMSELF TEMPT ANYONE.”
YOU SEE, GOD DOES NOT TEMPT US TO DO EVIL, BUT IT IS SATAN THAT TEMPTS US TO DO EVIL.
BUT NOTICE HOW HE TEMPTS US.
HE DOES NOT TEMPT US WITH UGLY STUFF.
HE DOESN’T TEMPT US WITH STUFF THAT IS NOT ATTRACTIVE TO US.
BUT RATHER HE TEMPTS US WITH THINGS AND SITUATIONS THAT LOOKS GOOD, FEEL GOOD, SOUNDS GOOD, OR EVEN SMELL GOOD. CAN I GET A WITNESS?
HE WILL ALSO TEMPT YOU INTO DOING THINGS THAT YOU THINK YOU WONT GET IN TROUBLE FOR.
WHEN SATAN TEMPTS US, USUALLY HE TEMPTS US INDIRECTLY, IN THAT, HE WILL TEMPT US IN DISGUISE SO YOU WON’T BE ABLE RECOGNIZE WHO HE IS.
BUT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…..YOU MUST UNDERSTAND WHENEVER SATAN TEMPTS YOU WITH THINGS AND SITUATIONS THAT LOOKS GOOD,
FEEL GOOD, SOUNDS GOOD, OR SMELL GOOD,
THE END RESULTS WILL BE NOTHING BUT SORROW, PAIN, HEART BREAKS, AND DEATH BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT HE TEMPTS US WITH IS AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD FOR OUR LIVES.
NOW ONE MUST UNDERSTAND…… TO BE TEMPTED IS NOT A SIN.
IT IS WHEN YOU YIELD TO OR GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION THAT IS A SIN. JAMES 1:14-15 SAYS, “BUT EACH ONE IS TEMPTED WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY BY HIS OWN DESIRES AND ENTICED. 15 THEN, WHEN DESIRE HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN; AND SIN, WHEN IT IS FULL-GROWN, BRINGS FORTH DEATH.
THE KJV SAYS…..IN VERSE 15…… THEN WHEN LUST HATH CONCEIVED, IT BRINGETH FORTH SIN: AND SIN, WHEN IT IS FINISHED, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH.
USUALLY LUST IS CONCEIVED IN YOU MIND, THAT IS, IT IS CONCEIVED WHEN YOU START TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THE TEMPTATION THAT IS PLACED BEFORE YOU.
SOMETIMES WHEN WE START TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING….THAT’S WHEN WE GO WRONG….
IT’S THAT STINKIN’ THINKING……THAT GETS US IN TROUBLE.
AND BECAUSE LUST STARTS IN THE MIND, IT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU LEARN TO GUARD YOUR THOUGHT LIFE,
BY GUARDING WHAT YOU SEE, AND BY GUARDING WHAT YOU HEAR, BECAUSE THAT IS HOW LUST IS CONCEIVED;
IT IS CONCEIVED BY WHAT YOU SEE AND BY WHAT YOU HEAR.
AND WHAT YOU SEE AND WHAT YOU HEAR WILL GET INTO YOUR MIND. AND THAT IS WHY 2ND CORINTHIANS 10:5 SAYS, TO CAST DOWN IMAGINATIONS AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND BRING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.
THAT MEANS, WHEN YOU START HAVING LUSTFUL THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND, YOU NEED TO CUT IT OFF RIGHT THEN AND THERE SO YOU WON’T ACT OUT ON THEM.
I ONCE HEARD THE SAYING …… YOU CAN’T KEEP BIRDS FROM FLYING OVER YOUR HEAD, BUT YOU CAN KEEP THEM FROM BUILDING A NEST ON TOP OF YOUR HEAD.
AND JUST LIKE YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT YOU ALLOW YOUR MIND TO GET ENGAGED IN….
WHEN YOU ARE EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF LUSTFUL THOUGHTS THAT WILL COME TO YOUR MIND BY THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE AND HEAR,
YOU CAN KEEP THOSE SAME LUSTFUL THOUGHTS FROM BECOMING A STRONGHOLD IN YOUR MIND BY CUTTING OFF THE THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND RIGHT THERE AND THEN ON THE SPOT.
NOT ONLY THAT, YOU ALSO MUST BE CAUTIOUS OF THE PLACES THAT YOU GO…… BECAUSE SOME OF THE PLACES THAT YOU GO CAN HAVE SOME SERIOUS TEMPTATIONS EFFECT ON YOUR LIFE…..SUCH AS THE CLUB….OR A BAR.
PROVERBS 4:14-15 SAYS, “ENTER NOT INTO THE PATH OF THE WICKED, AND GO NOT IN THE WAY OF EVIL MEN. AVOID IT, PASS NOT BY IT, TURN FROM IT, AND PASS AWAY.”
BUT ALSO YOU MUST BE CAUTIOUS OF THE TYPE OF PEOPLE YOU HANG OUT WITH ,AND WHO YOU ALLOW TO INFLUENCE YOU……
THEY MAY SMILE IN YOUR FACE, HUG YOU, AND KISS YOU, BUT THEY REALLY ARE TRYING TO BRING YOU DOWN.
YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOUR WEAKNESS, AND WILL USE IT AGAINST YOU.
I CORINTHIANS 15:33 SAYS, “BAD COMPANY CORRUPT GOOD MORALS.”
THE SCRIPTURES SAYS IN James 1:14-15
14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.
YOU SEE, AS LONG AS YOU DON’T YIELD TO TEMPTATION, YOU HAVE NOT SINNED, BUT THE MOMENT YOU YIELD OR GIVE INTO THE TEMPTATION, THAT IS WHEN YOU HAVE MESSED UP, AND THE SIN BRINGS DEATH BECAUSE THE “WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH.”(ROMANS 6:23).
JAMES 1 verse 16 says.....
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.
THAT’S ONE OF THE ENEMIES TOOLS TO TRICK YOU.....AND THAT IS TO DECEIVE YOU.....
JAMES COMMANDS, “DO NOT BE DECEIVED.” DO NOT ERR. DO NOT BE MISLED.
THIS GREEK VERB MEANS TO STRAY OR WANDER AWAY FROM TRUTH, SAFETY, OR VIRTUE.
IT IS THE PICTURE OF ONE WHO IS ON A JOURNEY THAT IS LED ASTRAY, SO THAT HE DOES NOT REACH HIS DESTINATION.
IT IS THE PICTURE OF A SHEEP THAT WANDERS OFF FROM THE SHEPHERD AND THE FLOCK AND BECOMES LOST.
IT IS THE PICTURE OF A SHIP THAT DRIFTS OFF COURSE AND BECOMES LOST AT SEA.
JAMES USES IT HERE TO ADMONISH HIS READERS WHO HOLD TO WRONG VIEWS ABOUT GOD’S CHARACTER, PURPOSE, AND WAYS.
HIS CONCERN IS MORE THAN A SIMPLE FAILURE OF JUDGMENT. IT IS A DEVIATION FROM THE TRUTH.
SO JAMES COMMANDS, “DO NOT BE DECEIVED.”
THIS COMMAND IS IN A GRAMMATICAL EMPHASIS ....... FORBIDS SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY IN PROGRESS.
LITERALLY, JAMES SAYS, “STOP BEING DECEIVED.”
GENESIS 3:13 RECORDS GOD’S CONFRONTATION OF EVE AFTER HER AND ADAM SINNED: “THEN THE LORD GOD SAID TO THE WOMAN, ‘WHAT IS THIS THAT YOU HAVE DONE?’
THE WOMAN SAID, ‘THE SERPENT DECEIVED ME, AND I ATE.”
THIS IS THE ONGOING WORK OF THE ENEMY OF OUR SOULS.
HE SEEKS TO DECEIVE US.
BUT IN JOHN 8:31-32, JESUS SAYS, “IF YOU ABIDE IN MY WORD, YOU ARE TRULY MY DISCIPLES, AND YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.”
AND AS WE LOOK IN THE WORD OF GOD, WE WILL NOTICED THAT ALL OF US HAVE YIELDED OR GAVE IN TO TEMPTATION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS IN ROMANS 3:23, “FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.”
BUT YET THE BIBLE SAYS IN JAMES 1:12, “BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION”,
THAT IS ……BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO STANDS UP AGAINST TEMPTATION; BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO DO NOT YIELD TO TEMPTATION; FOR WHEN HE IS TRIED, HE WILL RECEIVE A CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH THE LORD HATH PROMISED TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM.”
NOW THERE IS A SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS IN
13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
HOW DOES SOMEONE ENDURE TEMPTATION, HOW DO WE STANDS UP AGAINST TEMPTATION, HOW DOES SOMEONE KEEP THEMSEVES FROM YIELDING TO TEMPTATION?
HOW DOES GOD HELP US TO BEAR THE TEMPTATION?
WELL THE BIBLE SAYS, IN MATTHEW 26:41 TO "WATCH AND PRAY THAT YOU ENTER INTO NO INTO TEMPTATION, THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK.
YOU SEE, YOU CANNOT FIGHT THE DEVIL’S TEMPTATION WITH YOU OWN STRENGTH, BUT RATHER YOU NEED THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE ABLE TO ENDURE THE TEMPTATIONS OF THIS WORLD.
HE IS OUR STRENGTH WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED…..
YOU SEE, WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO ENDURE THE TEMPTATIONS THAT YOU FACE ON A DAILY BASIS.
WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU(JAMES 4:7)
WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT SO YOU WONT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH(GALATIANS 5:16)
WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO YIELD YOUR BODIES AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND NOT TO SIN(ROMANS 6:13)
WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL(EPHESIANS 6:10-18)
WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO AVOID ALL APPEARANCE OF EVIL(I THESSALONIANS 5:22)
WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO FLEE FROM FORNICATION, FLEE FROM LYING, FLEE FROM STEALING, FLEE FROM KILLING ONE ANOTHER, OR FLEE FROM ANY OTHER SIN THAT IS AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD
WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME AND BE VICTORIOUS OVER ANY TEMPTATIONS THAT YOU FACE.
YOU SEE, WHEN YOU WATCH AND PRAY, GOD WILL GIVES YOU OF HIMSELF BECAUSE GOD HIMSELF IS OUR STRENGTH IN TIMES OF TEMPTATION
EXODUS 15:2 SAYS, “THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND SONG, AND HE IS BECOME MY SALVATION: HE IS MY GOD, AND I WILL PREPARE HIM AN HABITATION; MY FATHER’S GOD, AND I WILL EXALT HIM.”
PSALM 27:1 SAYS, “THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION; WHOM SHALL I FEAR? THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE, OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID.”
PSALM 46:1 SAYS, “GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE.”
PSALM 118:14 SAYS, “THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND SONG AND HE IS BECOME MY SALVATION.”
YES, GOD WILL GIVE YOU HIS STRENGTH TO HELP YOU ENDURE THE ENTICEMENTS AND TEMPTATIONS OF THE WORLD IF WATCH AND PRAY AND TRUST IN THE LORD.
WHEN GOD GIVES YOU THE STRENGTH TO ENDURE TEMPTATION, THEN YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO OBEY GOD AND DO WHAT HE SAYS.
YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO DO JUST WHAT HIS WORD SAYS TO OVERCOME THE WORLD’S TEMPTATIONS.
PSALMS 119:11 SAYS, THY WORD HAVE I HID IN MY HEART THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST THEE” THAT IS HOW JESUS OVERCAME THE DEVIL’S TEMPTATIONS IN THE WILDERNESS.
EACH TIME THE DEVIL TEMPT JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD RESPONDED EACH TIME BY SAYING, “IT IS WRITTEN., IT IS WRITTEN , IT IS WRITTEN.”
IT IS WRITTEN WHERE? IT IS WRITTEN IN THE WORD OF GOD.
GOD’S WORD IS LIKE A SWORD THAT WILL CUT THROUGH THE DEVILS TEMPTATIONS IF YOU STUDY IT, OBEY IT, AND LIVE IT.
YES, GOD WILL GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME THE VARIOUS TEMPTATIONS WE THAT WE FACE IN THIS LIFE.
AND IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME, LET’S LOOK AT SOME OF GOD’S PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE….WHO ARE JUST LIKE YOU AND I…..
THEY WEREN’T SUPER CHRISTIANS….THEY WERE MEN IN THE BIBLE WHO HAD TO ENDURE TEMPTATIONS AND THEY WERE VICTORIOUS.
LET’S LOOK AT JOSEPH. IN GENESIS 39:1-23, JOSEPH WAS TEMPTED BY POTIPHAR’S WIFE TO HAVE A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER.
BUT JOSEPH SAID NO.
AND IT WASN’T BECAUSE POTIPHAR’S WIFE WAS NOT ATTRACTIVE BECAUSE SHE WAS ATTRACTIVE AND BEAUTIFUL.
BUT IT WAS BECAUSE JOSEPH SAID IT WAS A SIN AGAINST GOD, AND MOST OF ALL HE FEARED GOD.
AND WHEN SHE CAUGHT HIM OFF GUARD, AND TRIED TO FORCE HIM INTO HER BEDROOM, JOSEPH GOT AWAY FROM HER AND TOOK OFF RUNNING.
YOU SEE, WHEN YOU FEAR GOD, THERE SOME THINGS YOU JUST WONT DO, AND YOU WILL RUN AWAY FROM IT QUICK.
LET’S LOOK AT NEHEMIAH.
NEHEMIAH AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE TEMPTED AND THREATENED TO STOP REBUILDING THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM BY THESE THREE MEN……
BUT NEHEMIAH AND CHILDREN OF ISRAEL STAYED FOCUSES ON REBUILDING THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM BY IGNORING THE THREATS, AND THE TAUNTS OF THESE THREE MEN.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY WERE ABLE TO REBUILD THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM IN 52 DAYS.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES YOU WILL BE TEMPTED TO STOP DOING THE WILL OF GOD…..
BUT YOU HAVE TO REMAIN FOCUSED AND IGNORE ANY TAUNTS, THREATS, OR ANY TEMPTATIONS THAT TRY TO PUT A STOP TO YOUR PROGRESS TO DOING GOD’S WILL.
LOOK AT JOB. JOB WAS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL TO STOP WORSHIPPING GOD WHEN GOD GAVE THE DEVIL PERMISSION TO DESTROY ALL OF HIS PROPERTY THAT HE HAD ACQUIRED, AND TO HAVE ALL OF HIS CHILDREN KILLED
THEN WHEN THE DEVIL INFLICTED BODY SORES UPON JOB, HIS WIFE TOLD HIM TO CURSE GOD AND DIE....BUT JOB SAID, “THOUGH HE MAY SLAY ME, I WILL STILL TRUST GOD! BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.
THROUGH ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THAT JOB WENT THROUGH, HE STILL TRUSTED GOD. NO MATTER WHAT YOU GO THROUGH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TRUST GOD.
LET’S LOOK AT THREE HEBREW BOYS(MECHACH, SHADRACH AND ADENEGO). THEY WERE TEMPTED AND TOLD TO BOW DOWN TO AN IDOL GOD OR DIE.
BUT THEY REFUSED TO BOW DOWN, AND CONSEQUENTLY, THEY WERE THROWN INTO THE FIERY FURNACE.
BUT LOOK AT GOD HOW HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THEM FROM BURNING UP IN THE FIERY FURNACE.(JUDE 24; I PETER 1:5; PSALM 34:19)
PEOPLE MAY TRY TO FORCE YOU TO DO THE WRONG THING, BUT GOD IS ABLE TO DELIVER YOU FROM THEIR HANDS.
LET’S LOOK AT DANIEL. HE WAS TEMPTED AND COMMANDED NOT TO PRAY, BUT HE PRAYED ANY HOW.
AND HE WAS THROWN INTO THE LIONS DEN, BUT YET GOD DELIVERED AND KEPT DANIEL OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE LIONS
LASTLY, BUT NOT LEAST, LET’S LOOK AT JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
WHEN JESUS CHRIST WAS DYING ON THE CROSS, HIS ENEMIES WERE TEMPTING HIM BY SAYING, IF YOU ARE CHRIST, COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND SAVE YOURSELF.
BUT I THANK GOD THAT JESUS ENDURETH THAT TEMPTATION
BECAUSE HAD HE CAME DOWN THE CROSS, OUR SALVATION WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST.
THE SONGWRITER SAID HE WOULD NOT COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS TO SAVE HIMSELF, BUT HE DECIDED TO STAY ON THE CROSS TO DIE JUST TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS.
BUT NOTICE WHAT JESUS HAD TO DO BEFORE HE ENDURE THE PAIN ON THE CROSS……HE HAD TO PRAY.
BEFORE HE WAS ARRESTED BY THE ROMAN SOLDIERS,
BEFORE HE WENT FROM JUDGEMENT HALL TO JUDGEMENT HALL,
BEFORE JESUS WAS SPIT UPON, AND WHIPPED BY THE ROMAN SOLDIERS,
BEFORE THEY PUT THE CROWN OF THORNS ON HIS HEAD…
BEFORE HE WENT TO CALVARY’S CROSS,
JESUS WAS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE PRAYING.
AND WHILE IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, JESUS ASK HIS FATHER GOD THREE TIMES IF IT IS POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO AVOID THE PAIN AND THE AGONY OF THE CROSS.
HE ASKED HIS FATHER, IF IT BE POSSIBLE LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME…. BUT THEN JESUS SAID NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL, BUT THY WILL BE DONE.
YOU SEE IT WAS THE FATHER’S GOD WILL THAT JESUS SUFFER THE PAIN, THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD, AND THE AGONY OF THE CROSS FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD.
BUT YET WHILE HE WAS ON THAT CROSS, HIS ENEMIES WERE TRYING TO TEMPT HIM TO COME OFF THE CROSS, BUT THANK GOD HE STAYED ON THE CROSS FOR THIS ONE PURPOSE…..TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS.
HE DIED UPON THE CROSS, AND WAS BURIED IN THE GRAVE FOR THREE DAYS, AND BUT ON THE THIRD DAY,
EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, JESUS CHRIST ROSE UP OUT OF THE GRAVE WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HANDS.
AND BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST, WE CAN ENDURE TEMPTATIONS BECAUSE HE IS OUR STRENGTH OVER TEMPTATION.
HE GAVE US THE HOLY SPIRIT TO STAND AGAINST THE TEMPTATIONS IN THIS WORLD.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU HAVE MESSED UP……
YOU CAN HAVE VICTORY OVER YOUR TEMPTATION.
YOU CAN STILL OVERCOME IT
YOU DON’T HAVE TO LET YOUR WEAKNESS GET THE BEST OF YOU BECAUSE THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION…..
YOU DON’T HAVE TO LET YOUR SHORTCOMINGS GET THE BEST OF YOU BECAUSE THE SCRIPTURE SAY, BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION….
YOU DON’T HAVE TO LET YOUR FAULTS, YOUR BAD HABITS, OR YOUR PERSONAL ISSUES GET THE BEST OF YOU
BECAUSE THERE IS SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP YOUR OVER COME YOUR WEAKNESS BECAUSE THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION……..
YOU DON’T HAVE TO LET ANYTHING GET THE BEST OF YOU BECAUSE THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS ABLE TO HELP YOU TO OVERCOME YOUR SHORTCOMINGS.
THERE IS SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP YOU OVER COME YOUR FAULTS, YOUR BAD HABITS, AND YOUR PERSONAL ISSUES.
AND THAT SOMEONE IS JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS OUR STRENGTH TO HELP US OVERCOME OUR TEMPTATIONS, WEAKNESS, OUR SHORTCOMINGS, OUR FAULTS, BAD HABITS, AND OUR PERSONAL ISSUES.
THE WORD OF GOD SAYS… “THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD AND HE DELIGHTETH IN HIS WAY THOUGH HE FALL, HE SHALL NOT BE UTTERLY CAST DOWN FOR THE LORD UPHOLDETH HIM WITH HIS HAND.” PSALM 37:23-24
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, A GOOD MAN WILL GET SIDE-TRACKED AND SIN. THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE, WE WILL THERE WERE MANY GOOD MEN WHO GOT SIDETRACKED AND MESSED UP.
YOU SEE…….NOAH WAS A GOOD MAN, BUT HE GOT DRUNK.
MOSES WAS A GOOD MAN, BUT HE KILLED A MAN
KING DAVID WAS A GOOD MAN, BUT HE COMMITTED ADULTERY.
PETER WAS A GOOD MAN, BUT HE CUSSED SOMEBODY OUT.
AND GUESS WHAT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS….
YOU TOO ….HAVE BEEN SIDE-TRACKED, AND MESSED UP BY TEMPTATIONS.
BUT THE GOOD THING IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE MESSED UP AND SINNED, GOD “WILL NOT UTTERLY CAST US DOWN, FOR THE LORD UPHOLDETH US IN HIS HAND.”
THAT IS WHEN YOU HAVE MESSED UP, GOD IS NOT GOING TO CAST YOU AWAY.
IF YOU ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS, HE WILL FORGIVE YOU AND GIVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE.
LISTEN…… YOUR LIFE IS LIKE A BROKEN VASE THAT WAS BROKEN WHEN IT FELL OFF THE SHELF.
INSTEAD OF THROWING THE VASE AWAY, THE OWNER OF THE VASE GOES AND BUY SOME SUPER GLUE TO PUT THAT VASE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
AND SOMETIMES YOUR LIFE GETS SHATTERED BY SIN, BUT GOD IS ABLE TO PUT US BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
INSTEAD OF USING THE SUPER GLUE, GOD USES THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST TO CLEAN US UP AND HE USES THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PUT US BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU MAY HAVE MESSED UP, JESUS CHRIST IS ABLE TO STRAIGHTEN UP YOUR LIFE.
JESUS …..OUR STRENGTH WHEN TEMPTED
JESUS….OUR STRENGTH WHEN TEMPTED
JESUS….OUR STRENGTH WHEN TEMPTED…..
SAY YEAH…..