Tempting..
We are all tempted, probably on a daily basis.
Tempted by something that is a weakness or has an appeal to us.
It could be food, drink, sex, porn, technology whatever it is that pulls at our attention.
The devil uses these things to keep our focus away from God and the calling He has put on our lives.
John 10:10 NIV "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;..."
Satan's purpose is to harm and to keep us as far away from God and His promises as he can. He uses whatever he can to keep you down. He is the king of Liars. No one likes a liar, and he is the main one that we believe. Why is that? Just because he uses our own voice in our own heads, doesn't make what he says true!
For example, I try not to eat food at night. 1 because I get heartburn and get fat (lol) and 2 because eating at night gives me some really weird dreams (like lock me in a padded room weird haha).
But I watch tv at night.. and what do almost all the commercials advertise at night?? Yup, Food. Delicious grease pizza, or amazing looking ice cream or something like that. So of course I get tempted to go get something to eat.
Now normally I will look at something on my phone during commercials, or I'll brush my teeth before I watch tv so I have the excuse that I already brushed them so I can't eat anything. It doesn't always work, but most of the time it does.
Now, that isn't a crazy serious temptation, but it is a legitimate one. And it's one that I deal with pretty much daily.
A lot of things we are tempted by, if acted upon, lead us to make choices we shouldn't and cause us to sin. But it IS possible NOT to give in to those temptations!
In Hebrews 4:15 AMP it says "For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted (knowing exactly how it feels to be human) in every respect as we are, yet without (committing any) sin."
Jesus Christ was human. He was one of us. He was tempted in the ways that we are tempted, but he didn't act on them.
It's very interesting to me to think that even Christ was sexually tempted! He understands how difficult it is to resist it and/or not fantasize about doing it (lustful thinking is considered a sin). He was tempted in every way and yet was still sinless and blameless.
Side note: One of the times Christ was tempted is documented in Matthew 4
I find it comforting to know that Jesus understands how hard it is to resist temptation. He understands that the devil is out to get us. He understands that sometimes, most of the time, it's so much easier just to give in. But with the help of the Holy Spirit and our ability to choose, we can keep from taking those actions that lead us down a path of darkness.
Stay strong my friends! Temptation is a stumbling bock the devil likes to throw into our paths. Resist the devil. Lean on God, stay prayed up. And lean on your Christian friends. Remember we are all tempted.
I'll leave you with James 4:7
NIV "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
AMP "So submit to (the authority of) God. Resist the devil (stand firm against him) and he will flee from you."
Tempted by something that is a weakness or has an appeal to us.
It could be food, drink, sex, porn, technology whatever it is that pulls at our attention.
The devil uses these things to keep our focus away from God and the calling He has put on our lives.
John 10:10 NIV "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;..."
Satan's purpose is to harm and to keep us as far away from God and His promises as he can. He uses whatever he can to keep you down. He is the king of Liars. No one likes a liar, and he is the main one that we believe. Why is that? Just because he uses our own voice in our own heads, doesn't make what he says true!
For example, I try not to eat food at night. 1 because I get heartburn and get fat (lol) and 2 because eating at night gives me some really weird dreams (like lock me in a padded room weird haha).
But I watch tv at night.. and what do almost all the commercials advertise at night?? Yup, Food. Delicious grease pizza, or amazing looking ice cream or something like that. So of course I get tempted to go get something to eat.
Now normally I will look at something on my phone during commercials, or I'll brush my teeth before I watch tv so I have the excuse that I already brushed them so I can't eat anything. It doesn't always work, but most of the time it does.
Now, that isn't a crazy serious temptation, but it is a legitimate one. And it's one that I deal with pretty much daily.
A lot of things we are tempted by, if acted upon, lead us to make choices we shouldn't and cause us to sin. But it IS possible NOT to give in to those temptations!
In Hebrews 4:15 AMP it says "For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted (knowing exactly how it feels to be human) in every respect as we are, yet without (committing any) sin."
Jesus Christ was human. He was one of us. He was tempted in the ways that we are tempted, but he didn't act on them.
It's very interesting to me to think that even Christ was sexually tempted! He understands how difficult it is to resist it and/or not fantasize about doing it (lustful thinking is considered a sin). He was tempted in every way and yet was still sinless and blameless.
Side note: One of the times Christ was tempted is documented in Matthew 4
I find it comforting to know that Jesus understands how hard it is to resist temptation. He understands that the devil is out to get us. He understands that sometimes, most of the time, it's so much easier just to give in. But with the help of the Holy Spirit and our ability to choose, we can keep from taking those actions that lead us down a path of darkness.
Stay strong my friends! Temptation is a stumbling bock the devil likes to throw into our paths. Resist the devil. Lean on God, stay prayed up. And lean on your Christian friends. Remember we are all tempted.
I'll leave you with James 4:7
NIV "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
AMP "So submit to (the authority of) God. Resist the devil (stand firm against him) and he will flee from you."
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