WISDOM Posted April 20, 2002 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 128 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,692 Content Per Day: 0.21 Reputation: 17 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/24/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/31/1952 Share Posted April 20, 2002 In my Christian walk and from many personal experiences I've found that no true disciple of JESUS CHRIST who has tried to live the Christian life will ever enter Heaven without having been severely TEMPTED! Temptation isn't a once in a lifetime experience. Instead, it is a daily battle for the serious follower of JESUS CHRIST. Many of you know what I'm talking about. It doesn't operate by gender, race, or culture. Sometimes it appears in "sheep's clothing", and at other times it comes like a roaring lion. Review your past day or night. The ways and methods differ, but temptation comes to ALL OF US! Our FATHER's Word constantly warns us of the nature and danger of the temptations that we all face. All...I repeat, ALL TEMPTATION originates with our arch Enemy, Satan. Many people today do not believe in a personal Devil. They think he fits into the world of fantasy with Santa Claus and the Eaaster Bunny. As a Christian who deeply loves my LORD/SAVIOUR it is truly amazing to me that in a world so plagued by evil and suffering ANYONE could question the reality of Satan. Moreover, it is unthinkable for a Christian to question the reality of a personal Satan in light of the repeated affirmations in the Bible of his (personal pronoun) existence. Even though the truth about him has been greatly distorted, that DOES NOT nullify his reality OR his activity in this world/world system. Our LORD calls him the "Father of lies" and a murderer (John 8:44). The Apostle Peter says he comes "as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour". If you watch "Animalworld" or any of the safari type shows all you have to do is remember how the lion stalks its prey. Once the prey is cornered the lion rips and tears into it with powerful teeth and claws. Get the picture? Though the Bible is clear in its warnings about temptation and the awesome power and deceitfulness of Satan, it also has great news in regard to temptation in 1 Corinthians 10:13. Our FATHER makes it clear that even today we don't face any new temptations that all mankind hasn't previously faced. For me this is encouraging because our FATHER has promised us that HE is faithful and won't ALLOW us to be tempted beyond what we're able to resist. HE will provide a way of escape. To me this is indeed WONDERFUL news! Why? Because even though temptation is real, we do not have to yield to it. Truthfully speaking, we are not at the mercy of the passions and pressures of this world system. Listen again....there are NO new temptations and NO new sins. The temptations we face each day are the SAME old ones that others before us have experienced. GOD knows...HE was here all the time!! The Word says that JESUS was tempted in ALL points as we are (Hebrews 4:15), yet without sin. HE didn't have our nature, yet HE was still tempted by the "prince of this world". After our LORD's baptism, HE was led into the wilderness where HE fasted for 40 days. At the end of that time, Satan came and TEMPTED HIM (Matthew 4:3-9). The details were different, but three basic ingredients that are common to temptations were present in the temptation of our LORD. You tell me if I missed anything here....all temptations are aimed at LUST, PRIDE, or GREED. All temptations appeal to our appetites, our arrogance, or our ambitions. Truthfully, when you study our FATHER's Word (2 Timothy 2:15) you find that Satan's methods HAVE NOT changed down through the centuries. When he tempts us it will be in one of these three common areas. But the good news again is that we can endure temptation because of the faithfulness of our Heavenly FATHER. HE is reliable, dependable, and trustworthy. YOU can be sure that HE will do what HE says HE will do. HE knows us better than we know ourselves (Matthew 6:8; 10:30; 1 Samuel 16:7). GOD knows all about you and I. There is nothing we can hide from HIM. HE knows our needs, and where EVERY hair on our head is. HE knows our strengths and our weaknesses. So it shouldn't come as any big surprise to YOU that HE knows how much temptation YOU can stand! Therefore, HE will not let Satan force us to sin. When we fall because of temptation it is because of our own heart (James 1:13-15). See...sin can only take place when we agree to the temptation and decide OF OUR OWN FREE WILL TO YIELD TO IT! Nothing outside of us is strong enough to force us to sin, not even Satan (and he knows it) because GOD will not allow it. If YOU or I sin, it is because WE wanted to. When we are tempted, GOD always provides a way out...ALWAYS. Many times we intentionally "look" the other way. I've done it countless times, and so have you. I don't care what "goody-two shoes" Christian image you try to put on to fool the world, you can never fool our FATHER or yourself (when you're honest about it). Even still HE will provide a way of escape, even if HE allows you to "simmer in the gravy" of your sin for awhile. Sometimes a simple "no" will do. Sometimes a long-term resistance is required (James 4:7). However, there are times when more drastic action must be taken. I say this because just because we refuse once DOESN'T mean that Satan will give up. His attacks are continuous. Sometimes you may literally have to run from temptation! Why?? You can NEVER reason or rationalize with temptation. I guarantee you that those who stay around it long enough ALWAYS end up being LED into sin. All temptations DO NOT require the same resistance. Our FATHER has provided many answers in HIS Word, but these are just some of the ones I like to use: Psalm 119:9&11....Romans 6:13....Hebrews 4:16. Our FATHER's way out of difficult, tempting situations can ALWAYS be found in the Bible. When Satan launched his full-scale attack against our LORD/SAVIOUR, HE quoted the Scriptures. What do I see in that? Simply this...when our LORD speaks the matter is closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted April 20, 2002 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 37 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 270 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 29 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/22/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted April 20, 2002 Sometimes, I think the closer you ARE to God, the more temptations enter your life and the more hardships one must endure! Good post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WISDOM Posted April 20, 2002 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 128 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,692 Content Per Day: 0.21 Reputation: 17 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/24/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/31/1952 Author Share Posted April 20, 2002 Kiwi:Our FATHER has enlightened/quickened your thoughts. Personally, I believe what you have said to be factual! I experience it every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted April 20, 2002 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 37 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 270 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 29 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/22/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted April 20, 2002 Wisdom...some days, I think "oh, oh--I must not be living "right," because I haven't had to deal with any annoyances that seem to come when I have more 'on days for God.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanakila Posted April 20, 2002 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 20 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 400 Content Per Day: 0.05 Reputation: 15 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2001 Status: Offline Share Posted April 20, 2002 Personally in my life as I have matured in the faith the temptations have changed. When I was first saved I was tempted to return to the old lifestyle I had been living in and was tempted with the blatant open sins. As I matured I thought I had conquered temptation, but became painfully aware that pride had crept in and I was sinning in my attitudes and judgements of others. I stayed at this point in my Christian life for a long time it seemed, and sometimes I fall to this temptation again I am afraid. The temptations have changed some again, its more attitudes and the things that no one except my own family would know that I am tempted to sin in and fail, or its those personal pet sins that only God and I know about. Thats why I guess I am surprized when a "great man of God" falls to sin in a very public and open way. I know that I am not beyond this, but I think that sin is one of those things that gets us little by little. In other words I have the little sins that I am convicted of and I ignore the Holy Spirit's conviction, and correction for long enough, that now I am involved in the judging part and thinking I am something I am not, and then over time the blatant obvious public sins will come. It doesn't always work this way, but I have seen it in people's lives time after time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GloryaRose Posted April 20, 2002 Share Posted April 20, 2002 Temptation will always come. We wont ever escape it while we live in our earthly bodies. What determines the outcome of our being tempted is what we do with our thought life before, during, and after the temptation. Before temptation comes, which means constantly....we should be dwelling on the goodness of God and meditating on His commandments...on his WORD. During temptation we need to decide what to do...if the temptation is only one of thought...we need to submit that thought to the Lord...immediately...cast down vain imaginations! If the temptation is one that comes from another person or thing...we need to flee ! What we must never do is take time to think about or to dwell on the pleasures of the thing that may be tempting us. After temptation passes...if we have sinned...we need to truly repent for it....if we have not sinned....we need to give thanks to God...but we need to remember that the battle is never over...and work to become even more prepared for the next round of temptation that will come our way... Find scriptures that help us to stand...to resist...to flee...The closer you become to the Lord, the more deceptive and subtle temptations can become. We grow strong enough to know not to yeild to adultery, murder, or theft...so Satan tries to get tricky...watch out for lustful...strifeful...selfish thoughts...for these are kin to their bigger brothers and sisters...they are sin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WISDOM Posted April 20, 2002 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 128 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,692 Content Per Day: 0.21 Reputation: 17 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/24/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/31/1952 Author Share Posted April 20, 2002 Hello Lana & Glorya... I agree with many things you both spoke about in your post. Temptations are a prerequisite to our many trial we face daily. Even the best of our Christian family HAS to go through them. It is the POTTER'S desire we do so in order to be formed into the image of HIS SON...our SAVIOUR. We need to be thankful for what our FATHER is doing. Satan whole evil, hateful plan is to keep YOU and I dissatisfied with something in or around our individual lives. In the process our FATHER wants us to grow in maturity. As long as HE allows us to wake up daily with the breath of life still remaining in our members we WILL face daily temptations. What should we do and say about HIS choice of action in these matters?? Answer = Psalm 100:4.....Be Grateful and Thankful for this is HIS will for YOU! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WISDOM Posted April 21, 2002 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 128 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,692 Content Per Day: 0.21 Reputation: 17 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/24/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/31/1952 Author Share Posted April 21, 2002 Quote: from kiwi on 11:46 pm on April 19, 2002 Wisdom...some days, I think "oh, oh--I must not be living "right," because I haven't had to deal with any annoyances that seem to come when I have more 'on days for God.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WISDOM Posted April 22, 2002 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 128 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,692 Content Per Day: 0.21 Reputation: 17 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/24/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/31/1952 Author Share Posted April 22, 2002 Remember, our FATHER will provide a way of escape TODAY each time the spider web of temptation tries to envelope YOU! We are not responsible for the thoughts that pass our door, BUT we are responsible for those we admit and entertain. Let CHRIST master YOU this day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted April 22, 2002 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 22 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 455 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 8 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/28/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted April 22, 2002 There is some VERY good reading on this thread!Peace, Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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