“Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You”

Ps 119:11

I would like to present the 4th message in a series dealing with the topic of Temptation. We have discussed what it may look like, what it has done in the past, the people we may have hurt as we have succumbed to it. But most importantly, how has our yielding to temptation touched the heart of God!

All of us have to deal with temptation, but don’t feel embarrassed, realize you can overcome! All temptation can be beaten, make up your mind that you are going to be the conqueror and not the conquered.

I think we need to know with certainty there is One defence from today’s passage that is key to overcoming an impending temptation you may be struggling with presently, and then to know that Holy Spirit will give you victory Right Now! 1 Corinthians 10:13 states God will provide a way of escape as you listen and trust His counsel. That word “escape” is made up of 2 words (Greek > ekbasis) “ek'' means OUT, “basis” means “TO WALK”. The Result: you walk out, as to walk out of a difficult place, to walk out of a trap, or to walk out of a place that isn’t good for you! You will come through and experience a new level of confidence for future encounters. For example, Joseph in Gen 39:12 walked out or fled from the presence of Potphar’s wife when she tried to seduce him. He did not stop to negotiate, he just fled, he got out as quickly as he could. Don’t negotiate or consider, or lag behind to see if.......”FLEE” is the word for us today, take flight, 1 Cor 6:18, 1 Cor 10:14, 1 Tim 6:11. If you’ve got into a situation, realize your feet can work in both directions. You make the choice to run through the open door the Lord provides.

We must not be naive, John 10:10 states the devil comes to rob, kill and destroy – he wants you to be overtaken with guilt because you missed the mark, he is relentless, he doesn’t want you to be encouraged, or to be an over- comer worshipping your Lord, he wants you to walk in silent defeat. But listen to the rest of that passage: Jesus came that ! Repeat those 3 words again! Get it in your spirit, fill your mouth with these authoritative words. It doesn’t matter the level to which the enemy has influenced you, Jesus came to give us abundant victory, hide that in your heart! He was tempted in all ways but remained focused on the Father’s will, on His plan. Jesus was victorious and gave us the keys to be victorious as well and in all situations. The provision for temptation has already been experienced to the fullest, Jesus settled that issue.

The devil tries to lure you into sin by using your mind and emotions. Thoughts are injected into your mind and emotions, they are like a stimulation that will get you stirred up in a certain area of your life. At that moment you know you can let this pass by or allow it to fester in your mind, t o take root in your emotions and then become a stronghold in your mind to battle and conquer. But refusing to accept these thoughts in the 1st place, you can avoid the whole struggle. Learn to control your thinking, put on the brakes and stop wrong thoughts, look the other way, bring your mind under the control of Holy Spirit enabling it to be almost impossible for the devil to defeat you in any realm of your life.

Many Christians profess to know the truth of Scriptures but may not have the revelation of the provision and application of that truth. The result is that they have information from the Word of God about being aware of the pitfalls of temptation but may have never discerned the destructive power of temptation in their lives seeing and living it out as only “a part of life.” NO! - wrong thinking results in wrong living. Jesus came that you may know, not just have knowledge of truth but experiential victory over temptation.

Today our passage celebrates the Word of God as the Word of Life, the author humbly admits the ways of heart and life can be out of alignment with God’s purposes and plans, he knows the PAIN of wrong behaviour but also knows the FRUIT of obedience. When others disregard God’s Word or His precepts, let us not grieve God’s heart or be put to shame, His directive calls for our obedience and His promises call for our faith - both of these are elements of true Godliness.

Your best defence – wilfully brace yourself daily for its assaults mindful that you are easily conquered when ill-prepared. Spend time with the Father, fellowship with Him in prayer, and feast on His Word. Your devotion will strengthen Your awareness of devilish strategies is heightened and will sensitize you to error and deceit. Maximize the wonderful rewards of obedience, frown on the pleasures of sin – they seem sweet at the outset but it will leave a bitter aftertaste. Resisting temptation may seem difficult, but the fruit of obedience is sweet, lasting and fulfilling. Prepare so that when they come, you are ready & armed because you are convinced of the blessings of obedience.