You, I, alright we've got temptation everyday of our lives to deal with. Don't get me wrong, it's not part of our mandate as the redeemed of God as written in Ephesians 1:7
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." we have been redeemed in Christ by appreciating the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Nonetheless, as a little born babe, we desire the sincere milk of the word of God, why? so that we may learn how to walk right. Living to gain mastery, simply implying we are learning to walk in the newly found light and way, not by our strength but by God's grace that he lavished on us (Ephesians 1:8). It's a journey through mentorship. In view of this, temptation arises to impede our motion towards perfection, just as friction is to a body in motion. Temptation arises from our flesh, carnal self, old man, formal life, that constitute our inborn desires, which has lived with us from birth.
All these desires tempt us (James 1:14) not God, but the natural life of self gratification. Even as a believer, the redeemed of God? Yes. The flesh and the spirit war against each other and can never agree with each other's terms.
Galatians 5:17
"For the flesh lust against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
Oh!!!! What then is the way out? What else do we do? Are we gonna spend all our entire lives struggling and battling with overcoming sin? No!!! We've got the victory. Yes. In Christ Jesus.
It's in living to appreciate the cross of calvary, the death and the resurrection of Christ Jesus who paid the price for our freedom.
It's in walking by the enablement of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5 :16. "walk in the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh". The desires of the flesh will still come but by walking in the Spirit, you will (not may) not fulfill its desires.
It's in fleeing every appearance of evil. It's a wisdom pack for believers that makes us more of preventive than curative.
You don't need to learn how to be an expert in managing or adapting to temptation, rather learn how to stand at a wide berth.
Through the help of the Holy Spirit, you can discern when your flesh is welling up into action, at that point refraining is wisest. You understand your vulnerability to alcohol, why locking up around the party corner. You understand your vulnerability to the opposite sex, why sustaining closed door intimacy with an opposite sex of likely affinity. That's simply wisdom in action.
Don't be fooled, no one human is a hero over falling into trials. Why walk where angels fear to tread?
Get busy with something beneficial to mankind. Be engrossed with using your gifts to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace in its diverse ways - 1 Peter 4:10.
An idle hand is the devil's workshop. Get involved in the main reason why God has created you. To impact. To innovate. To create. To subdue the earth. Not to be falling & rising from temptations every now and then.
Not to always be asking for recovery & restoration.
The strength needed to recover from a fall could have been more profiting, used to advance your life in unraveling deep mysteries that could change the course of your nation & revolutionarize your generation.
It's time to realize that the same hour of writtling in sin are precious moments sold out, which have great alternative uses.
They are times to pray & commune with God.
They are time to write piece that will change the lives of many.
They are times to think out innovations that will change the face of time.
They are times to strategize about tomorrow.
They are times to win souls.
Great times in deed.
The devil is a liar, he will only show us part of the journey, the pseudo sweet beginning, but will hide the awful, evil, regret-full end. Make it seems right, but the end full of death.
Let's get on to our consciousness. Embrace the grace that saves all. And walk on the path of life.
Hear this on a final note
"For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous)." 1 John 5:3 Amp.
We receive grace for life.
Prayer
Oh Lord my father, I thank you for your saving grace. Help me to live by the Spirit that I may not fulfill the dictates of the flesh in Jesus name. Amen.
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