The Lord this day is directing our attention to this message that touches on the common experience of all men. Temptation is a common experience of all men educated or illiterate, rich or poor, religious or in-religious. Temptation in its self is not a sin it is yielding to temptation that is a sin. As you go through the bible you see that there are two camp those who overcame temptation and lived victoriously and those who were defeated in temptation they yielded to temptation thereby lost their liberty and victory. When we talk of those that overcame which the company the Lord wants us to join. These includes Joseph, Enoch, Job, Sons of Rechab, Daniel and his friends, Paul the apostle and our lord and Master Jesus Christ. These and many others were overcomers over temptation and lived victoriously. While there are others like Esau, Adam and Eve, David, Solomon, Samson, Judas Iscariot, Demas etc. they fail at the time of temptation and lost the victory of the believer.
The tempter is the devil and he uses things, situations, men, women, friends, family members, money, your flesh etc. to pose temptation to you. But God has promised to keep us at the hour of temptation. 2Peter.2:9. Hebrews.4:15-16. SATAN’S PURPOSE IN TEMPTATION: Gen.3:1-7; Luke.4:1-13. Mt.19:3. Mt.22:15-18. Satan is the chief tempter. Till today he is still in the business of tempting men and women, boys and girls. And his purposes in temptation are as follow. (1) To cause people to disobey God and His commandments. (2) To make people to doubt God and His love. (3) To make people to depart from the path of righteousness. (4) To make people defile their life and conscience. (5) To destroy the purpose of God in the life of man. (6) To make people defeated in their life and Christian journey. (7) To bring disgrace in people life. (8) To degrade men and women. (9) To defame the name of the Lord through the sinner or backslider. (10) To damn the soul in hellfire. SAVIOUR’S PROMISE TO THE TEMPTED: 1Cor.10:13; Isaiah.43:1-2; Hebrews.2:18; Rev.3:10; Hebrews.4:15-16; 2Peter.2:9; Judevs.24-25.
The Saviour’s promise to the tempted is very clear in the scriptures. He said I will make a way of escape, He will keep the godly at the hour of temptation, and he will supply all the needed grace. The Lord overcame in all the temptation that came to Him and He is able to support and succor us in all our temptations. It is His will that we overcome and live the victorious life.
SECRETS OF OVERCOMING TEMPTATION AND LIVING VICTORIOUSLY: Ps.119:9-11; Mt.4:1-10; Mt.26:41; 1Cor.7:1, 5; James.1:13-16; Rom.12:11; Daniel.1:8; Gen.39:7-12; 1Thess.5:22. The following steps will help us to overcome temptations at all times and to live victoriously. (1) Watch and pray. (2) Store the word of God in your heart and meditate on it constantly. (3) Separate yourself from all objects of temptation and all appearances of evil. (4) Stay close to your spouse if you are married and if you are unmarried avoid all unnecessary closeness with the opposite sex. (5) Have self discipline and self-control. (6) Learn to say no to invitation to evil and to stand uncompromisingly in righteousness. (7) Lean on God and His grace. Jeremiah.35:1-18.
I PRAY THAT THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY GIVES US THE STRENGTH TO CARRY ON IN THIS CROOKED AND PERVERSE GENERATION. CHEERS!!!!!!!
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