Seeking Jesus First - May 30, 2023
How does a believer win against temptation? How do we resist a desire of the flesh? There are many “ways” that work. One will work in any situation. Which one? The one you have prepared your faith to use.
1. “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.” (2 Timothy 2:1–5, NKJV)
Be strong in the grace of Jesus Christ. Be teachable and faithful to the teachings. Endure hardship as a good soldier through training yourself. Set your affections on things above and not on the things of earth. Walk by faith and please the one who called you out of darkness. Be strict on your flesh.
2. “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:6–8, NKJV)
Humble yourself and receive the grace of God to overcome. Humility is exalting God’s way of living and speaking over man’s ways. Submit to God and resist temptation. When temptation is resisted, it receives no power over you and it flees. The act of drawing close to God is resisting the devil. Foster an environment that welcomes the presence of God and attracts the glory of God.
3. “The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Romans 13:12–14, NKJV)
Put on the armor of light. Put on he LORD Jesus Christ and don’t open the door to the desire of the flesh.
4. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:1–3, NKJV)
Treat your body as a living sacrifice. Make your body a slave to righteousness. Do not be influenced and led around by the nose by the world’s point of view. Receive the mind of Christ Jesus and start retraining the mind to think like Him. Read His Words, Meditate on His ways, Study His love, Trust His commands. Resist pride in all of its forms and walk humbly before God. Think soberly by the faith of God. It is a matter of faith to think and believe the Word of God instead of the world’s lies.
Do all of these sound similar? God’s ways are higher than our ways. They lift us up and put us in charge of the circumstances. We no longer react to them; we respond to them with authority and power. Our circumstances and temptations are not our bosses. The world is not our boss. The devil is not our boss. The flesh does not have to be our boss.
If we prepare ourselves in faith to respond correctly, we will be ready and we will not fall into temptation.
What is your faithful and prepared response to the temptation of getting “tipsy” or drunk?
What is your faithful and prepared response to the temptation of porn, fornication and adultery?
What is your faithful and prepared response to the temptation to speak badly of others or spread gossip and bad news?
Train yourself. Take a look at the life of Jesus. See yourself in Him. See Him in you. Begin preparing your faithful response. What will you say? What will you do? How will you act? What Scripture will you decree?
A soldier has his gear ready when he goes into battle and he knows how to use all of his gear. This is the type of training we need as believers. We need to prepare for spiritual battle and be ready with our spiritual weapons; the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, the shield of faith that quenches every fiery dart, the renewed mind and helmet of salvation, the breastplate of knowing that we are in right standing with God and we are pleasing Him with our faith, the “girdle” of truth around our midsection that holds our armor together, and the shoes of preparation so that we will be able to stand.
Be ready. You already know what the devil will try to use. And you already have the tools to overcome.