GALATIANS 5:16-17 – But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
THEME OF THE DAY. OUR BATTLES – OUR DECISIONS: VICTORY OR DEFEAT. Today and throughout the day, we are going to face temptations and they will be of all kinds. We will be confronted with the temptation to speak ungodly in the heat of tense moments. We will feel the world and the lust of the flesh attempting to draw us to satisfy unholy passions. We will find situations wanting us to react in selfish ways. And the list of possible temptations we will face is longer than those three. Temptations are the reality of living out the Christian life. The Apostle Paul tells us, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Notice what he did not say . . . “there will be no temptation in your life.” Yes, fellow pilgrim to heaven, we face temptations daily and will till the Lord returns or we go to be with Him. However, don’t despair or be discouraged. Though temptations come, they don’t have to defeat us. They really don’t. Have we come to grasp these truths about the Christian life in all their broad applications – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4)?
We may easily cling to the Philippians passage when enduring hard times and difficult circumstances, but what about running to this “power verse” when temptations come? When the flesh screams for fulfillment, the tongue wants to lash out in unkind words, and we want to be served instead of serve, do we say, “No. I won’t give into any of those temptations. I don’t have to because I can do all things through Christ, including defeating any and all temptations?” Friends, we decide to defeat temptation or be defeated by temptation. Victory or defeat, every time and in every temptation, rests upon our decision to apply God’s Word and give into the temptation. That is what is behind today’s scripture; a decisive life of obeying the Spirit, which means obeying the Word, and saying “no” to temptation.
As for the second reference and temptation – “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4), John’s words, as it applies in our battles against temptation, remind us that we have always ready for us the Presence of God in us. In the Philippians passage, we defeat temptation by relying upon the strength through Christ. In this text, we defeat temptation by remembering who lives within us. Few things will motive us more to say “no” to temptation to sin than this. Christ is always with us because He is always in us. To yield to temptation is to make Christ an unwilling partner in the sin that results. Now I am not saying “Jesus sins”, but take time and read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. Paul reminds the Corinthians and us that we are one with Christ and giving into temptation grieves and quenches His Spirit and “soils” His bride. Constantly remembering He lives in us will go a long way in saying “no” to any and all temptation.
Choice, decisions. We make them all day long, and when it comes to temptations, choices and decisions are made here also. Choose victory, not defeat. It is possible because of Christ’s power for us and Christ’s presence in us.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to always choose Your glory and my growth when faced with any temptation.”
QUOTE: “Temptations are part of the Christian life and all may be defeated; the choice to win or lose is ours.”