"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. and God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
We are not born again with an immunity to temptation; it is the common Christian experience. However, one of the enemy's tactics is to isolate us in a sense of shame and defeat in which we think there must be something wrong with us because we struggle with temptation. Don't buy into that lie. We all struggle. But we can all be victorious as well. God sets us up to succeed in the face of temptation. When tempted we must learn to look to our faithful God for the strength to bear it and the way of escape. As we learn to do this we will win a double victory. First, He will enable us to stand. Second, and most wonderful, our experience of temptation will drive us closer to Him.
Father, help me to learn to look to You when I am tempted that I may live in the victory that You enable. Help me to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ who also struggle with temptation.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
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Praise the Lord Brother Mark!
ReplyDeleteI like the Message version: "No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He'll never let you be pushed past your limit; He'll always be there to help you come through it". [1 COR 10:13]
I am so encouraged by the fact that all sins are "common to man"; Satan has no new sins. The same sins that tempted Eve, desire,doubt and disobedience are the same ones that tempt us today. But praises to the Lord! By obedience to His spoken word, we know of and have the spiritual weapons to shield against all the fiery darts of the evil one.
Father God, please always help me to take inventory of my own stand; being sure that my stance is firmly anchored in Your word,righteousness, and strength, not of my own...