Grace is the power of God to overcome sin in our lives, but all to often we find ourselves caught up in sin, entangled and not living as we know we ought to. In this post I'm talking about temptation and what we can do to overcome it in the power of God by his Grace.
- Temptation has a cure: Jesus said in Matthew 26:41; Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. Could be important as it's also in Luke 22:46 and Mark 14:38 adds "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"
- FBI: Prayer should be Frequent, Brief and Intense (Pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5:16-18)
- Stop, Drop and Roll: Temptation can feel like a fire starting in our soul, when I was kid I was taught to memorize this in order to put the fire out. From a prayer perspective it's helpful reminder to Stop what your doing and pray (drop), then move (roll).
- Sin held back from God, deceives us: James 1:12-16 reminds us God doesn't temp us, rather we are tempted by our own desire, then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin and sin fully grown brings death. He ends this teaching with the warning, "Do not be deceived"
- The heart is deceitful and desperately sick, only Lord God can search and examine it accurately (Jeremiah 17:9-10).
- By faith we humbly ask God to heal us AND he saves us. Read Jeremiah 17:14 Notice he says, "if you heal me Lord, I will be truly healed, if you save me, I will be truly saved". That's the kind of "all in" faith that God requires, not an experimental, half-hearted faith (James 1:5-8). When we come to God we must believe he exists and rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:1,6).
- Stand against the devil but run from sexual temptation: I was listening to OnePlace.com yesterday and heart Jeff Schreve say regarding sexual immorality in the church, "we are to stand firm against the devil (James 4:7) and his schemes (Ephesians 6:11) but when it comes to sexual temptation we are the ones who must run (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).
- Ding Dong - Run Away! Genesis 39:7,12 tells us when your in a situation that you know is leading to sexual temptation, run away - even leaving behind your valuables, get out of there!
- We Stand firm to protect, defend and speak truth: The devil's schemes are to lie, steal and destroy to harm what God loves more than the heaven's and earth he created, mankind (John 10:10). Jesus came not to condemn the people but to save them (John 3:16-21).
- Grace is the Power to overcome sin: Romans 6:12-14 teaches us that we are not to let sin reign in our body, making us obey its passions. Instead of presenting ourselves to sin as tools of unrighteousness we should present ourselves to God as instruments for righteousness. Sin will have no dominion over you when you submit yourself under God's grace. Notice the "will have no dominion over you", shows the active responsible part you and I have to be active in Grace. Grace isn't about God doing everything for us, Grace is the unmerited favor of God in our lives "to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purposes" (Philippians 2:13)
- Romans 12:3 - By Grace, we know not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought but with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given us.
- John Bevere's book Relentless is all about making God's Grace abound in you, his preaching is awesome - see it here
- Ask help from others to Pray Graciously: To clear your conscience, that you can live honorably in everything you do. "Now may the God of Peace who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. "(Hebrews 13:18-21)