Your personal temptations

[Vic]

Hi there LM,

I have been wanting to add some thoughts to this thread since you posted but got distracted. I think as we grow in Christ, we learn how to live for Him. I also believe that He teaches us things, sometimes having to go through the same scenarios, until we get it right.

Years ago, I was going through some events wherein, after all was said and done, I was left angry, upset, disappointed in my fleshly responses, feeling like a failure...and I would pray about it. And wouldn't you know, a while later the same scenarios played out, with exactly the same responses from me, even though that isn't how I wanted to react. It isn't how I wanted to be seen as living for Christ, and the sense of guilt and failure was the invariable end.

Well, after many times of the same thing, I asked why I could not get out of that situation, why did I have to keep going through that...and God gave me understanding that I would go through that, until I got it right. I should add here, I did a lot of praying, had many tears and many many frustrations over this. It didn't come easy, and I really needed to understand what God wanted from me.

I guess I was slow learner, because 'getting it right' meant what? Responding Scripturally and in Christ. But what of the continual sin and flesh responses and...Then God gave me the Scriptures to apply and the lightbulb went on.

Here's what I learned. When we are tempted, or go through the same issues, it can be to try our faith and also to have us deal with issues that aren't pleasing God. The Scriptures tell us:

James 1:12-16 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16. Do not err, my beloved brethren.

1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1 Peter 1:3-9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

But why the repetitive scenarios and sin and flesh issues/responses, why no victory?

The Scriptures also say:

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Ephesians 4:20-27 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27. Neither give place to the devil.

Neither give place to the devil....and that goes with...

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:7-9 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Ok...so don't give place to the devil and resist him and he flees, resist stedfast in the faith...but...how does one resist him?

resist G436
ἀνθίστημι
anthistēmi
Thayer Definition:
1) to set one’s self against, to withstand, resist, oppose
2) to set against
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G473 and G2476

By knowing who we are in Christ to start with, and knowing the Scriptures---the Sword of the Spirit, and Here's why...

Ephesians 6:10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Ephesians 6:14-18 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Romans 8:37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Ok, so now I had the Scriptures to make it make sense. But when the scenario came around again what was I to do....

I mentally--and have verbally stated out loud---I am not going to sin in this. I am not going to allow myself to enter into this ____. I am going to stand and not fall for this again. And you know what. God gave me the determination and resolve to not do what I had always done, and the incredible peace and joy that comes from being obedient to Him. I wanted to honor Him in what I did. I wanted to allow Christ to shine through. And He did. Much to the dismay and anger and rage of the other person involved. And since that time., every once in awhile that scenario is tossed out to me with that person---and I must admit I have fallen for it a few times, but for the most part, it has been sweet victory and not entering into the situation in sin or the flesh. And just as an extra test, the scenario is rewritten slightly with different players to see if I "resist"...and sometimes I do without batting an eye, and sometimes I blow it...much to my shame.

I do believe that we must make a conscious decision to say no to sin and the flesh--that is 'resisting'. I also believe that Scriptures teach us to 'mortify our members."

Colossians 3:1-10 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6. For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7. In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

mortify > G3499
νεκρόω
nekroō
Thayer Definition:
1) to make dead, to put to death, slay
2) worn out
2a) of an impotent old man
3) to deprive of power, destroy the strength of
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G3498
Citing in TDNT: 4:894, 627

In other words, make a point of getting rid of those things that are not of Christ. He changes us, He makes us new. But we have a responsibility to apply these Scriptures in order to grow in understanding of how to live for Him. That means at some point we all must take stock of what we are about, what we do, what we approve or disapprove of in our lives, what we surround ourselves with and whether those things honor or dishonor Christ. If we look around our homes, and look through the eyes of Christ, using the Scriptures as the source of what He calls us to--holiness, righteousness, truth...

Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Ephesians 5:3-12 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

Mark 7:20-23 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22. Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Galatians 5:19-25 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Then when we look at what books we have, magazines, websites we visit, games, material things we hold onto, things of the occult, or simply anything that obviously is against Christ....then we need to make a decision about whether we are going to eliminate the things from our lives we know without a doubt are not honoring Him or are even against Him, then we are moving forward in obedience. And we are making that conscious decision to say no to sin, the flesh and the devil. When we know something is not honoring Him and keep doing it or keep it with us, we have made a decision to sin. I recall shortly after my family came to Christ. At one point there was a joint decision to get rid of things from our home that were obviously dishonoring Christ. My parents had a lot of magazines and records and books that were discarded. I still had the ouijii board my parents had given me for Christmas the year before---yes I know....how could they. My mother was very open to the occult, and did seances with us...All I can say is, Praise God! for delivering us from these things.

If we had Jesus physically standing in the room with us, and we took Him through our rooms and showed Him all our pictures, games, internet activities, books, and other possessions, would we be embarrassed? ashamed? The reality is, when we belong to Him, He is right there with us, because the Holy Spirit indwells us. And it is about doing things that honor Him.

1 Peter 1:13-16 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

gird up G328
ἀναζώννυμι
anazōnnumi
Thayer Definition:
1) to gird up
2) metaphorically be prepared
2a) a metaphor derived from the practice of the Orientals, who in order to be unimpeded in their movements were accustomed, when starting a journey or engaging in any work, to bind their long flowing garments closely around their bodies and fastened them with a leather belt.
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G303 and G2224

mind G1271
διάνοια
dianoia
Thayer Definition:
1) the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring
2) understanding
3) mind, i.e. spirit, way of thinking and feeling
4) thoughts, either good or bad
Part of Speech: noun feminine
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G1223 and G3563
Citing in TDNT: 4:963, 636

be sober G3525
νήφω
nēphō
Thayer Definition:
1) to be sober, to be calm and collected in spirit
2) to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: of uncertain affinity
Citing in TDNT: 4:936, 633

and hope G1679
ἐλπίζω
elpizō
Thayer Definition:
1) to hope
1a) in a religious sense, to wait for salvation with joy and full confidence
2) hopefully to trust in
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G1680
Citing in TDNT: 2:517, 229

I don't believe we are bound to be caught forever in the merry-go-round of the same scenarios. I do believe Jesus Christ can and does give the victory, and I know of many times in my life He has done just that. But I also believe there are many action words for us in these and many other verses which means we must make a decision to sin or not sin and wield the Sword of the Spirit, and live it. Resist the devil and he will flee...because of Christ.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.