December 21, 2009

Daily Devotional

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A Defense Against Temptation

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READ | 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Experiencing temptation is universal and unavoidable. One cannot hide since there’s no environment on earth free from its pull. You can never completely eliminate the enticement because wherever you run, your “flesh” goes with you. However, yielding to the lure is optional.

The Lord has promised to either provide a way of escape or limit the intensity of the temptation so you can endure it (v. 13). Sometimes that means a literal removal of the enticement as you wisely flee the situation. At other times, the circumstance remains, but He will provide everything you need to bear up without yielding. God is not the source of temptation, but He does allow it for the purpose of maturing and strengthening His children.

Every believer must learn to resist when tempted and to build a defense system for such situations. The way to begin is with self-examination:

• What are your areas of weakness? The Devil doesn’t use the same approach on everyone. He tailors his enticements to fit each individual’s area of vulnerability.
• When are you weakest? Satan never plays fair. He always attacks when you are down. Just think of the acronym HALT, and be on guard whenever you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.

The greatest defense against temptation is the Word of God. Jesus quoted Scripture to silence Satan’s lies (Matt. 4:1-11). Start each day on your knees: ask the Lord to build His truth into your life and provide the ammunition from His Word which will allow you to live in victory.

Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Finally a sun filled winter morning in Georgia! It seems as if the storms have passed, and Christmas day might be bright with sunshine as well. My spirit is "up" and ready to go to work. Today's sunshine, though, will not secure tomorrow's skies. For all I know, another storm might be just around the horizon. This means that I must be prepared: Can't put away the umbrella or the rain coat.

Life is much the same way. Temptation, just like storms, can strike at any time, and the possibility of falling into a snare is never far away. But GOD, in His love and mercy, has given us what we need to weather the storms of temptation. In today's Intouch devotional, Pastor Charles Stanley talks about the necessity of knowing and using the Word of GOD to win the fight against temptation. He instructs us to be aware of areas where we are weak, and to fortify ourselves accordingly.

Please enjoy. Don't forget to read, study, meditate, and pray over the scripture references: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, given below:

1 Corinthians 10

1Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Retrieved 12/21/09 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2010:1-13%20&version=KJV

The day is blessed, so make it a gr8 one!