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 NIV)
Are you tempted? Of course you are. We all face temptation each and every day. The day I am no longer tempted is the day you need to check my pulse! I like pretty girls (I married my wife, didn’t I?). I like prestige. I like recognition, power, money, things, stuff, etc..
When I don’t have what my "wanter" wants, I’m tempted. I heard a speaker recently say, “we spend money we don’t have, to buy things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t even like”. Temptation is that feeling inside that says I should have what I think I want, and the desire to do what it takes to get it, even if what I would have to do is wrong. Do you ever feel “tempted”?
Temptation is an everyday occurrence, even in the Christian life. What you and I do about temptation is a declaration of how you feel about God. In other words, if you and I really love God, we will want to obey Him. To obey Him, means we will learn to say no to temptation. That’s pretty tough advice, isn’t it? And, yet that is the type of Christian God has called us to be.
The bad news is that temptation is a common experience. The good news is that as a Christian, we have everything within us to say no to temptation. God equips us, through the Holy Spirit, to resist the devil and his evil ways. You and I don’t have to sin any longer. You and I can say no to temptation.
I know that fact alone does not free us from everyday temptation, or even give us complete victory over that temptation, but it is comforting to know that God has armed us for battle.
