OPEN HEAVEN 1 NOVEMBER 2021 MEMORIZE: 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. James 1:12
READ: Proverbs 1:11-15 (KJV)
11. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;
12. Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit;
13. We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;
14. Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse;
15. My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path;
The irony of life in the spiritual realm is that the devil is the prosecutor. The Bible says in Revelation 12:9-10 And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Despite the Scripture above, there are blessings attached to overcoming temptations. Revelations 2:26 says ”And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him I give power over the nations”.
It takes genuine love for God to be able to overcome temptation. Joseph in Egypt was able to overcome the temptation of sleeping with his master’s wife because of the love he had for God (Genesis 39:9). Today’s text gives us some insight as to how we can overcome temptations – we are to avoid the company of sinners and reject their ways. There would always be temptations as long as we are alive. Temptation in itself is not a sin, but falling into it is the sin. The sinful thoughts that the devil flashes at you do not become sins until you begin to entertain and act on them. It is our resistance that makes us overcomers.
Hebrews 12:4 says: “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving sin.” We must also avoid doing anything that could bring about temptations. For example, why would you carry a member of the opposite sex that is not your spouse in your lap? Remember you are still flesh and blood. Let us learn from Joseph who fled Potiphar’s wife’s seduction so as not to sin against God (Genesis 39:7-12). God has promised to always provide for us a way of escape from every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Joseph used the route God provided and the enemy was unable to destroy the glory ahead of him. I pray you will always overcome every temptation from now, in Jesus’ name.
PRAYER POINT: Father, ”…Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…”(Mathew 6:13)
