Spiritual Maturity #8

A. Temptation is our daily companion. Ever present. How do you face it and overcome it?
1. Last lesson we found out what temptation is. “The act of enticement to do wrong, by promise
of pleasure or gain”
a. Jas. 1:4. Underline “each One.” Individual matter. Submitting to temptation is something
we choose to do. When we do we can blame no one but ourselves.
(A) Nothing Outside of Myself can make me sin. Sin is an agreement I make with myself.
Jas. 1:14-15. Enticed is the Greek word “deleazo.” It means “bait.” A juicy worm
on a hook to lure a fish.
(1) Sin occurs in exactly the same way. The bait is dangled and the fleshly,
carnal desire is attracted to the bait. What happens? The struggle begins.
Choice is made. Go for the bait or turn away?
(1) If you go for the bait you’ll experience the tragic consequence of sin and
get hooked, stuffed and mounted on Satan’s trophy wall.
Gen. 39:10-12. That shows you exactly what to do with temptation. Only one way to deal with temptation. Turn away, run as hard as you can. Deal with it swiftly, immediately or you will become the slave, servant of sin. It will wrap you up like a spider wraps a bug in it’s web. Drain the life out of you.
(2) Resisting temptation is not an unattainable goal. It’s something all Christians can do. Put Jesus on the throne of your life. Make Him the center of your life and affections. Guard that decision with your life.
You become like Jesus. You begin by practicing self control and you overcome sin by refusing It’s allure. Rom 6:13.
The answer to temptation is positive action. Yield yourself to God. Let God rule and God will provide. That’s God’s promise in 1 Cor. 10:13. You choose God not sin, God not self. It is Impossible for God and sin to mutually coexist. That’s why Rom. 12:21, says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” How do you overcome sin? You turn away from temptation by turning to God.
(2) You grow the spiritual fruit of “Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and SELF-CONTROL that enables you to Crucify the flesh with its passions and desires.”
(1) You practice righteousness until it becomes second nature. Your habit of life. You sow the seed of the kingdom in your life and you begin to mature and bear much fruit. What kind of seed you sow determines what kind of harvest you get. Gal. 6:7-8.
(1) What seed are you planting today in your life? In your spouses’ life, in your children’s lives? Whatever it is, that’s the harvest you can expect. So don’t be surprised when it hits you in the face. Only a fool will sow the wild oats of sin and rebellion then pray for crop failure at harvest time.
(2) Rom. 6:13. You don’t do it occasionally. You do it minute by minute, hour, day, week, month, year. You do it until it becomes your goal in life. Keep your eyes on the goal. Prov. 4:25, says, “Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed in front of you” Ever see a mule pull a plow without blinders on?

(2) 2 Pet. 1:4, says, “We become Partakers of God’s Divine Nature (Become like Him) so we can escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” Live in God’s Word and practice self-control. That’s the best weapon you have against temptation. Jesus used it. Matt. 4:1-11. What was Christ’s constant answer to temptation? Three little words, “It is written.”
(1) David flirted with sin and lost. He tells us how to avoid those pitfalls in PS 119:11, “O God, Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!” Learn that Word, treasure, listen, live. Gal. 6:7. Yield to temptation and you will eat the bitter fruit of sin. And it is And it will be the bitterest pill you will ever have to swallow.
(2) Eph. 6:11, tells us how to avoid the bitter tragedy of sin, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
2. Sin in your life causes more moral, spiritual damage than you ever dreamed possible. deal with it now or regret it later. Always remember God’s promise to you in 1 Cor. 10:13. That is how you grow to spiritual maturity.
3. Acts 20:32.

Spur - 11/10/02 am Bob Martin