A Shield against Sin
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Matthew 26:41
You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.—Margaret Thatcher
A Christian magazine once conducted a survey on the types of temptations people faced and when these temptations were often strongest. The top three temptations people often struggled with were materialism, pride, and self-centeredness. The interesting part of the survey, though, was the times when these people felt the "weakest" or most susceptible to temptation. Eighty-one percent of those polled said they were more likely to fall into temptation when they had missed their daily time with God. When asked what helped them resist temptation, eighty-four percent of people said praying was an effective way for them to resist giving into temptation. Seventy-six percent of people said avoiding compromising situations helped them avoid temptation, sixty-six percent of people cited Bible study as a help, and fifty-two percent of those polled said being accountable to someone helped them.
Temptation is a natural part of the Christian life. God saves us from the penalty of sin but we still must face the temptation to sin. The devil’s pull is great and is often found in every corner of our world. Yet, God desires that we would resist temptation and choose to follow Him.
Many times Christians believe that temptation is sin. Being tempted happens to everyone; it is the act of giving into temptation that brings sin. It’s knowing what is right, what is wrong, and choosing to do wrong. Another misconception Christians have is that when we become spiritually mature, we will no longer be tempted or will have superhuman strength to resist temptation. There is no level of maturity or age that negates temptation; we all struggle with it! So how do we resist temptation? How do we see the devil’s trick and consciously choose to do what’s right? Our verse today gives us two ways to shield ourselves against falling into sin.
First, Christ tells us to watch. One of the hardest things for Christians to do is to keep a heavenly-focused gaze. It’s as if they focus on God on Sundays and Wednesdays, and perhaps in daily time with God, yet put God aside to focus on their to-do lists each day. God desires that you keep your gaze toward Heaven every day and watch for His soon return.
How can you balance a busy schedule on earth with a focus on Heaven? Do you remember the bracelets some years ago that were popular that simply said "W.W.J.D"? These bracelets were intended for their wearers to consider what would Jesus do each time they saw that bracelet. The idea behind the bracelets was something we all need to incorporate into our lives—how would Christ act in the situation we’re in? How would Christ treat others; how would Christ respond to this trial; what would Christ do in my situation? As you keep your gaze on God and consistently look to Him throughout your day, you will be able to shield against the temptation to sin.
The second way Matthew 26 tells us we can shield against sin is to pray. We must consistently be in prayer, as we saw yesterday. Spending time with God and staying close to His heart will help us see temptation for what it is and choose to follow God.
Temptation abounds in our world, there’s no denying it. Yet God has given us a way to shield ourselves from falling into sin. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, yet He desires that as we grow in Him, we would see temptations and consciously choose to not give in to them.
Have you been struggling with a certain temptation in your life? Has the devil been targeting you in a certain area? Take to heart the advice of Matthew 26:41. Christ knows that your flesh is weak, but He wants to strengthen you as you keep your eyes on Him and continue in prayer. Ask God now to help you see temptation and resist the urge to sin. As you seek God, He will help you continue to faithfully live for Him each day.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Matthew 26:41
You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.—Margaret Thatcher
A Christian magazine once conducted a survey on the types of temptations people faced and when these temptations were often strongest. The top three temptations people often struggled with were materialism, pride, and self-centeredness. The interesting part of the survey, though, was the times when these people felt the "weakest" or most susceptible to temptation. Eighty-one percent of those polled said they were more likely to fall into temptation when they had missed their daily time with God. When asked what helped them resist temptation, eighty-four percent of people said praying was an effective way for them to resist giving into temptation. Seventy-six percent of people said avoiding compromising situations helped them avoid temptation, sixty-six percent of people cited Bible study as a help, and fifty-two percent of those polled said being accountable to someone helped them.
Temptation is a natural part of the Christian life. God saves us from the penalty of sin but we still must face the temptation to sin. The devil’s pull is great and is often found in every corner of our world. Yet, God desires that we would resist temptation and choose to follow Him.
Many times Christians believe that temptation is sin. Being tempted happens to everyone; it is the act of giving into temptation that brings sin. It’s knowing what is right, what is wrong, and choosing to do wrong. Another misconception Christians have is that when we become spiritually mature, we will no longer be tempted or will have superhuman strength to resist temptation. There is no level of maturity or age that negates temptation; we all struggle with it! So how do we resist temptation? How do we see the devil’s trick and consciously choose to do what’s right? Our verse today gives us two ways to shield ourselves against falling into sin.
First, Christ tells us to watch. One of the hardest things for Christians to do is to keep a heavenly-focused gaze. It’s as if they focus on God on Sundays and Wednesdays, and perhaps in daily time with God, yet put God aside to focus on their to-do lists each day. God desires that you keep your gaze toward Heaven every day and watch for His soon return.
How can you balance a busy schedule on earth with a focus on Heaven? Do you remember the bracelets some years ago that were popular that simply said "W.W.J.D"? These bracelets were intended for their wearers to consider what would Jesus do each time they saw that bracelet. The idea behind the bracelets was something we all need to incorporate into our lives—how would Christ act in the situation we’re in? How would Christ treat others; how would Christ respond to this trial; what would Christ do in my situation? As you keep your gaze on God and consistently look to Him throughout your day, you will be able to shield against the temptation to sin.
The second way Matthew 26 tells us we can shield against sin is to pray. We must consistently be in prayer, as we saw yesterday. Spending time with God and staying close to His heart will help us see temptation for what it is and choose to follow God.
Temptation abounds in our world, there’s no denying it. Yet God has given us a way to shield ourselves from falling into sin. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, yet He desires that as we grow in Him, we would see temptations and consciously choose to not give in to them.
Have you been struggling with a certain temptation in your life? Has the devil been targeting you in a certain area? Take to heart the advice of Matthew 26:41. Christ knows that your flesh is weak, but He wants to strengthen you as you keep your eyes on Him and continue in prayer. Ask God now to help you see temptation and resist the urge to sin. As you seek God, He will help you continue to faithfully live for Him each day.
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