Glorious Living Devotional : Jan 28

Topic: Victory over Temptation

Text: James 1:12-16

Key text:  James 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Discussion: temptation is common to all Christian pilgrim, if we are really on our way to heaven, there will always come temptations which we must overcome, if we will get to heaven, but to overcome we must understand this basic things about temptations: the Source, the strategy, the solution.

The Source: the ultimate source of temptation is the Devil, he comes in a cunny way, using your Self (flesh) or someone else,  how?

The Strategy: Having realized that Satan is the ultimate source of temptation, our text reveals the strategy he uses,

-Drawing away: Satan understands that when we are in the will of God, it becomes impossible to fall into temptation, so he dangles goodies before us, with a purpose of drawing us out of God's will. He tries to create a desire for the things of this world in us, of Which Jesus said, if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him, this will make the individual to lust after that thing.

-Lust to lust is to passionately desire a thing, damming the consequence of getting that thing, it may be money, position, power, or anything.

When Satan has successfully drawn an individual away, and put within him a lust, Satan can then easily, capture such ca back into sin. Sometimes Satan uses things that are not sinful to lure men into sin, that is why we must learn to discipline ourself, deny ourself and carry our cross after him.

The Solution: Temptation is not a sin, but to fall into the suggestion to sin, is a sin, therefore we must be victorious over temptation, what is the solution, the way to be victorious over the tempter and his temptation.

-The Savior:  Jesus came to deliver us from sin and give us Victory over temptation. (See Luke 1:74&75), it is important to note that a sinner is not tempted, he is still a slave to sin hence he lives in sin, only one that has been saved by Jesus Christ, that can be tempted to forsake him, or to commit sin (read 1 John 3:5-9) it is through Jesus' death and resurrection that we can be free from sin, and live a virtuous life over sin.

-Self denial, sacrifice and service: several times Jesus reiterated these points as condition for following him, because, except we deny ourselves of somethings, we cannot live victorious over temptation, hence we cannot be a disciple of Christ. These three talks about delebrate avoidance of some basic necessities that are offered on a platter of an appearance of evil, also intentional submission, and devotedness to the will of God, and absolute surrender to the cause of Christ, with the aim of winning souls to the kingdom.

-Saintly equipping: Also to live victorious, saints must have the following in their Armoury; Righteousness, Truth and sincerity, Evangelism and soul winning, Faith, asurrance of Salvation, the reading the word of God, watchfulness against appearance of evil, perseverance and supplication for all saints.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.(read also, Ephesians 6:11, 13-18)

Challenge:  There 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. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Prayer: Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil, let me learn to live in your Victory, in Jesus name. Amen

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Glorious Living Devotional : Jan 24

Topic: The Good Fight of Faith

Text: Jude 1

Key text: Jude 1:3

Discussion: As believers in Christ it is important for us to know that we are not of this world, we are pilgrims, we are journeying to Heaven and Jesus already said this in John 15:19 he said "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." We have been saved and therefore chosen out of the world. But as long as we live in this world, the world wants to allure us back unto itself, the world strives to make us loose sight of Heaven and focus on the things of this world, therefore we are exhorted to earnestly contend, to defend our faith in God, to defend our salvation, delivered once unto the saint

There are three important things to note, Our salvation, the enemies of our salvation, and the fight against them.

-Our salvation: this is the benefits we receive through the substitutional death of Christ for the sin of the world That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ( John 3:15 ) the word whosoever makes this a universal salvation, that is why Jude said it is a common salvation.
This salvation is available to everyone, God's will for all human is that we are saved, Joel already prophesied it, and the author of Acts quotes it that it shall come to pass  that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:21)

if you are a sinner you can be changed, you can be saved, this salvation is for you, just turn to Jesus and say, Jesus, I believe you died for me, have Mercy on me, forgive my sins, and you shall be saved.

Our enemies: having Obtained salvation by Grace, we are to cherish this salvation and guard it jealously, for there are contenders that will tend to snatch it from us, and the source of this contention is Satan, he is the one who will come in several means in other to ensure we lose our salvation, some of the strategy Satan uses are; Sin, self (flesh) and worldliness,

Satan tries to lure us into outright sin, but when that fails he tries to use the flesh, (your desires, your wishes, your need, he dangles the image of them at you so that you will try to have them, but he will set sin on the way so that as you attempt to get those things you will stumble into sin.

When all these strategy does not work he uses the world, the world uses corruption, flattery, and persecution, to entice, to ensnare and finally entrap saints into sin, .

Those are the enemies, and that's the strategy, However, whatever be the strategy,  God is able to keep you from falling that is why Jude said "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." (Jude 1:24)

Our fight: Romans 8:13 points it clear to us the role of the flesh, how if we allow the flesh it will lead to death(sin), but if we allow the spirit, to mortify(kill or deny) the deed(desire and demand) of the flesh, we shall live, hence our fight should be against the flesh.
But what are we to fight and kill in the flesh that are highlighted in 1 Timothy 6:4-5, 8-10, 12
They include, Pride, envy, strife, railings, evil surmising, perverseness, disputations, corruption in the minds,  incontinent, lust, pursuit of money and riches and more...
  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:11,12)

As we fight we should be sure that we have the victory since Jesus already said "I have overcome the world".

Challenge: Are you fighting the Good fight of Faith against the real enemy(Satan, Sin, Self) or bad fight off unbelief against God's creatures?

Prayer: I receive the Grace to enter into the reality of victory in Jesus' Blood

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