SATURDAY 10TH MAY,2016

TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING YOUR TEMPTATIONS (2)
TEXT: JAMES 1:12
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him….”

The second misperception is: temptation is sin. The devil wants you to blame yourself for the temptations you experience. Why? Simple! When you believe that you are the source of it, you feel condemned and discouraged. As you indulge in feelings of discouragement, you become an easy prey and satan convinces you to go ahead and yield to the temptation. Ironically, you yield to sin through the fear of having already fallen. No, the temptation itself isn’t sin; the sin only occurs when you yield to it! Many of us feel like we’re spiritually deficient, distant from God, even phonies (not honest and sincere person) because we think we initiated the temptation ourselves. Imagine a thief in your house, and when you detect him he accuses you of being the thief! Will you believe him? Of course not!
Yet that’s satan’s approach with us. After he tempts us, he accuses with thoughts like, ‘A real Christian would never have such thoughts!’
Knowing our own weakness, his accusations sound plausible and we believe him. Then we feel condemned, spiral into discouragement, and yield to the temptation.
Saint of God, condemnation comes from satan (1 Timothy 3:6 NKJV). The Bible says, ‘Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1 NIV). When satan sends temptation, the Holy Spirit goes to work in us, helping us to reject his suggestions and reminding us of Jesus’ availability to help us triumph. Jesus was tempted just as we are. He understands us and He is able to help us when we are tempted’ (Hebrews 2:18). So when you’re tempted, reject satan’s condemnation and reach for Christ’s overcoming assistance.

MEDITATION: 1 Cor’10:3; Prov 3:11

STUDY THE BIBLE
JN 14:1-14; 2 CHR 20; Ps 78:56-72