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Temptation and Sin are
Powerful (NOT) James 1: 14 – 15 (NIV) - - - but each one is tempted
when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives
birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. For Christians, perhaps no
personal effort is so fundamental to spiritual wellbeing and growth as overcoming
temptation and sin in our lives. But how
is this possible? Acknowledging temptations and
that we must endure and overcome them – and accepting that we must endure
them that we may overcome them – exposes them for the weak and transient
things they are. Facing our demons
(whether our own sin nature or Satan himself), and accepting that we must
suffer their barbs and deflect their darts, removes the fears of our
imaginings and, as with most difficult and painful things, here and happily
the reality proves far less difficult or painful than we had imagined. It is the darkness that gives our demons
their power upon us – we fear the bump in the night – but the light of day
reveals the truth: that our demons are defeated and doomed already, and
dependent on our fears for the influence they have in our lives. Remove the fear, and our demons are but
poor little things that can only make noise.
Hell is called Bedlam for a reason. But to overcome temptation we
must also be willing to give up temptation's end – that is, sin. And to acknowledge that we must give up
our sins is simply a mater of examining life's balance sheet. We find in fact that it costs us far less
than we thought to give them up, and everything to keep them. And when we accept the cost and give them
up, we then gain all good things. Matthew 6: 33 (NIV) But seek first his kingdom and
his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. |
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