by Zach Roll

When Temptation Finds You.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link. 

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”
1 Corinthians 10:14 English Standard Version

Have you ever been told to face your fears, or stand up to your demons? Often times we can take that mindset and apply it to defeat our temptation and sin, either by directly confronting it or by running away. Both of these ideas can be dangerous. The Devil is a master at deception, will do everything in his power to get you to cave to temptation, and loves it when we try to confront him face to face. We will lose. We as a fallen race are simply not strong enough to conquer sin by confronting it head on, especially if we are trying to confront it on our own. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, we are told that God has provided for us the way of escape from temptation.

We are to flee from temptation, and run to Christ. We run to Christ, because he knows what it feels like to be tempted just as we do. He completely understands the agony of enduring temptation. Our Lord and Savior has been tempted just as we have, and he is the only one that has ever been able to defeat temptation with a 100 percent success rate. We are also given the Holy Spirit, that we may be able to discern our weaknesses and temptations, recognize them, and flee from them.

You have probably also heard the adage that God won’t give you more than you can handle. This is false, in fact many things thrown our way force us to the end of us, so that we have no where to turn to but God. However, Scripture itself tells us that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our own means. This is because every time we are tempted, God walks with us. He is our way of escape every single time, and there will never be a time when we cannot turn to him in our distress.

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14 English Standard Version.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO