Faithful God!

1 Corinthians 10:¹³ “You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.” (CEV, emphasis added).

You cannot control what gets your attention, but you can control what keeps it. What gets your attention, most times, is outside your control. But what keeps your attention is within your control. A lot of people feel ashamed when they get attracted. Listen, God is setting you free today. It is just an attraction; it does not define you. Walk away from it! That is why Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:²² “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (KJV). Once you spot it, run away from it. The New Living Translation puts it this way: “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts…”

1 Corinthians 10:¹³ “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man…” (ESV, emphasis added). So, if it is common, then when you are tempted, you should have someone (preferably your spouse), that you can confide in. I pray that a time will come in marriages when a wife can be open with her husband. And say, “I saw that young man, and I was tempted; please pray for me.” Or the husband can say to his wife, “I saw that lady and I was tempted; please pray for me.” Say Amen. But, Pastor, that will be trouble. I pray that a time will come when people will be emotionally stable.

So, if temptation is common, it means that we are men of like passions. It is easy for you to talk about it. So, find someone to talk to and stop gruelling under it. In fact, if you cannot talk to someone about it, it shows that it is already controlling your life. Talk to someone about it. Someone rightly said, “If there were more confessions of temptation, there would be less need to confess sin.” So, when you confess your temptation and pray one for another, you are strengthened. A lot of people have said to me, “Pastor, the temptation was too strong; I could not resist it.” I love you my brother, my sister, but that is a lie.

Why? It is because the Word of God says, God is faithful not to put upon you what you cannot bear. Meaning there is no temptation that you are facing that is too much for you. Secondly, God is faithful not only to bring you the one you can bear but also to make a way out of it. So, you always have a way out of it. The only thing that satan can do to a Christian is to make suggestions. The power lies in you. Do I get an Amen?

Prayer: Father, I trust You to show me a way of escape from every temptation, in Jesus Name. Amen!