Can We Resist Temptation?
In 40 days Jesus was in the desert He faced trials and temptation just like us.
Luke 4:3-10
1. Tangible needs: the temptation to separate yourself from God to get what You need . v. 3
2. Own power: the temptation to use your own gifts and power to gain profit for Yourself v. 6-7
3. The temptation to locking onto a power other than God. V. 9-10
It is so easy in our recovery to fall into the temptation trap. Ironically it is when we start to make progress in our recovery that we may be hit from the enemy even harder. We can get rolling in our recovery and see tangible changes in our life, our relationships and even our over view of our self as children of God.
Why is it that we fall into this? Well, it is important to know that none of us can escape temptation. You might be thinking, "Wow! Rodney, that really gives me hope!"
But the truth of the matter is that we will always be in a good spot from time to time and then the next moment be faced with some sort of temptation. Sometimes it is at different extremes but a temptation nonetheless.
Even Jesus was faced with temptaion and yet He was without sin.
The question is that when face these temptations what do we do with it?
In the past we would hide due to possible embarassement. This can be fatal to our recovery progress.
Hiding our temptation gets us into big trouble. It may be a tangible tempation like binge eating, viewing pornography, burying our self in work, responding in anger, becoming prideful in a correction situation or even withdrawing from people because we have ourselves have painted a thought into our head and believed they were against us. Maybe we think they dont like us becasue "they havent said good morning." Sounds silly, but the enemy can put lies into our head and when he does, because we know he will as he is persistent and deceiving. We can either renounce those lies or believe them.
It is when we beleive them and hide our temptation that we end up doing something silly and coping in the unhealthy way that lead us into recovery to begin with.
Once we do this it becomes a great cycle of distruction that leads to withdrawing from frineds and family, justifying our actions, to shame and guilt. This shame and guilt is what the enemy wants us to stay in. The shame that says "this is the way you always be, get used it." That my friend, is a lie.
When we beleive that lie, we then fall into hopelessness. The author of the book "True Faced" Bill Thrall and Bruce McNicol call this "The Control Cycle"
The key is to not fall into thinking we can do this on our own, our own power or sometimes even worse a power other than Jesus Christ. To hit the lie head on with truth.
The next time you face a lie that the enemy throws out at you, tell someone about it immediately. Go to God's word and ask Him to reveal to you what He says about who you are in Christ.
I will close with this.
You are God's child, friend, you have been justified, united with the Lord, bought with a price, a member of Christ's body, a saint who sill sins, adopted as His child, having access to God thru the Holy Spirit.
You have been redeemed and forgiven and are complete in Christ.
We are free forever of condemnation, and any charge against you. We cannot be separated from the love of God and are established, anointed, sealed by God. We are hidden with Christ Jesus in God. The good work He has began in you will be completed.
We are citizens of heaven, we have been given NOT a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind.
We can find grace and mercy in time of need. We are born of God; the evil one cannot touch us!
We are the salt and the light. We are a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life. We have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. We are a personal witness of Christ's. We are God's temple and a minister of reconciliation for God.
We are God's coworker and we are seated with Chirst in the heavenly realm.
We are God's workmanship and we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
My friend, we can do all things thru Christ who strengthens us!
Rodney Holmstrom
Celebrate Recovery Fellowship Bible, NW Arkansas
For more information about Celebrate Recovery contact Rodney at 479-659-3679 or roholmstrom@fellowshipnwa.org
Luke 4:3-10
1. Tangible needs: the temptation to separate yourself from God to get what You need . v. 3
2. Own power: the temptation to use your own gifts and power to gain profit for Yourself v. 6-7
3. The temptation to locking onto a power other than God. V. 9-10
It is so easy in our recovery to fall into the temptation trap. Ironically it is when we start to make progress in our recovery that we may be hit from the enemy even harder. We can get rolling in our recovery and see tangible changes in our life, our relationships and even our over view of our self as children of God.
Why is it that we fall into this? Well, it is important to know that none of us can escape temptation. You might be thinking, "Wow! Rodney, that really gives me hope!"
But the truth of the matter is that we will always be in a good spot from time to time and then the next moment be faced with some sort of temptation. Sometimes it is at different extremes but a temptation nonetheless.
Even Jesus was faced with temptaion and yet He was without sin.
The question is that when face these temptations what do we do with it?
In the past we would hide due to possible embarassement. This can be fatal to our recovery progress.
Hiding our temptation gets us into big trouble. It may be a tangible tempation like binge eating, viewing pornography, burying our self in work, responding in anger, becoming prideful in a correction situation or even withdrawing from people because we have ourselves have painted a thought into our head and believed they were against us. Maybe we think they dont like us becasue "they havent said good morning." Sounds silly, but the enemy can put lies into our head and when he does, because we know he will as he is persistent and deceiving. We can either renounce those lies or believe them.
It is when we beleive them and hide our temptation that we end up doing something silly and coping in the unhealthy way that lead us into recovery to begin with.
Once we do this it becomes a great cycle of distruction that leads to withdrawing from frineds and family, justifying our actions, to shame and guilt. This shame and guilt is what the enemy wants us to stay in. The shame that says "this is the way you always be, get used it." That my friend, is a lie.
When we beleive that lie, we then fall into hopelessness. The author of the book "True Faced" Bill Thrall and Bruce McNicol call this "The Control Cycle"
The key is to not fall into thinking we can do this on our own, our own power or sometimes even worse a power other than Jesus Christ. To hit the lie head on with truth.
The next time you face a lie that the enemy throws out at you, tell someone about it immediately. Go to God's word and ask Him to reveal to you what He says about who you are in Christ.
I will close with this.
You are God's child, friend, you have been justified, united with the Lord, bought with a price, a member of Christ's body, a saint who sill sins, adopted as His child, having access to God thru the Holy Spirit.
You have been redeemed and forgiven and are complete in Christ.
We are free forever of condemnation, and any charge against you. We cannot be separated from the love of God and are established, anointed, sealed by God. We are hidden with Christ Jesus in God. The good work He has began in you will be completed.
We are citizens of heaven, we have been given NOT a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind.
We can find grace and mercy in time of need. We are born of God; the evil one cannot touch us!
We are the salt and the light. We are a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life. We have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. We are a personal witness of Christ's. We are God's temple and a minister of reconciliation for God.
We are God's coworker and we are seated with Chirst in the heavenly realm.
We are God's workmanship and we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
My friend, we can do all things thru Christ who strengthens us!
Rodney Holmstrom
Celebrate Recovery Fellowship Bible, NW Arkansas
For more information about Celebrate Recovery contact Rodney at 479-659-3679 or roholmstrom@fellowshipnwa.org
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