Battle Lines are Drawn

Scripture:
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NASB)

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.  No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Devotional:

Do you feel that you are being bombarded with temptation?  Are there times when you just cannot stand under the weight of it all?  There are times when sin just creeps in.  There it is before you know it.  The next thing you know you have sinned.  Other times sin comes at you like a ton of bricks.  You are overwhelmed and cannot withstand the pressure.  Maybe the sin is something you relish or is something you really enjoy. 

 

We can look at someone and wonder how they could buckle and give in to “that” sin.  We might think how could they, or why would they.  We might have the holier than though attitude and profess we would never do “that.”  Keep this thought in mind.  Someone is out there looking at your life and saying the exact same thing about you.  “How could you do…?”

Let’s face facts, the battle lines are drawn and sin is all around us.  Sometimes it is apparent and blatant.  We can easily identify it and firmly say no as we walk away.  Sometimes the sin is sneaky.  There is a hint of truth or “good” in it.  It can’t be bad, after all… Sometimes we are coerced or tricked into falling into sin.  We might feel that we are too weak to say no and walk away.  No matter how sin comes at you it can be repelled.  No matter how hard it is to say no, we have the means to do so.  No not by our own power.  Lord knows I cannot make it on my own.  But by grace and through the Holy Spirit we can firmly stand our ground.  God gives us what we need to be able to endure and stay true to Him.  

So the next time sin is all around you and you can’t hold out just look for God’s prompting.  He will provide a way for you to retreat and take a stand.  He will enable you to say no and walk away.  The problem is that we tend to fail to see it.  We think we can shoulder it all on our own.  Draw strength in the Holy Spirit that dwells in you.