Ambrose.J. Chakre
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]atch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. Mark 14:38
The temptations that we face becomes a threat to our spirituality and the evils of it are as deceptive as sinners are to each other. In the light of this the scripture warns us to be on our guard against it lest we be enslaved by the evils of it. Temptation in itself is not a sin but it becomes one when we fall by the sword of it. Every temptation begins with a process and ends with a result. The fall of man came about as a result of temptation but the powers which once ruled the world are now under threat from a greater power which is of Christ. The evils of temptations has bought about death, sicknesses and miseries to the human race but God in His love made it possible for us to overcome and to fight against it.The world we live in is being tested and tempted by every vice which we call sin and the victims of it are from every community, tribes and nations. Every truth we encounter is for edification, strengthening and to build us up. And every temptation we encounter either breaks or builds our relationship with God. It always hurts when I hurt myself but it hurts more when I hurt God and my lover alike. Our every act will either speak for us or act against us. The Bible clearly warns us about the consequences of falling into temptation but it also assures us of a way out. The acts of our weaknesses can be categorized into two entities namely the temptation of the flesh and the temptation of the Spirit. The first temptation that we encounter are the acts of our sinful nature, while the second nature of temptation is of a higher dimension and the degree of our spiritual maturity are often measured by how well we adjust to the pressures of sins and temptations.
The sins of our lives are all in scripted in the tablets of our hearts but God has not only promised to burn the pages of sins of our lives, but He has also promised to restore us to His ways. No one will be spared from facing the stings of temptations but God has promised the crown of life to all who prevails against it. Temptations will come and go and so will the evils of it. Every temptation we face is an opportunity for us to come closer to God. When tempted we should kneel down and pray to God for it is the only way for us to be protected from it. Even if the sins of our lives are as numerous as the stars in the sky, an act of repentance can cancel all our acts of wickedness of the past. This is what God can do and He understands our weaknesses as much as He cares for us. The sinless One faced and overcame temptations and we can also experience the same victory through Christ who gives us strength.
Temptation is like a sin starved loin which prowls in the bedroom, classes, offices, hotels and the streets to seek and devour the lost. In view of this Peter writes in His first epistle “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers through out the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings ( 1st Peter 5:8-9 ). This powerful verse reminds us of the threat which many sinners are in but it also gives us insights to prevail against the threats of our common enemy. The only way to win the war is to fight the war with power and authority. The truth we see in this is that the struggles of our lives are temporal and so are the temptations of our lives. God does not want any member of His Church to perish because of the temporal but He wants every member of His Church to be saved because of the eternal. Temptation does not always come to us, but there are times when we go to it and are enslaved by it. The magnets of it are as strong as sinners are to each other and the union of the sinners results in death. The closer we are to it, the harder it becomes for us to resist it. The saints of the old fell by the swords of temptation but God in His mercy resurrected them by His Spirit of life. The God who forgave sinners still forgives. If we are forgiven we will be under grace but if we are unforgiven we will under condemnation. Knowing that we can still be forgiven, if we ask not for it now, the thorns of these words will torment sinners even in hell.
If we are to prevail against the powers of the world, we have to live by the spirit. The same is written in the book of Galatians which states “So I say live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law” (Galatians 5:16-18). The depths of this truth will only be revealed in the next chapter of our life and the powers of it will be realized in us when we live by the truths of it. It is equally important to know the truth and to live by it. It was by the grace of God that we became conscious of sin and we will only be saved by His Spirit. As the scripture states “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God And savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good (Titus 2:11-14). Notice that the word “No” had been bracketed and capitalized to warn sinners about the consequences of sin and to uplift the Spirits of the weak to the ways of God. It is not only about overcoming the temptation of the present but it is also about overcoming the temptations of the future. The God who understands our weaknesses will not leave us, nor forsake us. God is able to help those who are being tempted because He Himself suffered when He was tempted (Hebrews 2:18). Christ overcame temptation because of what He is (The Word) and we can experience what He experienced through Him who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). The Word will be your guide and your sword, hold on to it and strike down every sinner who hinders you from moving forward in Christ. For where your heart is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). I beckon every sinner like us to live by the spirit that we may not gratify the desires of the flesh. The Spirit is life and we will have life when we have the Spirit in us. Temptation now knocks on your door and you are warned not to give into it lest you forfeit your soul, your blessing and your relationship with God. The God who called you is faithful and He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can endure. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1st Corinthians 10:13). Think of this and lose not your soul.
