Battles, not if you will have them but when will you have them. How will you be able to resist or flee from temptation battles?
Read the story below:
Matthew 4
The Temptation of Jesus
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'[a]"
5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:
" 'He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'[b]"
7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[c]"
8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'[d]"
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
How did Jesus withstand temptation?
Jesus used the sword of the spirit for his battle. If you remember from our first week, the sword of the spirit is the word of God.
If you have grown up in church, adults have been trying to persuade you to memorize bible verses since you could talk. And it is for this reason alone. Each one of them have loved you enough to prepare you for battles by helping you memorize God's Word. It was not just an assignment, it is a preparation for battle.
My question to you, are you prepared for battle? Do you have your sword?
If your answer is no or maybe, what changes can you make to start learning God's Word?
You would not go to a dance without preparing yourself. Hopefully, you do not take a semester exam without preparing yourself. A solider does not go to battle without his weapon. So why would you choose to continue to fight the battle of temptation with no sword?
I plead one more time with you to memorize God's Word and to spend time reading it. Please choose to be prepared for all the teenage battles that lie ahead.
This is my life I choose:
Write this verse on my mirror
Matthew 26:41
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
* as I brush out the tangles, to ask God to forgive me for not knowing and using His Word.
*as I put on my contacts (eye makeup), ask God to help me watch for temptation and be prepared
*as I brush my teeth, to ask God to help me speak His Word to fight temptation.
*as I put on my clothes, to put on the armor of God
No comments:
Post a Comment