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James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved,
he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Here James pronounces a blessing of approval for those who endure the very thing that
we are instructed to pray deliverance from every day.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.
When a Christian struggles with their prayer life, they struggle with everything.
Many go to great lengths to debate doctrine, but how difficult it can be to pray!
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.
Matthew 26:
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter,
What! Could you not watch with Me for one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak.
We learn to exercise our memory, reason and logic with study and introspection
from our youth, but how difficult it can be to pray!
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.
..............................................
James 1:
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot
be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
How far away are we ever from temptation? As far away as the air we breathe,
for the world we live in can be called temptation, and the land of godless delight.
1 John 2:
16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes,
and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the desire of it; but he who does the will
of God abides forever.
We have been instructed to put on the full armor of God, because the full armor
is required to stand against the enemy.
Ephesians 6:
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual
hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand
in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Today could be the evil day! There are those who reject all doctrine of obedience to Christ
as being “works based salvation”, but the victorious Christian is vigilant in every thought.
2 Corinthians 10:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge
of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
There are few in the church today who are prepared to avenge all disobedience.
...............................................
James 1:
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,
brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Sounds down right insidious. Therefore, we are constantly warned against the
deceptiveness of sin.
Hebrews 3:
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing
from the living God;
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.
The reason we are told to watch and pray is not because temptation is coming,
that is a given. We watch for the Spirit to show the Way, for that is the escape
that the Lord has provided.
1 Corinthians 10:
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except as is common to man; but God is faithful,
who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation
will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear.
The way of escape is already provided, before you place yourself in an undesirable position
to overcome temptation. This is something that most immature Christians overlook.
Expecting a way of escape to come like a white knight to save you from the midst of temptation
is to fail to walk in the Spirit.
.......................................
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down
from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
The blessed life is found when we can clearly distinguish the gifts of heaven from
the desires of life. The Way of the Lord is a Strong Tower.
Psalm 18:
1 I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength,
in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
And why does David describe the presence of the Lord in so many ways?
Because we need Him to be! Even as the old hymn states:
“I need Thee, I need Thee, I need Thee, every hour”.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep
thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them
that dwell upon the earth.
he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Here James pronounces a blessing of approval for those who endure the very thing that
we are instructed to pray deliverance from every day.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.
When a Christian struggles with their prayer life, they struggle with everything.
Many go to great lengths to debate doctrine, but how difficult it can be to pray!
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.
Matthew 26:
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter,
What! Could you not watch with Me for one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak.
We learn to exercise our memory, reason and logic with study and introspection
from our youth, but how difficult it can be to pray!
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.
..............................................
James 1:
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot
be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
How far away are we ever from temptation? As far away as the air we breathe,
for the world we live in can be called temptation, and the land of godless delight.
1 John 2:
16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes,
and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the desire of it; but he who does the will
of God abides forever.
We have been instructed to put on the full armor of God, because the full armor
is required to stand against the enemy.
Ephesians 6:
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual
hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand
in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Today could be the evil day! There are those who reject all doctrine of obedience to Christ
as being “works based salvation”, but the victorious Christian is vigilant in every thought.
2 Corinthians 10:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge
of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
There are few in the church today who are prepared to avenge all disobedience.
...............................................
James 1:
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,
brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Sounds down right insidious. Therefore, we are constantly warned against the
deceptiveness of sin.
Hebrews 3:
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing
from the living God;
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.
The reason we are told to watch and pray is not because temptation is coming,
that is a given. We watch for the Spirit to show the Way, for that is the escape
that the Lord has provided.
1 Corinthians 10:
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except as is common to man; but God is faithful,
who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation
will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear.
The way of escape is already provided, before you place yourself in an undesirable position
to overcome temptation. This is something that most immature Christians overlook.
Expecting a way of escape to come like a white knight to save you from the midst of temptation
is to fail to walk in the Spirit.
.......................................
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down
from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
The blessed life is found when we can clearly distinguish the gifts of heaven from
the desires of life. The Way of the Lord is a Strong Tower.
Psalm 18:
1 I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength,
in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
And why does David describe the presence of the Lord in so many ways?
Because we need Him to be! Even as the old hymn states:
“I need Thee, I need Thee, I need Thee, every hour”.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep
thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them
that dwell upon the earth.
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