1 John 2:15-17
In part 1 we saw how our adversary the devil twists our desires to cause us to fall into sin. Now, this guy has been in operation for a long long time, he is not your friend neither is he your age mate!, he is very good at the game of causing people to fall. Lot in Genesis almost lost his life simply because he chose for himself what looked lucrative without considering the spiritual implications.He became financially prosperous, had worldly status, influence, wealth, and comfort. Yet, it was all taken away in a moment when the judgment of God came upon Sodom and Gomorrah. He put all his eggs in the wrong basket, and lost it all because, ‘the world is passing away!”. Mark 8:36,”For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Eve went after these earthly rewards and it was catastrophic for her, her husband and ultimately the whole world.Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food [Lust of the flesh] and pleasing to the eye [Lust of the eye] and also desirable for gaining wisdom[Pride of life], she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”
Many others fell and still many continue to fall today but thank God for His Son Jesus Christ!! He came, He saw, He conquered the devil. His secret?, The Word of God and being full of the Holy Spirit. All He did was tell the devil, It is written!!! In Matthew 4, he(the devil) tempted Jesus using the bread for hunger [Lust of the flesh], the Kingdoms of the world [The Lust of the eye] and Protection-Angels coming down to make sure Jesus didn’t fall. This would of course cause anyone to feel awesome about themselves[The Pride of life].
What a perfect example! Like Jesus, we too can use the powerful weapon (The Word of God) and tell the enemy “It is written!”. But how can we do this if we don’t spend time reading and meditating upon His Word? We find [and I dare say] create a lot of time for useless jokes on social media, current news etc but we are usually too busy for quality time in God’s presence. What a shame?! The God who has time for each and every one of us yet we don’t have time for Him? No wonder we are growing cold and cold everyday. “In the last days, the love of many will grow cold[Matt 24:12].” It’s simply as a result of loving the world instead of loving the Word. God have mercy on us.
My challenge to you and me.
We certainly live in this world and our hearts seek after many things so it goes without saying that the attraction to sin will always be present within us (our desires). Since the biggest area of defilement is in the area of the heart which includes the mind and the will, all these will have to be renewed and transformed by God(His Word and His Spirit). Seeing to it that we are co-workers with Christ, it will also take a deliberate effort from our end to program our thought process around things that are pure,noble,trustworthy,admirable & worthy of praise(Phil 4:8). It must also involve us gaining the courage to face our real selves and taking a hard look at our true motives. (Opening our in most beings to the thorough searching of God). We must let God examine and change our real motives; those hidden drives and dark secrets of our lives must be brought to the light-because God has given us the power to master them and make a choice to do what is right. Paul says “Everything is permissible for me”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”–but I will not be mastered by anything.” My prayer for you and I is that we will master our desires because as it was in the days of Lot, Noah—‘The world will pass away!’. (v.17, Matthew 24:35)
More scriptures for your reading & Meditation:
Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.”
Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
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