THINK VICTORY! DEALING WITH TEMPTATION BIBLICALLY Part 3

DEALING WITH TEMPTATION BIBLICALLY - Part 3

"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 a WAY OF ESCAPE also, that you may be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

During my ten years of ministry at America's KESWICK, I have talked with hundreds of men who have graduated from the Colony of Mercy and have left and within hours, days or weeks, fallen back into their patterns of addiction. When I have an opportunity to talk with them I always ask the question, "What happened?" They will tell their story and somehow in the conversation I will ask the question, "Was God faithful to you?" They will look at me with that puzzled look and then I probe with this question. "When you faced your temptation did God provide a way of escape for you?"

The answer is always, "YES!" My friend, God will always provide an escape route strategically planned just for you. You can count on it because He IS faithful to His Word!

A number of years ago I struggled with panic attacks. I had difficulties driving, going in an elevator, or being in large crowds. One of the things I found myself doing was looking for an escape route. If driving, I always had a plan where I knew I could stop someplace and get help (this was before cell phones). When having to be in a room that I knew there would be lots of people, I always checked for the exit doors so I could escape.

The word escape means "to walk out, as to walk out of a difficult place; to walk out of a trap; to walk out of a place that isn't good for you."
Think about the last time you encountered temptation. Did God not provide a way of escape?

Here are several escape routes that God makes possible that really are quite simple. In fact, they may be so simple that you've missed them:

1. When facing temptation - FLEE!!! Run!!! Get out there!!! Remember Joseph and the encounter with Potipher's wife? (Genesis 39:12) Someone has said, "Negotiating with sin usually leads to falling into it rather than conquering it, so it's better for us to just get up and get away from the situation as quickly as we can!" The very next verse after 1 Corinthians 10:13 says - FLEE!!! Check out 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22. When you find yourself someplace you KNOW is wrong - don't linger - get out of there!

2. When facing temptation - JUST SAY NO! Titus 2:11-12 tells us that God's grace is teaching us to "say no!" Don't play with it. Don't touch it. Say no. Martin Luther said that "playing with temptation is like thinking you can play with and handle fire and not expect to be burned.

3. When facing temptation - RUN TO GOD'S WORD. Jesus encountered temptation in Matthew 4. How did he handle it? He used Scripture: IT IS WRITTEN. That's why hiding God's Word in our hearts is so important.

4. When facing temptation, CRY OUT TO GOD! We can cry out to the One who is "Able to aid those who are tempted." (Hebrews 2:18) Check out Psalm 107.

5. When facing temptation, reach out for help from another brother. Let him come alongside and help you by praying for you, quoting Scripture to you, and being there for you.

Speaker and author Rick Jenner says, "If you say "Yes" to the Lord, He will show you how to deal with temptation biblically. You can evade, dodge, elude, get out of it, and break away from every temptation. You have the power to make the choice!" So what about it? Are you willing to deal with temptation biblically? You have the "HOW TO" from the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 10:13. Start today by committing that verse to memory. Then apply the truth of God's Word to whatever temptation you are facing - and in the words of NIKE ... "Just do it!"

GREAT QUOTE: God walks with us. He scoops us up in His arms or simply sits with us in silent strength until we cannot avoid the awesome recognition that yes, even now, He is there. Gloria Gaither