Victory is not about resisting temptation until we build enough spiritual muscle to beat it in an arm wrestle.
Victory is about unraveling temptation before it starts.
Let’s back up.
Satan deceived angels not by leading them to concede to the viability of evil, but by offering them a counterfeit good.
He entered the garden, and offered Eve freedom when she was already free.
He offers us love, [insert: happiness, peace, fulfillment…] when in fact, we are already loved.
The fundamental principle of evil is calling into question the sufficiency of the genuine.
That’s the great controversy in one sentence.
And that’s the science of temptation.
First, causing you to question the real, then offering a supposedly viable alternative.
That is why faith makes us righteous, (ever heard of Righteousness by Faith?) and free.
When the child of God believes that all the promises are “Yes, and Amen!”
When he believes that every word of God is creative– just as creative as “Let there be light.”
And that the promises are not stored in Heaven for our aid someday, but are already in our pockets…
Already acting in the lives of those who believe them…
Then the very fundamental principle of temptation is shattered.
Temptation is neutralized before it gets off of the ground…
Unraveled like a rotting sweater.
When we believe (with our hearts, not just our heads) that the promise is all sufficient,
Temptation suddenly becomes utterly insufficient.
You have a billion dollars in your pocket. Why are you falling for the enemy’s penny?
Only because you think you’re poor.
October 11, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Sean, I appreciate your blog and your posts. Keep them up. We are so rich. Let us never trade our millions for the devil's penny. Brian Glass
October 11, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Thank you, Brian! God's richest blessings to you. Indeed we are rich…
October 12, 2011 at 12:59 am
"…already free…already loved…already in our pockets…when we believe with our hearts…all sufficient"
So beautiful. So complete.
Thank you Sean, for sharing this.
October 12, 2011 at 1:42 am
@Sara: Isn't God good? I can't keep it in…
October 12, 2011 at 2:02 am
Thank you for sharing this! I had never looked at temptation in that light, but it's so true. I really like that viewpoint. With the promises of God right in our pockets, and riches beyond measure in our reach, there's no need to fall for the enemy's substitute. May we always remember that…
I was very blessed by it, as I am by all your posts. Keep pressing forward!
October 12, 2011 at 3:13 am
Amen! Thank you, Lydia.
October 12, 2011 at 3:57 am
Amen! Praise God for bringing this subject to the forefront in our church!
October 13, 2011 at 6:41 pm
God's Word is certainly Powerful!
October 13, 2011 at 6:41 pm
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October 15, 2011 at 12:25 am
wow. so profound.
October 17, 2011 at 1:51 am
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October 17, 2011 at 1:57 am
The power in His promises. Oh that we would claim them more! Thanks for sharing:)
October 20, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Sean, You have inspired me with God's goodness once again. You have made it so plain and simple, easy to understand. Thank you so much! May I copy this with your name, of course, and share it with some friends of mine? I think they would truly be blessed by it. My God continue to inspire you!!
Julie
October 20, 2011 at 8:59 pm
@Julie: please do! I'm so thankful you were blessed.
November 13, 2011 at 4:27 am
Thank you for both of these posts Sean. They were a blessing to me.