Message on The Temptation Battle!

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Ksumare
Ksumare Posts: 62 Member
Today’s focus scripture is taken from 1 Corinthians 10:13


No temptation has overtaken you except such 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 it.

Every one of us has areas in which we are vulnerable to temptation and the devil knows exactly what they are. Imagine this scenario:

You are at your desk at work. You get hungry and are tempted to get a bag of cookies from the vending machine. You have an apple in your desk that could ease your hunger better, but a voice whispers “You know you don’t want that.” So the movie begins.

You see yourself eating the cookies. You think about how the cookies will taste and how the sugar buzz will feel after you eat them. Without even being aware of it, all of the memories and associated feelings of eating cookies come upon you. You suddenly find yourself digging in your purse for change so that you can get those cookies. What happened? You’ve just been seduced by Temptation T.V.

Channel 666 on your mental dial, Temptation T.V. is designed to put you in bondage. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week and its programming caters to your weaknesses. For example, if chocolate fudge cake tempts you, then Channel 666 will show you video of the most decadent, gooey chocolate fudge cake you can find.

Channel 666’s goal is to drag you down to the gutter. To do this, it must create desire within you so it makes its images appear even better than the real thing. But it never lives up to its advertising.

Whenever you find yourself being tempted, check to see if your mind is tuned into Channel 666. What pictures are running through your head? If the pictures are those of the object that you are attempting to resist, then you are tuned into Temptation T.V.

When you find you are tuned into Temptation T.V., just look up. That’s right, look up at the sky or the ceiling or whatever happens to be above your head. Just the simple act of looking up reminds you to focus on God. It also interrupts the pattern that you have established for tuning in to Temptation T.V. That pause allows you to change the Channel to 777, Truth T.V.

What does Channel 777 focus on? It focuses on those things that support your desire to implement God’s will in your life: those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, anything worth of praise (see Philippians 4:8). So if you find yourself on Channel 666, then look up and tune into Channel 777.

Next, think or say in faith, “Lord, I am being tempted. Your word says that I am able to bear this temptation and I believe your word. Show me the way out of this temptation right now and give me the strength to choose that path. I receive the escape and the strength right now in Jesus’ name.”

Whatever the Holy Spirit tells you to do, then do it immediately. The more you tune in to Channel 777, the weaker the signals get from Channel 666.

And here is one more thing to do to escape temptation. Do not keep foods in your house that tempt you. I had a woman write me years ago about her weakness for cookie binges. She had some in her cabinet and said that she was being tempted to eat them. She said that she didn’t know why the Lord didn’t just remove the temptation from her.

Well, I am sure the Lord told her that she needed to get rid of the cookies and that was the way he provided for her escape. But the truth was (and I have been there) that she wanted it both ways. She wanted to keep the cookies close so that she could still eat them. She was making provision for her binges!

I’ve written many times about the fact that I love the taste of Pepperidge Farm coconut cake and how I used to buy a cake with the intention of just eating one slice a day. But it never happened. I would always eat up eating the whole cake in one sitting.

I had to face the fact that this food is a weakness of mine. Even though it has been years since I ate a whole cake, I don’t tempt myself by bringing cake into my house. I no longer make provision for binges.

See, I believe that the best way to win a fight is to avoid getting into one in the first place. So when it comes to temptation, the first step to escaping is to make sure that your food temptations are removed from your living spaces – at home and work.

But if you must face them, then turn to Channel 777 and look for the escape route. God has prepare the path for you, all you have to do is take it!

Be blessed in health, healing, and wholeness,

Kimberly Taylor, C.W.C.
Certified Wellness Coach
Author of the ‘Take Back Your Temple’ ebook

Replies

  • babybossy
    babybossy Posts: 8 Member
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    Wow! That is a very cool illustration. This just goes to show that God has given us the power to overcome, we just have to choose to do it. It's easy to blame Satan for everything cause it takes the responsibility off of us but often we don't overcome because of our choices. We can do this ladies! And supporting one another is a great way to do that. And if we fall, we will be there to pick each other up again!!!
  • editnonnalynn
    editnonnalynn Posts: 495 Member
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    The reason two antelope walk together is so that one can blow the dust out of the eyes of the other.
    African Proverb

    Ecclesiastes 4 says it this way:
    9 Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
    10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
    But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
    11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
    12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
    A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

    God and you and me. We can do all things together.
  • TrishaGuy
    TrishaGuy Posts: 63
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    Wonderful post ladies....I know it is easy for us to question why God would allow us to be temped or blame our weaknesses on Satan...but we have to just step up and own some of our own stuff. I love the idea of changing the chanel to 777 and just the act of looking up in faith will give your brain new direction. Good stuff.....Everyone have a blessed day and let your joy in the Lord flow <3
  • sdershaw
    sdershaw Posts: 3 Member
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    Great Message! Thanks! We are having a cookout today at work and I've been going back and forth in my head about whether I should eat the cookout food or eat the healthy lunch that I packed. (right before reading this I had eaten a brownie from the cookout)......but now I have decided that I will eat my healthy lunch and put that brownie on my tracker! "Tuning" in to a great day!!
  • babybossy
    babybossy Posts: 8 Member
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    To sdershaw: GREAT JOB! We can all encourage each other, just as the scriptures told us to. Great choices. Congrats!
  • Ksumare
    Ksumare Posts: 62 Member
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    To Sdershaw: So very proud of you, that is what it's all about, learning to make the better choices. My job gives us 5 free meals a week from the cafe so it is very hard to resist all the desserts, and BBQ, and PIZZA. But they also have an excellent salad bar which I just started to eat from since I have been working out, so now I have found a bunch of great choices that won't take me away from my goals. STAY STRONG TODAY!
  • VivianRosie
    VivianRosie Posts: 23 Member
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    I love this, great motivation at a tough time. I love the "give me the strength to choose that path. I receive the escape and the strength right now in Jesus’ name.”  I seem to try to resist on my own self control. I have not learned how to escape unless it is to fall on my knees in prayer. Usually my weaknesses come when it is dark in the evening and I am tired. Then I just want to give in. Lord , help me fight with Your Strength and hide in You!

    I am glad you guys are here.