Are we willing to run?
“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;
.” (The Gospel According to Matthew 4: 8-11 NASB)
and he said to Him,
[Satan spoke these next words to Jesus, the Messiah]
“All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”
[a preposterous thought if we ever heard one—the devil giving anything to the Creator of the world]
Then Jesus said to him,
[Jesus Christ spoke directly to Satan, the deceiver]
“Go, Satan!
For it is written,
‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’ “
Then the devil left Him;
and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.”
Truly, the Bible speaks of the ease in which God’s children can escape the temptation of the devil. It really is that easy because where the LORD is, the devil cannot be. PERIOD!
In defense to the devil, our Lord Jesus quoted Scripture.
How much of the Bible have we worked to put to memory?
Yes, how much?
For when we are tempted by the devil to turn away from God, we will need our memorized Scripture to face the devil, to help us run the other way. Yes, we must be prepared!
Are we willing to run? Yes, that’s the question for this day.
Are we ready to Run toward God & away from the devil?
- ARE WE WILLING TO RUN? !!!
- ARE WE WILLING TO RUN QUICKLY AWAY WHEN TEMPTATION COMES TO US!
- ARE WE PREPARED TO RUN TOWARD GOD’S PROTECTION ONLY JESUS CAN PROVIDE? !!!
Most definitely, there are just some situations we need to run away from, not allowing these moments of distress to take root within us. If we look closely at the Scripture, then we will see how this was not the first time Satan tempted Jesus but the third time. The devil is persistent, BUT GOD IS POWERFUL!
ALMIGHTY GOD IS ABLE TO HELP US RUN FROM ANY TEMPTATION WE FACE!
Not long ago, our pastor spoke of a young man, a seventeen-year-old who faced some trouble in his home with his own step-brothers. The brothers were so jealous of their brother’s favoritism, one that could be physically seen with their eyes. All they had to do was look at the way Joseph walked around in his long-sleeved varicolored tunic. When they did, the ‘brothers only saw red—madness’ and plotted among themselves to seek revenge on him.
Thus, Joseph became a possession, one that could be sold to a traveling caravan. Now, their hands were free of this ‘favored’ brother.
Never forget—God’s providence & protection—cannot be thwarted—Ever!
“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt;
(Genesis 39: 1-2 NASB)
and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharoah, the captain of the bodyguard,
bought him from the Ishmaelites, [the traveling caravan]
who had taken him down there.
The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man.
And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.”
There are times in our lives when we know temptation is about to overcome us. We talk with our children, preparing them for these moments so they will be prepared when the temptation of the devil comes. However, one consideration for everyone—Temptation does not ‘age-out’ with anyone of us. We can succumb to Satan’s temptation at eight, eighteen, twenty-eight, thirty-eight, forty-eight, fifty-eight, sixty-eight, seventy-eight, eighty-eight, & even at ninety-eight.
GET THE PICTURE?!!!
Are we willing to run when we are tempted, for temptation does not come from the LORD?
Joseph was. He recognized it & He knew his personal limitations to withstand, so he did what it took to get away from the devil’s temptation.
He Ran. YES, HE RAN! MOST DEFINITELY, JOSEPH RAN QUICKLY!
“Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
(Genesis 39: 6b-9 NASB)
It came about after these events that his master’s wife looked with desire at Joseph,
and she said, “Lie with me.”
But he refused and said to his master’s wife,
“Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house,
and he has put all that he owns in my charge.
There is no one greater in this house than I,
and he has withheld nothing from me
except you,
because you are his wife.
How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”
It’s so important for God’s children to remember that temptation will come. It always will, for as long as we live within this temporary world. We must realize how—when we are tempted—if we succumb to the devil’s temptation—then what we are really doing is sinning.
We “do this great evil and sin against God?”
The Bible tells us so!
The door to temptation is much like a swinging door into a diner’s kitchen.
It swings both ways!
This means we can enter into temptation—OR—We can exit—RUNNING FAR AWAY FROM IT!
The Word of God assures us—The Hero is God!
God will see us through!
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man;
(The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 10: 13 NASB)
and God is faithful,
who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also,
so that you will be able to endure it.”
The devil is persistent, willing to wait, willing to see if he can break us down & wear us out with the temptation he is offering. We cannot deny the fact that we are all tempted with something each day we live. Nevertheless, we can withstand it WITH GOD’S HELP!
We see the devil’s pursuit of Joseph & we also see the practicality of Joseph’s actions when he was faced with what Potiphar’s wife was offering him, when she approached him day-after-day in her house.
Joseph recognized exactly what she was offering. &
He knew his personal limitations.
So he did what it took to get away from the devil’s temptation.
He Ran!
YES, HE RAN!
MOST DEFINITELY, JOSEPH RAN QUICKLY!
“As she spoke to Joseph day after day,
(Genesis 39: 10-13 NASB)
he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her.
Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work,
and none of the men of the household was there inside.
She caught him by his garment, saying,
“Lie with me!”
And he left his garment in her hand and fled,
and went outside.”