A Way OutSample

STARTING TO STOP

If God doesn’t tempt us, then where does temptation come from, where is it going, and how do we stop it? Temptation obeys Newton’s first law. An object in motion tends to remain in motion unless acted on by an external force. As James 1:14-15 illustrates, once we give into our own evil desires (temptation), we tend to remain in motion toward sin and death until acted on by an external force. Often, when we’re overcome by temptation, we think the answer is simply to take ownership of our shortcomings and try harder next time. The next time comes around, and we fail again. So how do we stop?

Stopping starts with realizing we’re not our own. We were bought with a price. Two ideas could not be more contrary to the modern world, nor more necessary to overcoming sin and temptation. When Jesus bought us at a price, He became the ultimate external stopping force to the motion of sin and death. If temptation is the desire to look beyond God for happiness, then isn’t fighting temptation looking to God for our rescue? This doesn’t mean we get out of the hard work of conquering sin. It means God is the foreman of that work. And, He’s a good one to work for. He wants you to have life—and life to the full.

Consider: If you decided today that your body belongs to Christ, what would you want to you stop doing? What do you need from God in order to accomplish this?