Many of us seem to get overwhelmed by the temptations that come against us. That is done on purpose so you can give up. The war that we are in is not against flesh and blood. It’s a war of good and evil. Exactly the tree that Adam ate from, the knowledge of good and evil. Once Adam ate of the tree, the door was opened for men to choose between good and evil. In Deuteronomy, Moses spoke about choosing life or death. The choice of good and evil is ours, but God wants us to choose life. Life is doing what is good and right in His sight, not ours. That’s why the prophet Isaiah mentions that there will be a day when people will call what is good, evil and what is evil, good.
Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Jesus gave us victory over the temptations. How we have victory is to be in Christ, It’s from there we have victory. You can’t do it on your own. In Christ, you are a new creation. In Christ, is where your strength comes from against the enemy. That’s why we first must take the plank out of our eyes before we take the speck out of others’ eyes. Why do you think it’s the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom? It’s not a destination to strive for, but a place to live from. This place that He has given you is in your heart. Jesus is the One who circumcises your heart in the spirit. It’s from the heart where love flows. It’s from your heart where rivers of living water come from. When you are joined with Jesus in the spirit, it’s from the heart that you are joined to Him.
2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Our weapons of warfare are of the spirit. All the armor of God is spirit. We are not to think fleshly anymore, but rather think spiritually. Like Moses wrote in Deuteronomy regarding life and death, Paul tells the Romans to think fleshly is death, but to think spiritually is life and peace. For us, Jesus has conquered death. Sin is death. If we choose to live from the heart in the spirit, life changes. The temptations lose their power over you because the temptations can only tempt the flesh, not the spirit. When we respond in the spirit, we have victory over the temptations. Jesus was our example in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. Jesus responded in the spirit quoting Deuteronomy in every case. The devil even tempted Jesus with the scriptures, but He answered the devil with scripture. All of our answers to this war are found in Christ. The Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance all that Jesus has taught us. Learn from Jesus. He is our great defense, as well as our great offense. From Him, through Him, and to Him are all things. Get in this circle of life and everything will change. Be blessed, my friends.
Romans 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.