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OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS & TRIALS
May 31, 2024Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials [or temptations], knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3*
1. EMBRACE RESISTANCE TRAINING. I’m going to the gym later today, and I know that resistance training produces muscle. I know that the difficulties of life produce backbone. I know that the challenges of life demand that I implement my trust in God and the conviction I have that His promises are true. Whatever you have gone through, whatever you are facing, count it all joy because you are getting stronger, wiser, and on the alert, and you will fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).
For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5
2. FACE THE HEADWINDS. We count it all joy when we encounter various temptations and trials, knowing that something productive will come out of this garbage. Instead of being in denial about the inevitable challenges of life and ignoring them, we face off with them. When certain kinds of birds want to gain a higher altitude quickly, to get away from danger or get up to a higher vantage point, they turn and face the resistance of the headwinds. They are designed for lift and thrust. We are, too, because we have Jesus’ resurrection power in us, which I call bounce-back-ability.
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
3. JESUS HAS OVERCOME AND YOU WILL TOO. In Him, we have peace. In the world, we will have tribulations, temptations, tests, trials, difficulties, hardships, challenges, bombardments, and harshness because it’s fallen. But Jesus said to take courage because “I have overcome the world.” Jesus, the overcomer, has come on the scene, and He has downloaded to us a world-overcoming commodity called faith (1 John 5:4-5). With every temptation, God “will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). So, if you fail, repent and ask God for His mercy and forgiveness, which He will give to you. If you face trials and feel like you are falling, know that God is holding your hand, and you will not be hurled headlong (Psalm 37:24). Get back on your feet. Trust God. Believe Him to overcome. And you will.
DAILY CONFESSION:
I will fight the good fight of faith! I consider it all joy when I encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of my faith produces endurance. And I let endurance have its perfect result so that I may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. I am born of God and believe that Jesus is the Son of God and I overcome the world by my faith. Because of Jesus, I have peace. In the world, I may have tribulation, but I take courage because Jesus has overcome the world. (1 Timothy 6:12; James 1:2-4; 1 John 5:4-5; John 16:33)
Press on,
Pastor Jeff Perry
en·dur·ance, noun
The ability to withstand hardship or tribulation. The ability of a person or thing to continue to perform esp. under adverse conditions. The capability of acting with moral courage and strength. Trial.
Copyright © 2024 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. *Includes NASB footnote for this verse. Endurance, N. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, C. & G. Merriam CO., 1971, p. 750.
