Week 6 | day thirty-eight
We Can Overcome
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
One of the primary truths of the Christian faith is that we are in a spiritual battle against a crafty enemy who wants to bring destruction and captivity wherever he can. John 10:10 says the thief comes to kill, still, and destroy. And 1 Peter 5:8 calls us to be alert and sober-minded, because the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Ephesians 6:12 makes it clear that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Make no mistake; we have an enemy, and we are at war.
The lure of sin, and the subsequent addictions that form around strongholds of sin, is our enemy’s key weapon against Jesus-followers. He wants nothing more than for our attention and affection to be given to anything or anyone other than our Heavenly Father. Our enemy keenly salivates at the prospect of a Christian giving in to temptation, because he knows that when sin grows that it leads to death (James 1:15).
But there is good news: Jesus has defeated our enemy. He has disarmed the powers and authorities of our enemy, making a public spectacle of them and triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15). And through Him, we have been given the capacity and power to stand against sin and addiction. He provides a way for us to be victorious over sin, and to stay victorious. In Jesus, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) and have been given authority to resist the enemy and his tactics (James 4:7). Because of His faithfulness, He will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). He will deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13). That is good news, indeed!
The sickening reality of sin and addiction is that we can be stuck in patterns and habits that are unhealthy and destructive. Overcoming sin and addiction is clearly possible in Jesus, but it requires both an encounter (or many encounters) with our Heavenly Father and a process of healing and restoration. Both are necessary for sustained victory!
Today’s Song: See a Victory by Elevation Worship
Today’s Prayer: Father, help me to be victorious over any sin or addiction in my life. Today, I invite You to search me and to know me; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).
Today’s Challenge: It is one thing to ask our Heavenly Father to search us and to know us. It is another to listen and to receive what He may reveal. Take time today to pray Psalm 139:23-24 to Him, and then quietly sit and listen to what He has to reveal. Allow Him, in the stillness, to lead you to wholeness and victory.
