What Do I Do When I Feel Tempted To Sin? Series

I remember feeling many years ago that the power of sin was just too strong in my life. I would feel the pressure within to indulge in the sin. And it seemed inevitable. Theres just no way. I can’t stop sinning. It’s too big. It’s too much.

But over time as I learned about God, and grew in my relationship with God, the sin did not seem as powerful as it used to be. It’s power was in fact broken in my life. And if I needed new things to be broken I could simply ask God, and he would begin to break it.

You may be wondering, will I ever reach that point? Will I ever hate my sin enough to overcome it? Will the power of God ever be great enough to defeat it?

Don’t be afraid. God is powerful. And this is a journey. You will find that place of victory. Sooner rather than later. Presently. Now. Today even.

“Do not be fearful that you will not wish to walk this way. In the level of experience of which I now speak there is a hungering for suffering. Such Christians burn with love for the Lord. In fact, if they were permitted to follow their own desires, they would put themselves under a great deal of discipline, even excessive self-denial. Once such love burns within the heart of a believer, he thinks of nothing but how to please his beloved Lord. He begins to neglect himself—no, far more than that—in love with the Lord, he even completely forgets about himself. As his love for the Lord grows, so does his hatred for his self-life. May you learn this path.” -Jeanne Guyon, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ, Ch. 10

So we will learn this path, of death to self and life in Christ. It’s real. It’s powerful. God has all power, infinite power to break any broken thing in our lives. God is greater.

So let’s get into our study for today. But it begins with hope, point one, hope, and believe that God really can do anything in you. Anything at all that he wants. He made you, as God said, “Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

A natural man, a human being operates in a basic fashion to fulfill three basic areas of life, security, social connection, and romantic interest. Security, social connection and romance. These three areas of general concern make up their approach to life. They seek after food, shelter, and work. They seek friendships and connections within their family, And they seek out a romantic partner and the bearing of children. That is the way of man.

Something fundamental though happens when a human being encounters God the creator. They are thrust into the fourth dimension of existence, that is, connection with God.

And suddenly everything changes. Instead of fulfilling the three basic instincts, the human’s entire footing changes. God becomes first. God becomes all. God becomes the main concern, faith in God. And this faith in God, helps the person to move from desperately trying to fulfill their desires, to being filled by God instead, and then learning to trust God to provide for their security, social connection, and romance.

It's a great freedom actually. It’s a victory to learn to rely on God for these things. We let go of control, and we let God lead our lives. It’s better this way.

Yet even after becoming a Christian, a follower of Jesus, we still face the battle between the spirit and the flesh. Who is going to be in charge? Who is going to lead my life?

Will it be God or will it be my fleshly desires?

This struggle is talked about in Galatians 5:16-18, which says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

This battle takes place when we feel tempted to do something we know isn’t right. There the battle begins. Often it involves our five senses, sight, smell, taste, touch, and smell.

Guys, you see a beautiful woman, with your eyes you see, you smell her perfume, and so on. It’s tempting.

Ladies, you see a beautiful.. piece of chocolate. You smell it, you see it, you taste it and it’s tempting.

From the book we’ve been studying, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ, Madam Guyon writes, “Where do your five senses draw their life and energy? From your soul. It is your soul that gives life and energy to your five senses; and when your senses become aroused, they in turn stimulate your desires.” -Ch.10