Deal With The Door.
James 1:12-15NLT
How do you deal with temptation? You resist it. Yes, that’s true but how?
James the half brother of Jesus, wrote the Epistle of James, he introduces himself not as the brother of Jesus or the leader of the church in Jerusalem for over 14 years, but as simply, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”
James 1:12-15NLT “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”
Again, God blesses those who patiently endure temptation.
And those who endure temptation will receive the crown of life that the Lord promised to those who love Him!
Never say, “God is tempting me” because He is never tempted to do wrong. -He never tempts anyone.
So how does temptations come? By our own desires, and those desires can drag us away and lead us in the wrong direction, even hell!
A well-known author once told this story of an account he had with sea gulls: “Several years ago our family visited Niagara Falls. It was spring, and ice was rushing down the river. As I viewed the large blocks of ice flowing toward the falls, I could see that there were dead fish embedded in the ice. Gulls by the score were riding down the river feeding on the fish. As they came to the brink of the falls, their wings would go out, and they would escape from the falls. “I watched one gull which seemed to delay and wondered when it would leave. It was engrossed in the fish, and when it finally came to the brink of the falls, out went its powerful wings. The bird flapped and flapped and even lifted the ice out of the water, and I thought it would escape. But it had delayed too long so that its claws had frozen into the ice. The weight of the ice was too great, and the gull plunged into the abyss.”
How sad that even though the bird had plenty of time to fly away, because it delayed it paid the ultimate price.
Now think of this story in terms of the Christian life. When we become overly enthralled with the things of this world, they can bring us down and cause our spiritual death.
The finest attractions of this world become deadly when we become overly attached to them. If we cannot give up the things of this world and focus on Christ, we cannot be anointed by Him.
Our eyes must be upward on Christ rather than downward on this world! P.H
The book of Proverbs reveals how to deal with the temptation of sexual sin. The seduction of an adulterer.
You see, the best way to deal with temptation is to not deal with it.
You probably don’t understand that, so let’s go further.
This man Solomon could ask God for anything, so he ask for wisdom.
“So what would you choose if God told you to ask and you knew for certain your prayer would be granted?”
Proverbs 5:1-8 TPT “Listen to me, my son, for I know what I’m talking about. Listen carefully to my advice 2 so that wisdom and discernment will enter your heart, and then the words you speak will express what you’ve learned. 3 Remember this: The lips of a seductress seem sweet like honey, and her smooth words are like music in your ears. 4 But I promise you this: In the end all you’ll be left with is a bitter conscience. For the sting of your sin will pierce your soul like a sword. 5 She will ruin your life, drag you down to death, and lead you straight to hell. 6 She has prevented many from considering the paths of life. Yes, she will take you with her where you don’t want to go, sliding down a slippery road and not even realizing where the two of you will end up! 7 Listen to me, young men, and don’t forget this one thing I’m telling you— run away from her as fast as you can! 8 Don’t even go near the door of her house unless you want to fall into her seduction.”
F.B. Meyer once said, That when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are two things we do not know:
1. We do not know how hard he or she tried not to sin.
2. We do not know the power of the forces that assailed him or her.
“We also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances.” P.H
Again, It is written, keep your way far from her. And do not come near to the door of her house.
You see, the best way to deal with temptation is to not deal with it.
I want to read you 12 verses of scripture, so you will better understand one verse, verse 13.
1 Corinthians 10:1-6NLT “I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day. Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 6 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.”
You probably don’t understand what I just said.
“If you keep yourself away from the temptation, there’s less chance you’ll be dealing with it.” P.H
However, the scripture goes further than that.
Listen again, it says keep your way far from her. And do not come near to the door of her house.
This is an even greater key. It reveals that it’s not enough to stay away from temptation.
Please hear me, Make it your aim to stay away from the door of the temptation.
Think about it, which is more alluring, a person trying to seduce you or a door?
-The person, of course.
Which is more tempting, a substance that would addict you, or a door?
-The substance.
And which is more likely to harm you or make you fear, a dangerous situation or a door?
-The dangerous situation, of course.
1 Corinthians 10:13TPT “We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously.”
So instead of dealing with the person, or the substance, or the situation of danger, deal with the door.
Deal with the door and you’ll avoid the temptation.
-So what exactly is the door?
The door is not the temptation, nor the sin. It’s that which would lead you to the temptation and the sin.
That’s the key. Make it your aim not only to avoid the temptation.
Locate the door to the temptation and then stay as far away from it as possible.
In other words, do not accommodate your evil acts. -Get rid of all appearances of evil!
For it’s the wise who, instead of dealing with temptation and sin, deal with the doors.
Moreover, the door can be the candy bar beside your bed. The pack of cigarettes you’ve hidden away. Or possibly a website that you love going to that could be detrimental to your spiritual well-being. -Get rid of it!
Make it your aim, not just to avoid temptation, but to avoid even the door that leads to it.
Focus on the door, and stay far from it.
Three thoughts from pastor Howard:
God rewards the tempted.
God does not tempt.
Do some house cleaning. Get rid of the junk (Temptation) keeping you down.
James 4:7NIV Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Job 23:10NIV But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
Benediction. Refuse to be as the seagull, who got lured into a trap of death. PH
