By Mike Friesz
Recalculating: the process of regaining our footing when the unexpected comes. Some of the issues addressed have applied to certain individuals who read this blog. Other times an individual reader may not identify with the struggle. Today’s blog will not be like that.
Every reader can identify with the struggle with temptation. We all walk the difficult road of thoughts or actions that pull us away from God. We face the need to recalculate to stand against that temptation. This blog will challenge you to find solid foundations again.
We live in a world of radical redefinition of all things spiritual. Instead of sin we define our lives as having flaws. In place of labeling ourselves sinners we define ourselves as victims. The effect is powerful and so negative. We tend not to take responsibility for ourselves. Sin is not taken seriously, only causing a downward spiral to continue.
Jeremiah wrote about this spiral in his day. He said that the people were so drawn into the lifestyle of sin that nothing bothered them. The prophet says about them that they do not blush. What an apt description of our day. Sin that formerly was hidden is now open. That which had been whispered is now spoken freely. No one blushes.
Unfortunately, some will skip the remainder of this blog. We refuse to take sin seriously. Some laugh at the presence of sin. Others smirk and make jokes. What was once considered wrong is now merely fodder for comedians.
The battle with temptation is not over when we receive Christ. We will struggle with sinful urges and thoughts until the day the trumpet sounds or our last breath leaves our bodies.
Temptation can come in one of three areas.
Material Temptations. These include a lust for things.
Personal Temptations. People struggle with the desire for status, recognition, fame, fortune, or power.
Sensual Temptations. This can include a lust for people.
Guidelines
First, accept God’s desire for your life (1 Thess 4:3-8)
3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
God’s absolute, clear will for your life is an unquestioned holiness. The word sanctification is an important one Scripturally. It means to be set apart and holy. You are set apart for God to life a life of holiness. This separation makes us useful to God.
God desires that you abstain from moral sinfulness. We must control ourselves in a way that brings honor to God. Paul focused on holiness related to sexual sins, but the principles apply to every area of sin. We must think about sin as God thinks. Our will must align with His.
By honoring God with our choices, we will possess ourselves in holiness and honor. We will keep ourselves free of sin. Paul concludes his exhortation with a reminder that sin always affects others. Should we sin we always defraud our brother. We are called to respect our brothers and warned multiple times in the Word not to do anything that would cause our brother to stumble.
The second command is to watch your thought life. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. The battleground of temptation is in your mind. In the language of battle Paul tells us to take every thought captive. The truth is if you do not take the thought captive it will take you captive.
We must ask about every thought, “Is this thought from God?” If the thought does not originate from God, where did it come from? If the thought, you have does not honor God it honors the enemy. Then we must reject it.
Resisting the enemy in our thought life will drive him away. But beware, He only leaves for a season. He will come back. He will resume his efforts to influence you. Stay on guard. Resist him repeatedly by taking every thought captive.
Finally, fill your mind with God’s Word. (Psalm 119:11, Col 3:16-17)
Simply understanding the importance of our thought life is not enough. Taking every thought captive is about more than merely refraining from sinful thoughts. We must fill our thoughts with His thoughts.
Of course, we have all tried NOT to think about something. Try not to think about that dessert that it is waiting in your refrigerator, that candy bar you have for an “emergency.” Now that those thoughts have been planted how will you stop thinking them? Fill your mind with something else.
To bring your thoughts under control it will be necessary to fill your mind with the word of God. Find the passages that will address your concerns. Plant those deeply in your mind by memorizing them. When the temptation comes rehearse and review them repeatedly.
Mike Friesz is the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. He can be reached by email at drmikefriesz@sbcglobal.net.
