Meditation
 
DELIVER US FROM EVIL       Dr. Joseph Stowell
 
That I may know him and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:30 NASB)
 
Temptations. . . all of us have them. They dominate our thought life and our relationships; show up in moments of victory and in the midst of despair. They dress like money, wear fine perfume and rich cologne, go high on the Internet, make anger stem sweet, and offer bitterness as a five-star luxury.
 
Temptations lure us to give in to our doubts and to live to do what seems right at the moment. They love what feels good. In short, they offer the sizzle of sin for a season.

So to think that we experience Jesus in the realm of temptations in an unlikely thought. But temptation is, in fact, one of the places where we meet and experience Him. Given the frequency of temptations, it becomes our opportunity to meet Him on a regular basis.

When was the last time you looked for Jesus in the midst of a pressing temptation? Most of the time, we try on our own power to break the spell of sin. We try to defeat sin by learning to fear the consequences, bucking up to be good, finding an accountability partner, or a dozen other good but inadequate mechanisms. But only He can deliver you. He was tempted in every way Iike we are. He understands our struggle and promises to give us grace and mercy to help in our time of need (Hebrew 4:14-16).

In every temptation there is a choice between pleasing yourself or pleasing Jesus. Need to lie to avoid a problem? Trust Him to care for the consequences of telling the truth. Feel like cheating to gain an extra advantage? He will meet aII of your needs miraculously, if necessary.
 
Attracted by the buzz of some sensual fulfillment? He will bring you long-term pleasure without polluting your soul. Tempted to give in to revenge? Let Him teach you to love. Want your own way? He’ll lead you to consider others as more important than yourself. Learn to look for Him the moment temptation moves in on your desires. He always offers something of greater value than the lure being trolled by your heart.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He defeated all of sin and hell. Take advantage of His Power.