(15th article in the Discipleship Series)
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Let’s get started.
PRAY: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
STUDY: In this study I’ll discuss the importance of developing holiness in your life.
God’s desire for us is to be holy.
God wants us to live a holy life. Why? So we can be free and happy.
So many times though we enjoy our sin. Look into your life. Are there areas of your life where you tolerate sin?
In this prayer, Jesus is telling us to ask God for holiness. We are praying, “God don’t let there be any area in my life where you’ll need to let Satan tempt me.”
God Himself, tempts no one (James 1:13).
Temptation comes when there are areas in our lives that haven’t been submitted to God. Because of that, Satan is able to entice us using OUR sin. To test our faith, God allows it.
The following scripture shows us how Satan uses our sin to suck us in:
Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own LUST, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth SIN: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth DEATH.James 1:14-15
Sin is a progression and Satan uses it to his advantage:
1. Satan draws us away from God through our own LUST— the part we are hanging on to.
2. When we take the bait, SIN is conceived— it moves beyond the thought process.
3. Sin eventually leads to disfunction and DEATH— unless we do something about it!
That’s WHY we are praying this portion of the Lord’s prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
We are saying, “Lord, clean out every corner of my life from sin. Don’t let me sweep it under the carpet. I don’t want you to be forced to allow Satan to lead me into temptation!”
That is the attitude God wants us to have about sin. He wants us to be serious about getting rid of all sin in our lives. He wants us to be holy, as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16).
How serious should you get? Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:
And if your right hand causes you to sin, CUT IT OFF and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.Matthew 5:30
Is Jesus advocating that you cut off your hand in dealing with sin? That depends on you. Jesus is telling us to do whatever it takes to get rid of sin. While I don't feel you would need to cut off your hand if you utilized the Substitutionary Life of Christ (see my article, Advanced Discipleship Training: Letting God Do the Work), when all else fails, we must be WILLING to crucify the flesh (Galatians 5:24). Jesus said to cut off the hand.
Here is what one brother did to stop sinning:
Masturbation for Christians: Is it a Sin?
Masturbation for Christians: Is it a Sin?
MEDITATE: Meditate on these 4 scriptures. Use them to help you deal with sin and temptation. Put them on card stock and refer to them throughout your week.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.James 1:13-15
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.Galatians 5:24
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.Matthew 5:30
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.Revelation 19:7
READ BIBLE: At the end of each day, read for 15 minutes in the Chronological Bible. The reading schedule is provided here (link). You can start any where, any time.
Conclusion
God wants us to be holy. If we allow sin to stay in our lives God will allow Satan to tempt us at the point of our sin. We can get rid of sin if we utilize the Substitutionary Life of Christ (see my article, Advanced Discipleship Training: Letting God To Do the Work). However, Jesus tells us to do whatever it takes to get rid of the sin in our lives.
Why?
Because He wants us to be free and happy. We are also His Bride. The Bride of Christ understands her position in the end time Kingdom. She makes herself ready by dealing with sin. She puts on fine linen.
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and HIS WIFE HATH MADE HERSELF READY. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for THE FINE LINEN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SAINTS.Revelation 19:7
Are you ready?