Jesus Our Rock
1 Corinthians 10:5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
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Satan could not curse what God had blessed; however he learned that if he could entice the blessed to give in to their own lust he could inhibit the work of God in their lives. The lure of the enemy is set for your weaknesses! Idolatry, sexual immorality are some of the blatant sins of lust; however the more subtle trick of the enemy is to have us tempt Christ with murmuring and complaining. The ploys of the enemy of our soul, most of the time, is subtle. Paul clearly has declared that these things were written for our examples. We should consider the outcome of their conduct and be warned.
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Complaining and murmuring is one of the strongest weapons and ploys of the devil. Time and again complaining and murmuring brought sorrow and heartache to the nation of Israel . It was the complaining of Israel that brought Moses into temptation and he struck the rock for the second time. Moses did not enter into the promise land because of it! Moses struck the rock out of obedience the first time; however, the rock did not need striking again! Remember the rock represented Christ in the midst of them. The next time Israel complained about being thirsty, God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would come out. Instead of speaking to the rock Moses struck the rock again! Jesus is our advocate and we as believers don’t need to strike the rock but speak to the rock. If we do sin we must come to our advocate to bring restoration to our soul. Lay aside every weight and sin that so easily besets us and look unto Jesus!
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Ephesians 4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
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Our own lust can be deceiving! Men who have walked with God have been deceived by their own lust because there was no putting off of the old man. Satan can’t curse what God has blessed; but if he can arouse our lust, we open a door for Him to have a foothold in our lives.
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Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.
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The schemes of the enemy are many; we have read just a few of them up to this point. Lusting after evil, tempting Christ by our complaining, allowing the sun to go down on our anger, and not speaking the truth to our neighbor. Many believers are not walking in victory because they have allowed the small foxes to spoil the vine. One of the biggest lies of the enemy is to get a believer to believe “I just can’t help it”.
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1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
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Take heed in what you are trusting in! Our exclusive way to escape any and all temptation is found in our faithful God! He has not left us to struggle on our own! God has made a way of escape so that we may be able to bear the temptation! Trusting in the obedience of Jesus Christ is the only sure way of escape!
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Romans 5:18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
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Jesus Christ is the Man of obedience we should have our exclusive trust in.
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Roman 6:7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Putting off the old man and reckoning yourselves dead indeed to sin and alive unto God is imperative to overcoming all temptation. Putting on the new man is realizing God has made you a new creation. You will never overcome temptations by reforming the old man. The old man had to die. It is training your soul by renewing your mind in the Word of God! When your mind is renewed your soul comes in line with the work God has performed in your spirit. The object of your faith must ever be Jesus Christ and it can be in nothing else!
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Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
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The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. The law of the Spirit is the victory over every temptation! God has made glorious provision and victory can be ours! However the victory in not in the provision itself; it is the source of the provision. What you think of Jesus Christ determines your destiny!
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Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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Laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us can only be done exclusively in Jesus Christ and there is no other way. The object of our faith can not be in our own good performance; Jesus Christ alone is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus is the source of the victory and your faith in Him gives you access to the provision He has made.
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Hebrews 12:3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 12:4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
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Consider Jesus who endured such hostility from sinners. When we are not considering Jesus we quickly become weary and discouraged in our souls. Jesus resisted sin to bloodshed on our behalf; consider Jesus in your hour of temptation.
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1 Timothy 2:8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
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When our exclusive trust is in Jesus it gives us the ability to lift up holy hand without wrath and doubting! Not forgiving one another is another temptation of the enemy of our soul.
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Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
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Giving into temptation grieves the Holy Spirit of God. Just as God in Christ forgave us, there is power to remit the sins of others. It brings joy to the Holy Spirit to walk with a tenderness in our heart toward one another. Release those who have done you wrong and let God take care of it!
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John 20:22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
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When the Holy Spirit’s breath comes we can forgive! If we retain the sins of others they will be retained by us, giving the enemy of our soul a foot hold by the lack of forgiveness.
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1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
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The blood of Christ, the body of Christ is the place of victory over every temptation! Whose obedience are you trusting in? Partakers of Christ every temptation has a way of escape! Jesus is still the Rock; stand solidly in Him.
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