In
every fight of faith we are faced with struggles of doubt and unbelief
in God and His word. Every fight you face, you cannot do it alone. You
need a cornerman.
Psalm 51:10
Round 1
We
start first with a prayer that should be on our lips daily. We need a
clean heart because there are times that our hearts are idolatrous-
desiring and loving the temporary and filthy fleeting pleasures of this
world. We need clean hearts because there are times that are hearts
are callous- dead to the conviction of sin from the Holy Spirit and
unloving in its drives and motives . We need clean heart because our
heart can communicate to our egos pride and lies through deceptive
reasoning and worldly wisdom. When we follow down that road we will sin
and be sinning.
In every fight of
faith we are faced with struggles of doubt and unbelief in God and His word.
Every fight you face, you cannot do it alone. You need a cornerman.
Round 2
This
prayer is to God- who is the only one to change and clean a heart. We
don't pray "create in me a clean heart oh strong will of my soul" yet
that is how some go about doing it! They trust their conscious to be
cleared by self improvement programs rather than the cleansing blood of
the Savior.
Round 3
To renew a right spirit in me refers to
The
Lord promise to give us a heart of flesh and to write his law on our
hearts when we enter into the new covenant relationship through Jesus.
We must be open to him working on our hearts daily. It is good to be
submitted to him in prayer and to open our hearts to him. Daily
dependent humbling of our own devices and strength is the heart of this
prayer and should be the heart of the repentant lifestyle.
Proverbs 1:10
Round 1
Round 1
“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” (Proverbs
1:10 ESV)
In this passage, do not assume that “sinners” means those
who are sinners by nature. We are all sinners of that kind. These are notorious sinner of a higher
quality. Ones who endeavor to live in and promote sinfulness in themselves and
others. They are not content in their
own wicked lifestyle. They campaign for others to join in their constant course
of carnality.
I have two thoughts about this.
First, in the fight for purity, the sexual deviants of our
day hold the reins of the strong horse- pornography. They also hold the pocket
book.
Realize that your fight in maintaining sexual purity and to
quench the enticements of your lust, faces an opponent externally who are
intelligent in there marketing, suave in their selling and patient in their
execution of their strategy. Beware of their invitation to you
It is one thing to purely objectify the person we are
lusting after as a “piece of meat” instead of a human being who has been
created in the image of God. They may even perhaps be one of God’s chosen
children, still in the thralls of their sin.
However it is entirely different if we realize that they may be the
notorious sinner I described above. People who are promote sinfulness in
themselves and others.
Second, when you consider the account of Joseph fleeing from Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39), we
agree that he did the right thing and that is what we should do. We see
Proverbs 1:10 wisdom in this real life circumstance actually demonstrated. We
see the truth of 1 Corinthians 15;33 that “bad company ruins good morals” When
we have outlined in previous Fight Club Teachings, that we are not to P.L.A.Y.
with temptation, remember the “P” in the acronym? We are not to be with “p”eople who are
constantly tempting us.
Whether that temptation comes from their open invitation or
from your private heart desires, you are no to be around them.
“If sinners entice you…”
So as you get back into the fight remember: Whether it is
the open invitation of sinners for you to come along side and join them in
their sin or the private pull of the lust of your flesh and eyes… Fight! Do Not
Consent! Put Christ as the Greater Desire of your
Heart! Take Down the Idol of Your Heart. Remember that you were once dead in
your sins, but now you are alive to God. Empowered by His Spirit. Fueled by the
Gospel’s power! Go get ‘em
Round 2
“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” (Proverbs
1:10 ESV)
“Temptations and occasions put nothing into a man, but only
draw out what was in him before.” John Owen
The sinful desires of the heart need to be starved everyday.
Our sinful heart has its burdens insecurities, fear and ambitions, It will
naturally turn toward sin for it comfort, repair and joy. Sin will always
disappoint. It will never satisfy! The
enticements will lie. They offer false peace, happiness and meaning.
Enticements offer ease in a hard world, escape from your stresses, excitement in a boring day.
THEY LIE!!! They will never satisfy!!
We are to set our affections on things above (Colossians
3:1,2). Think through. Meditate. Convince and argue with yourself Scriptures
promise of a greater satisfaction in the Lord.
Drown the enticements of your heart with the Word.
Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the
desires of your heart.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; and
shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; praise is
becoming to the upright.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge
the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth.
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD
with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Pray earnestly
Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you
will receive that your joy may be full.
O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that
we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Will You not Yourself revive us again, that Your people may
rejoice in You?
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with
a willing spirit.
Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do
believe; help my unbelief."
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so
that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the
glory of His inheritance in the saints.
Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your
law.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain.
Round 3
Round 3
“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” (Proverbs
1:10 ESV)
O.K. Going into the
weekend- the time when internet surfing coupled with open time increases the
opportunity to sin.- this verse should be on your lips! In you heart! Fully on
your mind! It a simple verse to memorize and put within your arsenal.
To “not consent” is to not agree with, to not come around to
a way of thinking, to not knuckle under or submit..
Side comment: Those
are interesting terms when you consider that God calls us to repent and believe.
Repent means to turn from sin. There is also the inference that repentance
means changing one’s mind. To believe means accept as true.
How this helps is
that we can say to the sinner or sin that is enticing us.
- “No”
- “We do not agree that the tempting thought you are proposing benefit me in anyway.”
- “Your argument is shallow, against the claims of Christ. He will satisfy. He will strengthen me now.”
- “I will not submit to the lies of my deceitful heart nor the Father of Sins.”
- “I flee from this temptation because I will not knuckle under because Christ is the strength in my weakness. I was once dead. But now alive. And God is renewing my mind and heart with a greater desire of himself!”
Whether you face an affair possibility in person or online
be encouraged that with God saying “do not consent” he empowers you to follow
through in obeying him.
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