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Temptation is real. Sin is costly, but God is faithful.

Long story short...temptation is real.  Sin is costly but God is faithful.  This was the takeaway from yesterday's look at the story of Adam and Eve.  Eve, along with Adam, fell prey to temptation and we all continue to pay the price for their failure and ours.  The boundaries were clear.  The expectations were set.  Enjoy everything in the garden except for the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Then the tempter entered paradise.  The serpent started by twisting God's Word and attempted to get Eve to question God's Word.  When that failed, the devil delivered a lie.  When the lie didn't work, he moved on to make a promise that he never could deliver on.  These are the same tricks the enemy uses on us today.  Make us question God's Word by twisting His truth.  Lie in an attempt to deceive us.  Make promises that sin can never deliver on.

Eve was deceived by the serpent (along with Adam) and she sinned by consuming the forbidden fruit.  With one bite, sin entered into our world.  It brought shame.  It led to hiding from God.  It resulted in Adam and Eve blaming everyone except themselves.  It ultimately brought separation from God and death.  Make now mistake:  temptation is real and sin is costly.

If this is true (and it is), what can we do to resist temptation today.

1.  Pray that you don't fall into temptation.  Be proactive and pray through your issues.  Is anger your issue?  Pray.  Is a negative attitude your issue?  Pray.  Is lust a problem for you?  Pray.  Have an addiction?  Pray.  Be proactive and pray that you won't fall into temptation.

2.  Stand up against, don't fall for temptation.  You aren't powerless against temptation.  You are powerful because the Spirit of God lives in you.  You are powerful because He that is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.  You are powerful because God will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.  He is 100% faithful.  Because we aren't powerless to temptation, we can endure it and we can always look for the way of escape that God provides.

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.   1 Corinthians 10:13

3.  When you  blow it, own it.  Adam and Eve blamed everyone when they sinned.  Adam blamed God and Eve.  Eve blamed the serpent.  Blaming others only makes things works.  When you blow through a boundary, when you cross a line, when you sin, don't make things worse by getting defensive.  Instead, own it and confess it to God.  Because God is faithful, He promises to forgive you and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.   1 John 1:9
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