OUR FATHER WHO PROVIDES A WAY TO GET AWAY FROM TEMPTATION

The book of James chapter 1 verse 14 says this;

but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 

In speaking of the progression of wrongdoing, the Apostle James indicates in this verse that it is our personal evil desires that provide the arena for enticement where temptation plays out.

Any part of our lives that are under the control of the flesh rather than the Spirit are vulnerable to enticement because the fleshly nature always seeks ways to express its sinful affinities.

Our fleshly nature, being our original built-in condition, is deeply entrenched in us and so has home-court advantage when it comes to determining which desires to foster.

We are  "dragged away"  from our intention to pursue righteousness by our desires and we are then surrounded by the enticement to gratify our fleshly nature. The temptation then progresses to sin and sin progresses to death.

To avoid getting caught in this inescapable vortex, each believer must continuously pray in the Spirit to strengthen our inner man so that our  spirits can gain dominance over our fleshly nature and thus put to death the works of the flesh.

Regarding the process of acquiring strength in our spirit, Jude chapter 1 verse 20 says this;

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

When built up and strengthened, our spirits can set the agenda of what kinds of thoughts and emotions are harboured in our lives and when evil desires are not given the chance to be conceived in our minds, temptations have no power over us and we can increasingly live free of the ravages of sin.

Amen.

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