Friday, February 10, 2006
The
Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the
Far too often, we unnecessarily put ourselves in the way of temptation. We put ourselves in the wrong place with the wrong people, leading to our doing the wrong things. Look at Peter, for example. Where was he when he denied the Lord? He was warming himself by the enemy’s fire. He was at the wrong place, listening to the wrong voice, which led him to do the wrong thing.
And where was Eve when she fell into sin? She was at the tree that God had told her not to eat from. She was listening to the wrong voice, leading her to do the wrong thing.
Do you find it surprising when you are tempted over and over again? Maybe it is because you are out of the will of God. So where is the best place to be when temptation comes? Answer: in the will of God. Even then, temptation can still come.
The Bible tells us that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness when He was tempted by the devil (see Luke 4:1-2). Does that mean God led Him into temptation? No. Because Jesus taught us to pray, “Do not lead us into temptation…” (Matthew 6:13). Even in the will of God, even when we are doing what God wants us to do, we will still face temptation.”
Maybe you have faced opposition lately and you are wondering if you are in the will of God. Maybe it is confirmation that you really are in the will of God, that you really are making a difference.
Copyright © 2006 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.
More by Greg Laurie: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/index.php/5.html