2021-01-20
1 Korintiërs 10:13 NLV
God se plan om versoeking in oorwinning te verander is nie om dit te verduur nie, maar om daarvan te ontsnap. Dit beteken dat jy twee dinge moet doen:
1) Moenie in ‘n situasie wat jou versoek, beland nie. Te veel mense is soos die seuntjie wat onder die boer se appelboom sit. Toe die boer hom vra: ‘Seun, probeer jy my appels steel?’ het hy geantwoord: ‘Nee oom, ek probeer om dit nie te doen nie.’ Sy probleem was dat hy in die eerste plek onder die appelboom was. Jy kan nie pornografie van die internet af hou nie, maar jy kan dit vermy deur gehoorsaam te wees aan God se Woord wat sê: ‘Ek stel geen lae ding voor my oë nie…’ (Psalm 101:3 AFR53).
2) As jy jouself in ‘n situasie wat jou versoek bevind, kom vinnig daaruit. Die Bybel sê nooit dat ons versoeking moet beveg nie, maar dat ons daarvan moet wegvlug. Paulus sê vir Timoteus: ‘Vlug vir enigiets wat jeugdige drange aanwakker…’ (2 Timoteus 2:22 NLV). Hy waarsku die mense van Korinte: ‘Vlug dus weg van seksuele losbandigheid…’ (1 Korintiërs 6:18 NLV). Potifar se vrou het aanhoudend probeer om vir Josef te verlei. ‘…Ná sy bevordering het Potifar se vrou begerig na hom gekyk en hom genooi om by haar te kom slaap (Genesis 39:6-7 NLV). Josef het egter gevlug en sy kleed agtergelaat.
God voorsien nie ‘n uitweg voor die versoeking of na die versoeking nie, maar tydens die versoeking. Word jy vandag versoek? Bid en God sal jou versterk. ‘Gelukkig weet die Here hoe om almal te help wat in ‘n opregte verhouding met Hom leef as hulle voor versoekings te staan kom. Hy help hulle om nie daaraan toe te gee nie…’ (2 Petrus 2:9 DB).
Sielskos: Jes 4-7; Matt 8:28-34; Ps 89:15-37; Spr 2:21-22
1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
God’s plan for turning temptation into triumph is not to “endure” temptation, but to “escape” temptation. That calls for two things:
(1) Don’t get into a tempting situation. Too many people are like the little boy sitting under the farmer’s apple tree. When the farmer asked him, “Son, are you trying to steal my apples?”, he replied, “No sir, I’m trying not to.” His problem was being under the apple tree in the first place. Martin Luther said, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair.” You can’t keep pornography off the internet, but you can avoid it by obeying God’s Word which says, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes” (Psalm101:3 NKJV).
(2) If you get into a tempting situation, get out of it quickly. The Bible never says we are to fight temptation, it says we are to flee from it. Paul tells Timothy, “Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22). He warns the Corinthians, “Flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18 NKJV). Potiphar’s wife repeatedly tried to seduce Joseph. “Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice…and said, ‘Come to bed with me!'” (Genesis 39:7 NIV). But Joseph fled, leaving his coat behind.
God does not provide a way of escape before the temptation or after the temptation, but with the temptation. Are you being tempted today? Pray and God will strengthen you. “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (2 Peter 2:9 NKJV).
Soul food: Isa 4-7; Matt 8:28-34; Ps 89:15-37; Prov 2:21-22
2021-01-19
1 Korintiërs 10:13 NLV
Is daar ‘n sekere versoeking wat jy aanhoudend voor te staan kom en waarvoor jy om elke hoek en draai swig? God het ‘n manier om jou versoeking in oorwinning te verander. Satan word ‘die versoeker’ genoem en hy weet presies voor watter versoekings jy die maklikste swig.
Paulus skryf egter: ‘Onthou, die versoekings wat oor julle pad kom, is nie uniek nie; ander ondervind dit ook…’ Jesus moes self: ‘…presies dieselfde versoekings as ons trotseer – behalwe dat Hy nie voor die sonde geswig het nie’ (Hebreërs 4:15 NLV). Die rede daarvoor? ‘Omdat Hy self versoekings verduur het, kan Hy dié help wat onder versoeking swaarkry’ (Hebreërs 2:18 NLV).
Baie jong Christene dink dat wanneer hulle gered word, hulle nie meer versoekings sal ervaar nie. Nee, wanneer jy gered is, sal jy meer versoekings ervaar as toe jy nog verlore was. Versoeking neem nooit ‘n vakansie nie. Wanneer jy op vakansie gaan, gaan dit saam met jou. Dit sal jou tref wanneer jy die sterkste voel en jou neerfel en skop wanneer jy op jou swakste is. Dis hoekom die Bybel sê: ‘Daarom – as julle dink julle staan sterk, moet julle oppas dat julle nie ook tot ‘n val kom nie’ (1 Korintiërs 10:12 NLV).
Wat is die antwoord? ‘…God is getrou. Hy sal keer dat die versoeking te sterk vir julle word’ (vers 13 NLV). Let twee dinge op: Eerstens, sal jy versoek word. Tweedens, sal jy nooit voor ‘n versoeking te staan kom wat jy nie die hoof kan bied nie, want God is getrou. Hy beantwoord gebede. Veral die gebed wat Jesus vir ons gesê het om te bid: ‘Help ons om nooit te swig voor versoekings nie, en pas ons op wanneer die duiwel ons wil verlei om verkeerde dinge te doen’ (Matteus 6:13 DB).
Sielskos: Jes 1-3; Matt 8:18-27; Ps 89:1-14; Spr 2:20
1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
Is there a particular temptation that’s constantly meeting and beating you at every turn? God has made a way for you to turn temptation into triumph. Satan is called “the tempter,” and he knows which temptations you succumb to most easily. But Paul writes: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man.” Jesus Himself was “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV). And here’s the reason: “In that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18 NKJV).
Many young Christians think that when they get saved they no longer have to face temptation. No, when you get saved you will face more temptation than when you were lost. The same wind that blew at your back on your way to hell will blow in your face on your way to heaven. Temptation never takes a vacation. And if you take a vacation, it will go with you. It will hit you when you feel strongest, knock you down and kick you when you feel weakest. That’s why the Bible says, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV).
What’s the answer? “But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able” (v.13 NKJV). Note two things: First, you will be tempted. Second, you will never face a temptation greater than you can bear because God is faithful. He answers prayer. Particularly the prayer Jesus told us to pray: “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13 NKJV).
Soul food: Isa 1-3; Matt 8:18-27; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
Sometimes we can keep coming up against a particular temptation that beats us every time. Satan is called ‘the tempter’, and he knows which temptations we’ll give in to most easily. But Paul wrote: ‘The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.’ Jesus was ‘tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin’ (Hebrews 4:15 NCV).
It can feel very discouraging when we keep falling for the same temptations, but God has made a way for us to turn temptation into triumph: ‘Now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself suffered and was tempted’ (Hebrews 2:18 NCV).
We might think that when we’re saved, we no longer have to face temptation. But the reality is that when we’re saved, we’ll probably face more, stronger temptation as Satan tries to turn us away from God. Temptation can hit us when we feel strongest, and knock us down and kick us when we feel weakest. That’s why the Bible says, ‘If you think you are strong, you should be careful not to fall…But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand’ (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NCV).
This teaches us two things: First, we will be tempted, so we should prepare ourselves for it. Second, we won’t face a temptation that we can’t overcome. We might not think we have the strength by ourselves, but that’s when we need to lean on God and His strength to withstand the temptation we’re faced with. God is faithful, and He’ll answer the prayer ‘Do not cause us to be tempted, but save us from the Evil One’ (Matthew 6:13 NCV).
Isa 1-3; Matt 8:18-27; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
