How in the World to Stay Away From Temptation!?? My God is Able to Deliver the Godly!

So, a YouTuber asked Matt a question- How in the world do you keep yourself pure? :) Matt wrote this person back and I've added his comments at the bottom here. Their correspondence got me thinking today and this is what the Lord was showing me. We all face temptation everyday. Super Christians are NOT the ones who are never tempted, they are the ones who use the TRUTH of the Gospel to dispel whatever lie the enemy is trying to throw their way. I hope this message encourages you today and gives you some tools to combat those nasty little annoying things the devils tries to use to trip you up. If you are a believer, you are MORE than a conqueror in Christ Jesus! Romans 8:37

-Jesus is the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. John 8:32

 -The devil is the father of all lies John 8:44.

Whenever  a thought comes to us that is not of God- we need to take that thought into "the captivity of Christ"

2 Corinthians 10 3 For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

Now, how does this apply to keeping ourselves pure, our thoughts and actions clean? The world around us is filled with evil that wants us to sin, wants our thoughts and actions to be the opposite of what God would have them be. These negative, perverted thoughts are NOT THE TRUTH! :) Television puts a TON of bad images in front of us that are lies from the pit of hell. These images might tell us we need to be cooler or thinner or more muscular. When the devil comes to you and entices you to sin, the way you overcome that is to SPEAK THE TRUTH to yourself. God is not some old man who doesn't want us to have fun, and he's given us a way to overcome every temptation, but as long as we are believing a lie, we will be stuck in things like perverse thoughts or anger or any other sin that you just can't shed yourself from.

1.The lie is: I need someone or something else to make me happy or fulfilled. I need a boy or girl to be with to end my frustrations. I need more money. I need that model or actor on TV. I need a new fancy car.  

2. The TRUTH would say to the lie: "God has a mate for me, something beautiful and special, He fills me and I have everything I need. I am saved! I am happy, I am healthy, I am fulfilled TODAY, RIGHT NOW- the devil wants me to think I'm missing out on something, but really, those things the devil is trying to push me to think or do will only lead me to death and destruction."

God has a plan for your life- instead of pinning for something you can't or shouldn't have, like looking at and desiring the people or what they have on television or movies- which will only leave you empty- dream about the future God wants you to have. Think on pure, holy, happy things that will strengthen you inside and leave you laughing with joy because of who God is. Meditate on his word.

One thing Matt does that I think really helps him and strengthens him, is he turns on the Bible to listen to while he is sleeping. He also listens to it while he is driving or doing projects. That way, when a lie comes to his head, the word of God, the TRUTH is always there to combat it.

He used to listen to non-Christian music which has a lot of lyrics about ungodly relationships- you don't even realize all the perversion that is going on in the songs until you stop and read the lyrics. He doesn’t listen to it anymore and in that his mind is much cleaner! J

Look at this passage from James 1

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

God is not tempting us- the devil is. The devil wants us sick, he wants us to be his captive- and that includes all kinds of sins- anger, rage, lying, cheating, stealing, and yes, sexual perversion. All of these things keep us away from the power of God. If you are stuck in a sinful pattern, your mind has not been renewed by Christ, he has not set you free... OR, and this is important, sinful people have put thoughts on you and you THINK they are you when they are not. Many people get stuck feeling guilt about thinking or doing things they want to stop doing. If Christ is in you, you have ALL the power you need to overcome temptation, for Christ is not tempting you, but was tempted in all the ways we will ever be tempted, yet he was our example on how to live sinless. Hebrews 4:15  

2 Peter 2:9  Now if [all these things are true, then be sure] the Lord knows how to rescue the godly out of temptations and trials, and how to keep the ungodly under chastisement until the day of judgment and doom,

Whatever you are facing, wherever you are at in your life, God has a way for you to live holy and pure. God is right there ready to deliver anyone who is desiring to follow Him out of temptation! There might be things in your life that are keeping you in a whirlwind that you can't seem to get out of- Christ is not here to condemn you but set you free. Think on and speak the name of Jesus, especially if you feel all else has failed and you are just stuck. At the name of Jesus:

⁹ 

Philippias 2

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Wooo Hooo!! This is GREAT NEWS!!! When the enemy comes in like a flood, tempting you, trying to get to away from the Holy One, speak this name- JESUS!! 

There are many things you can do to keep yourself from falling prey to temptation, but the first thing to do is remember you are a child of God, breath, relax, analyze the situation, and remove from your life anything that triggers sin or sinful thoughts. Many men struggle with pornography. They probably need to throw away their computers. If watching movies causes someone to sin, stop watching them, open up your Bible instead. Many women are working when they should be at home raising their children, and sin creeps in through pride, arrogance, and perverse thoughts because they are away from where God and Nature would have them be. If your job is causing you to sin, find a new one. If friends or family put you in situations that arouse sin or lead you into sin, you've got to cut those ties. Get alone with God, just him and you, and pour out your heart to him, He will show you the way. He's given us the Holy Spirit to help us and comfort us. 

You are not alone! God Bless 

Matt had written some great responses to how to live sin free, here are some excerpts he wrote that are truly empowering!!! 

A.  The first thing I would suggest is that if you have any abusive people in your life, even if it was never physical, cut them out of your life. 

You don't have to ever talk to them again. 

When Jesus sets us all free from the devil's lies, any that were put upon you should fall off. (this sometimes takes time and learning to recognize what were lies from the pit of hell that you were forced or decieved to believe growing up)  

Jesus is the non stick pan that nothing but God and his holiness can stick to. When you proclaim God as your Lord (the one you seek out and look up to, fearing him when you do wrong) and Savior (the one who set you free) you are free from these things. 

Children are abused at home and at school both. Later, they are abused and or enslaved to the person or company they work for. Like military training, they break your mind down so that you can no longer think for yourself. Whatever sin or perversion they have, they try and place on you. 

B. Myself I am going back to my birth and trying to recall any and all memories. I recount them to "bring into the captivity of Christ" the devil's lies.

Even small, seemingly innocent things can keep you from having a sound mind. As for me, I'm going back as anything not of God I am cleansing from me.

Example: 

1.My abusive family members were obsessed with gardening, woodworking, and music. 

I gave away all of my guitars as these people made me think that I wanted to play guitar. I am getting rid of my trumpets as they are not critical to my day to day being. I have asked myself, did God want me to play the trumpet, or was it placed upon me by these abusers?

2. I have opted to carefully with Christ leading go back into gardening and working with wood, as it is of the Lord. However, I don't want to put any idols before God, and they made music one for me. So for now I am not playing or listening to music. I gave up regular music and christian music too. The only thing that I value now is hearing from God directly. If not me, I look forward to the daily Words from the Lord family write on the refrigerator. These are the people you should have in your life.

C.People God wants in your life build you up, make old things new, make you more than you ever could have been without God.

I am ever thankful for these daily comments on the refrigerator. Our hearts and minds are on God, and all that he has for us. God wants to see you prosper and set free, His way. He wants to see you away from anyone who wishes to see you stumble and fall, or not have all that is out there for you. You can do it, and God is the way of the Truth and the Life!

"You can be free, you can live like me. You can rejoice, for through my Spirit you will hear My voice. You will proclaim my Truth, for I have set you free from abuse. I died so that you can be free, I died so that you can be like me."