Our key Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 10:13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Our lesson today is titled “How to Overcome Temptation, Part 9”
In this section of our Onward Christian Soldiers discipleship class, we are going to continue looking at specific temptations that are, as the Bible says, “common to man.” We are going to review what the Bible says about those sins so we can be aware of the dangers of those sins and so that we can hide those Scriptures in our hearts to use when we are tempted with those sins.
The sin that we are going to continue looking at today is the sin of “pride”. As we mentioned last week, pride is really the original sin because it is what caused Satan to lift his heart up against God and attempt to take God’s place in Heaven. Satan influences people to be proud which causes them to rebel against God and against God-ordained authority figures in their lives. We have already looked at three verses that combat this temptation. Here are three more. (Remember, the text of this lesson is made available online after each class, so you can go to our website GLHOPI.com, click the “Onward Christian Soldiers” banner on the home page, and begin to learn these verses by heart throughout the week.)
Galatians 6:3 tells us of the foolishness of thinking highly of ourselves. “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” This verse comes in the larger context of Paul’s admonishment to believers that they help one another. The previous verse reads, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” There are some people in the church who are so proud that they think they are above helping others. These people like the praise and glory that comes from being in a position of leadership, but they are not willing to serve as Jesus served. They think they are too important to bear anyone’s burdens. This verse challenges us to be humble, to remember that we are nothing and that we are no better than anyone else in the body of Christ.
James 4:6 also tells us of God’s reaction to those that are proud. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” Pride and grace cannot co-exist. A proud person demands that God bless them because of their merits or their good deeds or their impressive gifts and capabilities. However, grace goes to those who realize they do not deserve anything from God’s hands. If we really grasp the fact that, just for one sin, we deserve Hell, we will see why we need grace. None of us are worthy of God’s blessings. Any blessings that we receive are only given to us by the grace of God. And that grace is only given to those who are humble.
Luke 14:11 says, “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” These words of Jesus came as He was rebuking the religious leaders of his time for always seeking positions of prominence. In first century Palestine, when a big dinner was being held by someone of importance, people who attended the dinner would try to sit as close as possible to the host. Their proximity to the host indicated their significance in society. Jesus told His followers to not abide by this social tradition. He said, “But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.” The point for us is that we should not seek positions of glory; rather, we should be content in a low position and let God be the one who raises us up if He chooses to.
If you struggle with pride, take these passages to heart and begin to use them the next time you face that temptation.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The Bible also says in Romans 10:9 and 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved…. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and I want to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! I want to congratulate you on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
Until next time, May the Lord Bless You!
The Gospel Light Minute X 