How to Overcome Temptation, Part 28 (Onward Christian Soldiers #151)

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Daniel Whyte III

Welcome to the Onward Christian Soldiers Discipleship Class. I am Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society and pastor of Gospel Light House of Prayer International. The purpose of this time together is to teach young believers everything they need to know about their faith in Jesus Christ and provide them with the knowledge they need to live victorious Christian lives.

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 28”

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 reviewing what the Bible says about these sins so we can be aware of its dangers and so that we can hide Scripture in our hearts to use when we are tempted.

The sin that we are going to continue looking at today is the sin of “covetousness”. This is the second sin in a list of 12 temptations that comes from two sources — one ancient and one modern. The first source is a list that was developed by monks in the early church called “the seven deadly sins” or the “cardinal sins.” The second source is a Barna survey from 2011 which tracked the top temptations Americans admitted to struggling with.

We have already looked at four verses on this topic. Today, we delve more deeply into one of the passages that we looked at previously and see what more it can tell us about fighting the temptation of covetousness or wickedly desiring what others have. (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.)

1 Timothy 6:3-11:

1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

A New Relationship, Part 2 (Onward Christian Soldier #76)

Onward Christian Soldiers

John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

In our last lesson, we talked about how we are in Christ now that we are saved. As John 15:5 says, we are the branches and Christ is the vine. However, not only are the branches in the vine, but the vine is also in the branches. After the branch is grafted into the vine, the very life of the vine begins to flow through it. This is what keeps the branch alive and causes it to bear fruit.

A New Relationship, Part 1 (Onward Christian Soldier #75)

Onward Christian Soldiers

John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

In our last lesson we learned the wonderful truth that we are IN CHRIST. Because we are in Christ, we have a new standing before God. God sees us as perfect in Christ.

In this lesson we are going to learn more about what happened when we were born again. Not only do we have a new standing before God, but we also have a new relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This new relationship can be expressed in two short sentences:

1. I am in Christ.
2. Christ is in me.

What Does it Mean to Be in Christ? Part 2 (Onward Christian Soldiers #73)

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Onward Christian Soldiers

In our last lesson, we looked at some of the blessings that are now ours because we are in Christ.

1. We are forgiven.
2. We are justified.
3. We are made near to God.
4. We are accepted by God.
5. We are made holy.
6. Our eternal destiny is sealed and secure in Christ.
7. We are complete in Christ.

Does all of this mean that we will never sin again? No, it does not. In the letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Corinth, we find some things that seem hard to understand. On the one hand, Paul calls these believers “saints,” and he says that they are “sanctified (holy) in Christ Jesus.” On the other hand, in the same letter, Paul speaks of some terrible sins in their lives. Some of them were proud; some fought among themselves; and some of them were guilty of immoral acts.

How could Paul say that they were “holy in Christ” while at the same time they were not living as Christians should live? To answer these questions, we must understand the difference between our standing and our state.

What is our STANDING? Our standing is the way God sees us in Christ. It includes all that God has done for us in Christ. God has given us a perfect standing in Christ.

Is our standing always perfect? Yes, it is. Why? Because it depends on what God has done for us in Christ. We are IN CHRIST, and God sees us as perfect in Him. Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

Now, what is our STATE? Our state is the way we live on the earth. The Bible calls it our “walk.” Is our state ever perfect? No, it is not. Why? Because it depends on what we are in ourselves. We are sinful. The Bible says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

It will help us in our Christian life if we remember that our STANDING is the way God sees us in Christ, while our STATE is the way we live on the earth. In Christ we are always perfect in God’s sight; in ourselves, we are sinful.

Does this mean that we are to be satisfied with our sins? No, it does not! God wants our day to day living to come up to our standing in Christ. We are “holy in Christ”; God wants us to be holy in our everyday living. The Bible says, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (or lifestyle).

How can we be holy? In His Word, God has told us that we are to “walk” by faith. This means that we are to count on what we are in Christ. Colossians 2:6 says, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.”

When we see that we are “holy in Christ,” we become holy in our everyday life. When we see that we are “saints in Christ Jesus” we begin to live as saints should live. When we see that we are truly “the children of God,” we begin to live as children of God should live. As we count on what we are in Christ, the Holy Spirit makes it real in our life.

In Adam, Part 1 (Onward Christian Soldiers #63)

Onward Christian Soldiers

Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

In our previous lessons, we saw how sin came into the world. First, Satan rebelled against God and set up a kingdom opposed to God. Then Adam, when he was tempted, also rebelled against God.

Satan said, I will, and set his will against God’s will. Then Adam said in his heart, “I will” and set his will against the will of God.

Adam’s sin affected each part of his being — spirit, soul, and body. Adam’s spirit was cut off from God’s life. His soul was affected by sin. His body became subject to physical death because “the wages of sin is death.”

In this lesson we are going to see the awful consequences of Adam’s sin upon the human race. We will see MAN’S COMPLETE RUIN IN SIN.

The Fall of Man, Part 3 (Onward Christian Soldiers #62)

Onward Christian Soldiers

TEXT: Genesis 3:8-13

In the cool of the evening, God came seeking Adam and Eve, but they no longer wanted to see God. Instead, they felt guilty and hid themselves among the trees of the garden. Adam and Eve did not want to meet with God because their consciences were guilty because of the sin they had committed. They tried to hide from God, and when they were confronted by God, they tried to pass the blame for what they had done.

However, a righteous God could not overlook their sin. He could not pretend that nothing had happened. God called Adam and Eve to come to Him. Then He pronounced His judgment upon them. They would have to leave the beautiful Garden of Eden. Hereafter, Adam would have to work hard to get his food from the ground. Eve would be subject to her husband and would bear children in sorrow and in pain. Even the ground itself would be cursed because of their sin.

To the serpent who had been used by Satan to deceive Eve, God said, “Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

This latter part of God’s curse on Satan is also the first promise concerning a coming Saviour. The one who would bruise Satan’s head is the Son of God — Jesus Christ — born into the world as a human. The first man, Adam, had been defeated by Satan. Here God gives the promise of the “second Adam”, the Lord Jesus Christ, who would defeat Satan.

Sin always separates man from God. Because Adam and Eve had sinned, they had to leave the Garden of Eden. But God was already working out a plan to save them. One day He would send His only begotten Son into the world to die for man’s sin. By His death on the cross, the Lord Jesus would make it possible for man to be forgiven of his sin and to come back into fellowship with God.

Meanwhile, God made a provision for Adam and Eve. He clothed them with coats of skins. The Bible says in Genesis 3:21, “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” God had to kill innocent animals to make a covering for two people who had sinned. In killing innocent animals to make the coats of skins for Adam and Eve, God taught them that “…without shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness of sins].”

God had provided the way for Adam and Eve and their descendants to come back into fellowship with Him. From that time until Jesus would come as the Saviour, people were to offer innocent lambs as a sacrifice for sins. God accepted these animal sacrifices because those who offered them were looking forward by faith to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ who would be the Lamb of God — the once-for-all sacrifice — who would take away the sin of the world.

What You Need to Know About Satan, Part 1 (Onward Christian Soldiers #56)

Onward Christian Soldiers

Isaiah 14:13-14: “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

The Bible tells us that, before the creation of Adam and Eve, there was in the universe a being who had rebelled against God, his Creator. This being is called Satan or the Devil. Satan is not just an influence for evil. He is not a red demon with a pitchfork as he is often pictured. He is a very real being.

Where did Satan come from?

There are two main passages in the Bible which tell us of the original position of Satan and how he became the enemy of God. These passages are Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28.

From the Bible, we learn that Satan was originally created as an angel named Lucifer. The word “angel” means “messenger. ” All angels were created by God. The Bible says in Colossians 1:16, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.”

Though angels are beautiful and powerful creatures, they are not to be worshipped for they are only created beings. Only God, the Creator, is to be worshipped.

The Bible describes Lucifer in this manner in Ezekiel 28:12: “Thou sealest up the sum [of perfection], full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.”

Since Lucifer was perfect in beauty, he was as beautiful as it was possible for a creature to be. Since he was filled with wisdom he was as wise as a creature of God could be. Of all the angels in Heaven, Lucifer was the wisest, the most beautiful, and the most powerful.

Creation: In the Beginning, Part 3 (Onward Christian Soldiers #55)

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[audio https://www.buzzsprout.com/3192/215519-creation-in-the-beginning-part-3-onward-christian-soldiers-55.mp3]

Genesis 1:1 & 26: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth… And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

During part 1 of this lesson, we learned about the creation of the universe. Contrary to what some would have us to believe, the Bible tells us quite clearly that God created the heaven and the earth and all that is in them. The vastness, order, and creativity of the universe is evidence of an almighty intelligent designer.

During part 2 of this lesson, we learned about the creation of the earth. God spoke the world into existence over a period of 6 days. On day 1, He said, “Let there be light,” and instantly there was light. On the second day God formed the sky and the clouds, which the Bible calls “the firmament.” On the third day, God separated the waters from the land and caused the earth to bring forth grass, herbs, and trees. On the fourth day, God made the sun and the moon to give light upon the earth by day and by night and to produce the different seasons. On the fifth day, God created the fish and the birds. On the sixth day, God created all the animals and reptiles of the earth. Last of all, He created man. Genesis 1:31 says, “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

Today, let’s take a closer look at the creation of man. In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” God’s most wonderful creation was man, because God created man in His own image and after His own likeness.

God named the first man Adam. God created a wife for Adam, and her name was Eve. Adam and Eve did not come up from lower forms of animal life by a process of evolution. They were created by God, and they were created in the image of God. The Bible says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” God was pleased with all that He had created, and He pronounced it “VERY GOOD.”

God the Creator is worthy of all worship. The universe, the earth, and the living creatures did not come into being by themselves. God created them! In Isaiah 45:12, God says, “I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.”

Since God created all things, then to whom do all things belong? They belong to God! All things belong to the One Who created them.

Why did God create all things? He created them for His glory. In the creation of the universe, the earth and all living creatures, God has manifested His power, His glory, and His wisdom. The Bible says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.”

Because God is the Creator of all things, He alone is the One who should receive all worship. Worship is the love, reverence, and obedience which are due God. We should never worship any man, angel, creature, or object. Matthew 4:10 says, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Why should God alone be worshipped? Because He is the Creator and because He alone is worthy of all worship. The Bible says in Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Creation: In the Beginning, Part 1 (Onward Christian Soldiers #53)

Onward Christian Soldiers

TEXT: Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Have you ever wondered why the first book in the Bible is called Genesis? Well, the word “genesis” means “beginning,” and the book of Genesis is the story of beginnings. It tells us of the beginning of the universe, the beginning of the earth, and the beginning of the human race. However, the book of Genesis does not tell us about the beginning of God. The reason for this is that God had no beginning.

GOD has always existed! God existed in all His power and glory before a single thing in the universe was created. The Bible says, “In the beginning God ….” Before the beginning of anything God was there. How long has God existed? He has always existed. How long will God continue to exist? He will always exist. The Bible says, “from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”

What Will Heaven be Like? Part 3 (Onward Christian Soldiers #52)

Onward Christian Soldiers

TEXT: Revelation 21:1-3: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”

During our first lesson, we began looking at the nature of Heaven, our eternal home. From that lesson, we learned that:

(1) Heaven is a place of incredible beauty;
(2) Heaven is a place of incredible abundance;
(3) Heaven is a place of incredible happiness.

In our second lesson, we learned:

(1) Only those who accept Jesus Christ into their lives on Earth will be able to live in Heaven.
(2) In Heaven, we will be busy singing praises to God, serving God, and reigning with Jesus Christ.
(3) In Heaven, we will worship God and Jesus for all eternity because they are worthy of our worship.

Today, as we close this lesson series, we are going to focus on a single point, and that is: While on Earth, we should look forward to our Heavenly home. Yes, Jesus Christ is coming, and He is coming soon! He said Himself in Revelation 22:12, “Behold, I come quickly.” Sooner than we think, we will be with Him forever. The trials and problems of this life will last only a short time, and if we endure them faithfully, they will add to our rewards in Heaven.

Second Corinthians 4:17 says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” The sorrows and sufferings of this world are nothing compared to the glory we will enjoy with our Saviour in Heaven one day. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

We have a glorious future to look forward to. Our feeble, human minds cannot even begin to do justice to the Heavenly home that awaits us. First Corinthians 2:9 says, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

We should allow the anticipated glories of Heaven to fill our minds so that we will be joyful and perseverant during the trials and sorrows of this life. We should allow our love for Christ to fill our hearts so that we will live for Him each and every day. We should allow the hope of His coming to purify us so that we will be ready when He returns. “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”