Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
08/03/2014, by John Kincaid
Lesson 317: The Way of Escape, Pt.2
God has promised that He is able to help us resist; Satan tries to convince you that God is a liar.
Satan whispers, “This temptation is too strong for you; you can’t resist. God created you with a weakness in this area; how can he blame you?”
In the TV show Star Trek: The Next Generation the evil Borg said “Resistance is futile.” The Borg thought it was pointless for a victim to struggle, because the Borg thought that he was the most powerful being.
In 1 Cor.10:13, the original Greek for “the way of escape” is a military term. It describes what happened at the Alamo, where a small troop is surrounded by a larger, more powerful enemy.
The situation appears desperate, hopeless, with no way out. But God is the “game-changer”.
God promises to somehow rescue us: when we are surrounded by temptation, He will provide a weapon, or He will reveal a secret passageway, or He will send the cavalry, or He will expose a weakness in the enemy, or He will suddenly remove the temptation.
The power of temptation is very strong, and we are very weak in own strength. These points are correct.
Satan twists these half-truths to discourage us. But God is always stronger. You can trust Him. You must.
About This Series
The goal of this series is to become more useful in serving the Lord Jesus Christ, as an instrument in the Redeemer's hand. The theme verses for the series are Ephesians 4:22-24, Philemon 11, 2 Timothy 2:21
- to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
- and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
