Part 3: Who Is He?

When we come to faith in Jesus and are baptized, three things happen:
1. We are forgiven & gained access to God & we gained eternal life with Him
2. The Spirit of God began to live in us & we began a process of God-empowered transformation
3. We have value and are loved by God.  God loves me and is pleased with me.
Every temptation that faces us is an attack on one of these 3 main points.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭

The old person is dead - he is gone - I am a new person.

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:13-14‬ ‭

The thing that gets me out of bed everyday is that neither I, nor God, will allow my past mistakes to define my future.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭

“And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3:17‬

We are adopted into the family of God.  We can rest in the security of knowing that we are loved by God!  God is on your side.

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭30:19‬ ‭

What do you choose - life or death?  If you don't choose life (freedom from sin), then you choose death by default (enslavement and separation).  Do you choose to listen to the voice of truth or the voice of lies...

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand
But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"
But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:1-2‬ ‭

If God allowed Jesus, His own son, to be tempted - He will also allow you to be tempted.  Why does God let this happen?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-4‬ ‭

Is this fair?  What if we can't handle it?

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭

What voice will you listen to?  The voice of truth or the voice of lies?

For more truth about life, see...   www.truthatlife.com