True or false.
The best way to fight temptation is to just say “No”!
If you said true, how’s that working for you? Are you standing against temptation … or are you falling more often than you’d care to admit? More than likely, the latter is true.
When we say “No” to temptation, we make a law that gives the power of sin a foothold in our lives. And THAT’S why we’re falling down. Here’s how that works.
As a society, we make laws to keep life safe and orderly. And we expect our laws will be obeyed.
But God’s law is different. He gave it knowing it wouldn’t curb our behavior.
We’d sin even more (Romans 5:20), because sin uses the law to stir up even more sin in our lives (Romans 7:8).
To resist sinful temptations, we mustn’t make the mistake of just saying “No”. Our willpower might hold out for a while, but we’ll likely fall in the end.
There’s a better way to fight temptation… by saying “Yes” to Jesus.
When we sin, we’re choosing to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way.
In John 7:38-39, Jesus defined this as a thirst. He cried out, “If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink”. Anyone, anytime, anywhere can come to Him and have their thirsts satisfied.
And He didn’t distinguish between righteous and sinful thirsts. He invites them all.
BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT WE’RE THIRSTING FOR, WE’RE REALLY THIRSTING FOR JESUS. WE JUST DON’T RECOGNIZE IT.
When we thirst for fame, we’re really thirsting for significance, which Jesus can certainly provide. And when we thirst for money, we’re really thirsting for security, which Jesus offers abundantly through His everlasting love, grace, and mercy.
And if we thirst for something sinful, like lust? We’re really thirsting for intimacy, love, excitement, and pleasure … all of which our Lord offers us freely.
WHEN OUR LORD SATISFIES OUR THIRSTS, HE DOES MORE THAN JUST FILL OUR CUP. HE FILLS US FULL TO OVERFLOWING WITH RIVERS OF HIS LIVING WATER.
This is what He offered to the woman at the well in John 4.
This dear lady’s choices had left her lonely and unfulfilled, burdened with guilt and shame. She need only ask Him, and He will put a bubbling spring of His living water inside her, so she’d never thirst that way again.
Saying “No” to our thirsts will only make us thirstier.
We’ll wind up miserable and unfulfilled, just like the woman at the well. And we’ll grow more desperate until we finally choose to satisfy those thirsts illegitimately … and fall into sin.
Don’t say “No to temptation, and don’t ever deny you’re thirsty. Instead, bring your thirsts to Jesus, the One Who promised to meet ALL your needs, according to His riches (Philippians 4:19).
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