Resist Temptation

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The units stap 0:01:11.840 --> 0:01:14.360 makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to give 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:17.160 funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 0:01:17.280 --> 0:01:19.440 Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:21.720 fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:24.280 when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.280 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:30.120 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:34.000 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:37.200 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:39.880 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.920 --> 0:01:42.600 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:56.840 for God's very best in your life. God bless you 0:01:57.200 --> 0:02:00.080 so joy to come into your homes. We love you, 0:02:00.400 --> 0:02:02.560 and if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll 0:02:02.560 --> 0:02:04.800 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:02:05.040 --> 0:02:07.640 I promise you this, We'll make you feel right at home. 0:02:08.080 --> 0:02:10.480 Thanks so much for tuning in, and thank you again 0:02:10.520 --> 0:02:13.160 for coming out. I like to start with something funny 0:02:13.200 --> 0:02:16.440 and I heard about this pastor. He decided to skip 0:02:16.520 --> 0:02:19.840 church one Sunday morning and go play golf. He told 0:02:19.880 --> 0:02:22.840 his assistant he wasn't feeling well and drove to a 0:02:22.840 --> 0:02:26.000 golf course in another city where nobody would know him. 0:02:26.320 --> 0:02:29.040 He teed off on the first hole and a huge 0:02:29.120 --> 0:02:32.360 gust of wind caught his ball, carried it an extra 0:02:32.520 --> 0:02:35.680 hundred yards, and blew it right into the hole for 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:39.440 a four hundred and twenty yard hole in one. An 0:02:39.520 --> 0:02:41.720 angel looked at God and said, what'd you do that for? 0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:47.200 God smiled and said, who's he going to tell? All right, 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:49.600 hold up your bibles. Say it like you mean it. 0:02:50.080 --> 0:02:52.880 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:53.360 --> 0:02:55.600 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:55.720 --> 0:02:58.240 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:02.120 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:02.240 --> 0:03:05.320 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:05.400 --> 0:03:09.720 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:09.720 --> 0:03:14.280 to talk to you today about resisting temptation. No matter 0:03:14.320 --> 0:03:16.960 how good of a person you are, how much you 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:21.560 want to do what's right, temptation will come. It's important 0:03:21.600 --> 0:03:24.720 to recognize the areas that you're tempted in. 0:03:25.120 --> 0:03:26.520 It's different for every person. 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:30.639 You need to take inventory of your life, be honest 0:03:30.680 --> 0:03:33.880 with yourself and say, Okay, this is an area that 0:03:33.960 --> 0:03:36.800 I struggle in. This is an area that I need 0:03:36.880 --> 0:03:40.520 to stay in guard. What keeps many people from being 0:03:40.640 --> 0:03:45.119 free is they live in denial. I read where seventy 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:49.440 percent of alcoholics don't think they have a problem with alcohol. 0:03:50.200 --> 0:03:53.400 If you're not honest with yourself, it'll be very difficult 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:54.360 to be free. 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:56.560 You need to know yourself. 0:03:57.240 --> 0:04:00.320 If you're tempted to watch things that you shouldn't, get 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:03.200 it out on the table, say God, here's an area 0:04:03.320 --> 0:04:05.720 that I need to improve in. If you have a 0:04:05.760 --> 0:04:09.320 problem with being impatient, a problem with spending money, you 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:13.240 don't have a problem with drugs or alcohol. The first 0:04:13.280 --> 0:04:17.440 step to being free is to identify what's holding you back. 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:22.560 You cannot conquer what you will not confront as long 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:25.240 as you're downplaying it, trying to hide it, act like 0:04:25.279 --> 0:04:26.880 it's not there, it's not going. 0:04:26.720 --> 0:04:28.080 To go away. 0:04:28.160 --> 0:04:32.120 Ignoring the enemy doesn't make him leave you alone. He 0:04:32.200 --> 0:04:35.000 already knows the area of your greatest weakness. 0:04:35.279 --> 0:04:38.160 You should know it as well. Not to go around. 0:04:38.000 --> 0:04:41.599 Feeling bad about yourself, but so you can stay especially 0:04:41.640 --> 0:04:42.159 on guard. 0:04:43.080 --> 0:04:45.120 The scripture says in Hebrews. 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:49.360 Let us lay aside the weights and the sin that 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:53.520 does so easily beset us. Notice it says the sin 0:04:54.360 --> 0:04:58.800 it infers that every person has one thing they have 0:04:58.880 --> 0:05:03.760 to specifically deal with. I call it a persistent temptation. 0:05:04.680 --> 0:05:08.080 Whenever you try to move forward, the same temper, the 0:05:08.080 --> 0:05:11.400 same self pity, the same addiction, the same. 0:05:11.120 --> 0:05:13.440 Compromise is there to try to hold you back. 0:05:14.320 --> 0:05:17.440 Some people, every time they're about to be promoted, the 0:05:17.560 --> 0:05:21.320 same problem with their mouth gets them in trouble, speaking 0:05:21.400 --> 0:05:24.640 their mind, saying things that they shouldn't. If they would 0:05:24.680 --> 0:05:28.560 just get honest with themselves and say, God, this problem 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:32.320 with my mouth is so easily besetting me. I'm going 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:35.760 to get serious and deal with it. When you get honest, 0:05:35.960 --> 0:05:38.960 God will help you to come up higher. Don't go 0:05:39.120 --> 0:05:42.640 the next twenty years letting the same bad attitude, the 0:05:42.680 --> 0:05:46.600 same temptation, the same compromise keep you from moving forward. 0:05:47.520 --> 0:05:50.560 I know this lady. She was hurt in a relationship. 0:05:50.760 --> 0:05:53.520 This was more than twenty years ago. This man did 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:57.600 her wrong. Now every time she's about to get serious 0:05:57.680 --> 0:06:01.240 in another relationship with a good man, a loving man, 0:06:01.279 --> 0:06:05.240 a kind man. That same fear of being hurt again 0:06:05.760 --> 0:06:09.320 rises up the same thoughts. You're making a big mistake. 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:12.120 He's going to leave you. You can't trust men. 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:13.000 They're all the same. 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:17.440 Until she gets honest and deals with that fear, she's 0:06:17.480 --> 0:06:19.719 not going to have happy relationships. 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:22.040 What is that one. 0:06:21.720 --> 0:06:25.920 Thing that can easily beset you? What is that persistent 0:06:26.040 --> 0:06:31.000 temptation that you struggle with? Identify what it is. Here's 0:06:31.040 --> 0:06:34.679 the good news. The enemy doesn't have any new tricks. 0:06:35.520 --> 0:06:39.039 Once you recognize what that one thing is and learn 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:42.200 how to defeat it, you can overcome it your whole lifetime. 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:47.080 Two Peter two nineteen says you are a slave to 0:06:47.160 --> 0:06:50.240 whatever controls you. You can be a slave to a 0:06:50.279 --> 0:06:54.200 bad attitude, a slave to worry, a slave to lust, 0:06:54.320 --> 0:06:57.760 a slave to food. In the scope of your destiny, 0:06:58.160 --> 0:06:59.760 it's a small thing. 0:07:00.080 --> 0:07:01.760 To let a bad temper control you. 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:06.599 It's a small thing to let fear or worry control you. 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:11.040 Your destiny is too great, your assignment is too important, 0:07:11.560 --> 0:07:15.120 your future is too bright to let something small hold 0:07:15.200 --> 0:07:15.640 you back. 0:07:16.320 --> 0:07:18.360 You've got to make up your mind. This is a 0:07:18.360 --> 0:07:18.880 new day. 0:07:19.520 --> 0:07:21.720 You're not going to keep giving in to the same 0:07:22.000 --> 0:07:23.160 old temptations. 0:07:23.480 --> 0:07:24.400 You know what they are. 0:07:25.080 --> 0:07:28.200 The enemy doesn't have any new tricks. It's going to 0:07:28.200 --> 0:07:31.640 be the same thing year after year. But if you'll 0:07:31.680 --> 0:07:35.760 dig your heels in, put your foot down, the temptation 0:07:36.040 --> 0:07:38.320 may not go away, but God will give you the 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:41.120 strength to overcome it. You don't have to be a 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:44.120 slave to self pity, a slave to a bad attitude, 0:07:44.160 --> 0:07:47.960 a slave to an addiction. God created us to be free, 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:52.720 not partially free, but totally free. I'm asking us to 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:56.080 get rid of that one thing that can easily beset us. 0:07:56.960 --> 0:07:58.160 I know a pastor friend. 0:07:58.440 --> 0:08:01.880 When he was twelve years old, he started smoking, hiding 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:04.960 in his house, not letting his parents know. By the 0:08:04.960 --> 0:08:08.760 time he was fourteen, he was totally hooked. This young 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:13.120 man had an incredible gift to minister from an early age. 0:08:13.200 --> 0:08:17.240 He was extremely anointed and powerful. He could preach these 0:08:17.280 --> 0:08:20.760 amazing sermons. He would fill in at the local church. 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:23.680 The whole time he had to hide the fact that 0:08:23.760 --> 0:08:28.800 he smoked. His mentor and elderly gentleman was the pastor there. 0:08:29.360 --> 0:08:32.200 The pastor knew that he smoked. He didn't condemn him, 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:35.600 he didn't chew him out. He simply said, son, I 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:39.559 believe that God wants to take you a long, long way, 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:44.320 and that cigarette sure is a small thing to keep 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:47.720 you from where God wants you to go. That one 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:50.480 statement broke a stronghold in his mind. 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:52.520 He had a new perspective. 0:08:52.880 --> 0:08:57.000 His attitude was, my destiny is too great to let 0:08:57.040 --> 0:09:00.679 something small hold me back. He changed him his mind. 0:09:01.160 --> 0:09:04.160 When you change your mind, you can change your life. 0:09:04.760 --> 0:09:05.160 Today. 0:09:05.320 --> 0:09:08.240 He has a ministry that touches the world. But think 0:09:08.280 --> 0:09:10.680 about what he could have missed out on if he 0:09:10.679 --> 0:09:14.559 would have let a small thing hold him back. Whatever 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:18.800 that one thing is, maybe pride, jealousy, bad attitude, addiction, 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:20.760 it's a small thing. 0:09:20.760 --> 0:09:23.120 To keep you from the amazing future. 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:27.079 God has in store. How do we resist temptation? Jesus 0:09:27.080 --> 0:09:30.920 said in Matthew twenty six forty one. Pray that you 0:09:31.080 --> 0:09:36.160 don't enter into the temptation. Notice he didn't say, pray 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.640 that you'll never be tempted. God, please don't let me 0:09:39.679 --> 0:09:42.200 have a negative thought. God, please don't ever let me 0:09:42.240 --> 0:09:45.800 have a wrong desire. That's not realistic, he said, Pray 0:09:46.280 --> 0:09:51.240 that you don't enter into the temptation. The reason many 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:54.640 people keep giving in to the same thing year after 0:09:54.760 --> 0:09:59.720 year is because they never ask God for his health. Listen, 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:02.720 can't overcome temptation on our own. 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:05.040 You can't resist. 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:08.960 That desire to compromise all by yourself. We can't break 0:10:09.000 --> 0:10:10.760 addictions in our own strength. 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:12.360 We need God's help. 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:16.160 When you humble yourself and say, God, I don't want 0:10:16.160 --> 0:10:19.280 to be critical and sour, help me to have a 0:10:19.280 --> 0:10:20.760 good attitude. 0:10:20.840 --> 0:10:23.079 God in my mouth keeps getting me into trouble. 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:25.920 Help me to bite my tongue and not say things 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:28.600 that I shouldn't. God, I don't want to watch the 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:31.160 wrong things. I don't want to pollute my mind. God, 0:10:31.360 --> 0:10:35.439 help me to resist this temptation. If you ask God 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:37.080 to help you, he'll give. 0:10:36.960 --> 0:10:38.240 You the strength to overcome. 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:43.320 The scripture says the spirit is willing, but the flesh 0:10:43.600 --> 0:10:47.080 is weak. We have good intentions, we want to do 0:10:47.120 --> 0:10:50.600 the right thing. I have no doubt if you struggle 0:10:50.640 --> 0:10:53.720 with an addiction, if you could, you would give that up. 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:57.920 You would give up being impatient, give up compromising. The 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:01.360 spirit is willing, but it's not enough to just have 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:05.360 the desire. You have to pray so that your spirit 0:11:05.480 --> 0:11:06.679 man will get. 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:08.319 Stronger in that area. 0:11:08.559 --> 0:11:11.440 If you can get your inner man stronger than your 0:11:11.480 --> 0:11:14.840 outer man. You will resist the temptation every single time. 0:11:15.679 --> 0:11:16.320 Here's the key. 0:11:16.840 --> 0:11:19.520 Don't wait till you're in the middle of the temptation 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:21.360 to ask God for his help. 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:22.720 Pray ahead of time. 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:25.800 If you've got a problem with your temper when you 0:11:25.840 --> 0:11:29.080 get up in the morning, before you leave the house, God, 0:11:29.120 --> 0:11:31.840 I'm asking you to help me to control my temper today. 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:35.040 God help me to stay calm and not give in 0:11:35.080 --> 0:11:38.800 to the temptation to get upset. See don't wait till 0:11:38.800 --> 0:11:41.360 you're in the heat of the battle and your emotions 0:11:41.360 --> 0:11:43.880 are high and your passions are out of control. Pray 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:47.880 ahead of time. Get your inner man stronger. Maybe you're 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:51.240 trying to lose weight, be more disciplined in your eating. 0:11:51.760 --> 0:11:53.920 Or you can't wait till you're at the mall and 0:11:54.000 --> 0:11:58.280 you smell the cinnamon rolls in the air. Three people 0:11:58.320 --> 0:12:01.280 walk by with an ice cream Sunday, your two friends 0:12:01.280 --> 0:12:03.320 are going to get a fudge bar. By that time, 0:12:03.360 --> 0:12:05.679 it's too late. You'll think, Let me just eat and 0:12:05.720 --> 0:12:09.680 I'll repent later. Now, pray ahead of time when you 0:12:09.720 --> 0:12:11.760 get up in the morning, Father, help me to be 0:12:11.800 --> 0:12:13.280 disciplined in my eating today. 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:15.440 God help me to stay focused. 0:12:15.880 --> 0:12:18.760 You've got to get your inner man built up and 0:12:18.840 --> 0:12:23.360 develop this reservoir of strength. So when that temptation comes, 0:12:23.480 --> 0:12:27.640 you're so prayed up, you're so strong, so disciplined, so focused. 0:12:27.320 --> 0:12:28.640 You'll be able to resist it. 0:12:29.440 --> 0:12:32.520 And when you know something is going to be more difficult, 0:12:32.920 --> 0:12:35.959 you need to make sure you get prayed up. If 0:12:35.960 --> 0:12:40.600 you come home every Monday stressed out, irritable to your family, 0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:43.400 then you need to start praying on Friday, on Saturday, 0:12:43.440 --> 0:12:46.040 and on Sunday. God help me to not give in 0:12:46.320 --> 0:12:49.560 to the pressure to get stressed out on Monday. If 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:52.079 you know your mother in law's coming in this Christmas, 0:12:52.160 --> 0:12:52.560 you need to. 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:56.400 Start praying right now. And I have a great mother 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:59.800 in law. It's the daughter I have a problem with. 0:13:03.120 --> 0:13:06.520 If you struggle with depression, don't wait till you've been 0:13:06.520 --> 0:13:09.160 depressed for three days to ask God for his health. 0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:13.480 Now on your good days, when you're encouraged, when you're happy. 0:13:13.760 --> 0:13:17.400 God help me to resist the temptation to get depressed. 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:21.000 God help me to control my thought life and stay happy, 0:13:21.200 --> 0:13:24.880 hopeful and positive. Pray ahead of time. It's like this 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:28.360 man I heard about. He said, God, so far I've 0:13:28.360 --> 0:13:32.920 done well today. I haven't lied, cheated, or gossiped. I 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:38.320 haven't lost my temper, been rude, grumpy, angry, selfish, or nasty. 0:13:38.720 --> 0:13:41.280 But God, I'm going to need your help today because 0:13:41.320 --> 0:13:45.400 I'm about to get out of bed this morning. Pray 0:13:45.440 --> 0:13:49.240 ahead of time, and God will help you. Jesus was 0:13:49.280 --> 0:13:52.840 about to be crucified. He knew there were difficult times 0:13:52.840 --> 0:13:55.679 of ahead where he would be tempted to get discouraged 0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:56.320 and give up. 0:13:56.520 --> 0:13:57.200 What did he do? 0:13:57.600 --> 0:14:01.360 He prayed, Father, if you will take this cup from me. 0:14:01.800 --> 0:14:05.120 But not my will, let your will be done here. 0:14:05.160 --> 0:14:08.280 He was the son of God, yet he was saying, Father, 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:10.199 I can't do this on my own. 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:13.040 I'm tempted to not go through with it. I need 0:14:13.080 --> 0:14:13.720 your strength. 0:14:14.360 --> 0:14:18.520 The scripture says after he prayed, the angels came and 0:14:18.600 --> 0:14:22.120 strengthened him. If you will pray and ask God to 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:25.760 help you resist, he will send his angels to strengthen 0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:29.680 you as well. This is what David did twice in 0:14:29.720 --> 0:14:33.600 the Psalms. He asked God to help him control his mouth. 0:14:34.280 --> 0:14:38.400 He was focused, disciplined, a great leader, yet maybe this 0:14:38.640 --> 0:14:39.880 was the one thing. 0:14:40.080 --> 0:14:41.720 That could easily beset him. 0:14:42.160 --> 0:14:45.760 He said, God put a watch over my mouth, he 0:14:45.920 --> 0:14:50.160 asked God, and God helped him to overcome. In that area, 0:14:50.360 --> 0:14:54.080 Jesus said to Peter, I'm about to be crucified. You're 0:14:54.080 --> 0:14:56.920 going to be tempted to deny me. Peter, you need 0:14:56.960 --> 0:15:00.600 to pray so you don't give into this temptation. Well, 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:03.160 it was late in the day, Peter was tired, he 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:04.160 didn't feel like praying. 0:15:04.720 --> 0:15:06.280 Plus, Peter was proud. 0:15:06.880 --> 0:15:08.720 He thought he could do it in his own strength. 0:15:09.320 --> 0:15:11.720 He said, in a fact, Jesus, I don't need to pray. 0:15:12.560 --> 0:15:15.120 I'm your friend. I'm not going to deny you. I'll 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:18.440 be with you through thick and thin. You know the story. 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:22.920 A few hours later, when the soldiers questioned him, he denied. 0:15:22.720 --> 0:15:23.720 That he knew Jesus. 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:27.200 But I wonder what would have happened if he would 0:15:27.200 --> 0:15:30.240 have taken time to pray. I wonder if he'd have 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:33.880 just done like David and say God, I need. 0:15:33.520 --> 0:15:34.520 Your help today. 0:15:35.240 --> 0:15:38.520 I believe it would have been a different story if 0:15:38.640 --> 0:15:42.000 Jesus thought it was necessary to pray and ask God 0:15:42.040 --> 0:15:45.240 for strength. If he told us to pray so we 0:15:45.320 --> 0:15:49.040 don't enter into temptation, that tells me this should be 0:15:49.080 --> 0:15:52.600 a part of our everyday life some of you. The 0:15:52.640 --> 0:15:55.360 only reason you keep giving in to the same thing 0:15:55.400 --> 0:15:58.600 again and again is you're not asking God for his help. 0:15:59.400 --> 0:16:01.480 But when you do like Peter and you think you 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:04.160 can do it on your own, God will just step back. 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:08.560 But when you humble yourself and say, God, I need 0:16:08.600 --> 0:16:12.680 your help today. God help me to not compromise. God 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:15.480 help me to not let my eyes wander. God help 0:16:15.560 --> 0:16:18.560 me to be disciplined in my eating. When you ask 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:21.560 God for his help, God will send the angels to 0:16:21.600 --> 0:16:26.000 strengthen you. I know this young lady. She's been addicted 0:16:26.040 --> 0:16:29.800 to cocaine for eleven years, but the last ninety two 0:16:29.960 --> 0:16:33.520 days she's been clean. That's the longest that she's ever stopped. 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:38.240 I asked her how she was doing it. She told 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:40.840 how she got some new friends, got rid of the 0:16:40.840 --> 0:16:43.240 people dragging her down, got people that will pulled her up, 0:16:43.280 --> 0:16:46.080 and she quit thinking that she couldn't do it and 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:48.640 started to say it, I can do all things through Christ. 0:16:49.120 --> 0:16:51.920 Then she said, Joel, I get up every morning and 0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:55.640 say God, I need you today. I need your strength, 0:16:56.120 --> 0:16:58.480 I need your discipline, I need your grace. 0:16:58.760 --> 0:17:01.360 God help me resist this temptation. 0:17:02.320 --> 0:17:05.720 When you acknowledge God as the source of your strength. 0:17:06.320 --> 0:17:09.160 You will have a power to resist that you've never 0:17:09.200 --> 0:17:12.560 felt before. Now, I wonder how much more victory we 0:17:12.560 --> 0:17:15.040 would walk in if we just get up every morning 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:18.720 and say, Father, help me to not lose my temper. God, 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:20.720 help me to not compromise, help me. 0:17:20.680 --> 0:17:21.560 To stand strong. 0:17:22.280 --> 0:17:24.600 Pray ahead of time, get your inner man built up. 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:29.280 And then number two very important, don't put yourself in 0:17:29.400 --> 0:17:34.040 situations where you know you're going to be tempted. You 0:17:34.080 --> 0:17:36.439 can't pray and ask God to help you overcome an 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:40.400 addiction and then go hang out with people that enable you. 0:17:41.040 --> 0:17:45.399 The scripture says, run from temptation. If you're trying to 0:17:45.400 --> 0:17:48.439 break that spirit of alcohol. Don't go party with your 0:17:48.440 --> 0:17:52.080 buddies after work. Well, Joel, I'm just there for the company. 0:17:52.240 --> 0:17:54.359 I'm just there to visit. I'm not gonna drink. No, 0:17:54.480 --> 0:17:57.040 if you play with fire, you're gonna get burned. If 0:17:57.080 --> 0:18:00.119 you hang around the beehive, you're gonna get stung. If 0:18:00.119 --> 0:18:02.640 you stay at the barber shop long enough, eventually you'll 0:18:02.640 --> 0:18:08.000 get a haircut. Get out of that environment. Run from temptation. 0:18:09.280 --> 0:18:12.680 If your friends are not going anywhere, find some new friends. 0:18:13.200 --> 0:18:16.679 If they're pulling you down, causing you to compromise. You 0:18:16.720 --> 0:18:19.080 can pray all day long for God to help you, 0:18:19.480 --> 0:18:22.560 but until you separate yourself, it's not going to do 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:26.280 any good. I read about this young lady. She really 0:18:26.400 --> 0:18:28.920 liked this young man, but all he wanted to do 0:18:29.080 --> 0:18:32.840 was party and compromise. He wasn't going anywhere, he didn't 0:18:32.880 --> 0:18:35.399 have any goals. She tried to get him to come 0:18:35.440 --> 0:18:36.880 to church again and again. 0:18:36.680 --> 0:18:37.520 But he wouldn't come. 0:18:38.160 --> 0:18:41.080 Finally, she looked at him and said, listen, if you're 0:18:41.080 --> 0:18:42.560 not going to go to heaven. 0:18:42.280 --> 0:18:44.440 With me, then I'm not going to go to hell 0:18:44.520 --> 0:18:44.880 with you. 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:49.080 And if you're going to get free and break loose 0:18:50.000 --> 0:18:54.359 of that one thing that can hold you back, you 0:18:54.480 --> 0:18:58.040 may have to take what seems like are drastic measures. 0:18:58.880 --> 0:19:01.560 You may have to change friends if you're going to 0:19:01.600 --> 0:19:05.120 stay faithful in your marriage. If all your friends run 0:19:05.119 --> 0:19:09.600 around on their spouse, listen, spirits are transferable. You hang 0:19:09.640 --> 0:19:11.920 out with them long enough, and you too are going 0:19:11.960 --> 0:19:14.639 to be tempted to compromise. You hang out with a 0:19:14.760 --> 0:19:17.760 jealous person long enough, and you'll end up jealous and 0:19:17.800 --> 0:19:18.840 critical and sour. 0:19:19.320 --> 0:19:21.480 Put yourself in a different environment. 0:19:22.080 --> 0:19:24.960 I know people the only thing that's keeping them from 0:19:25.040 --> 0:19:28.720 rising higher, the only thing that's keeping them from resisting 0:19:28.760 --> 0:19:33.040 that temptation, is the people they are choosing to associate with. 0:19:33.920 --> 0:19:37.159 I learned a long time ago some people, the less 0:19:37.240 --> 0:19:39.840 time you spend with them, the better off you're going 0:19:39.880 --> 0:19:43.720 to be. You have to ask yourself, these people that 0:19:43.800 --> 0:19:47.520 are dragging me down, causing me to compromise, are they 0:19:47.640 --> 0:19:52.360 worth me missing my divine destiny over? In the scripture, 0:19:52.800 --> 0:19:55.359 Joseph worked for a man by the name of potterphar 0:19:55.760 --> 0:19:58.280 He was in charge of his house. He was being 0:19:58.320 --> 0:20:02.520 his best, minding his own own business. But Potterford's wife 0:20:02.800 --> 0:20:04.200 tried to seduce Joseph. 0:20:04.760 --> 0:20:05.560 Day after day. 0:20:05.640 --> 0:20:09.119 She kept making advances toward him, letting him know that 0:20:09.200 --> 0:20:12.480 she was interested. But Joseph was a young man of 0:20:12.560 --> 0:20:17.120 great character, He had great integrity. His attitude was this 0:20:17.200 --> 0:20:20.640 woman is not worth me missing my divine destiny over. 0:20:21.320 --> 0:20:24.800 I can imagine he got up every morning and prayed, God, 0:20:25.000 --> 0:20:28.280 help me to stand strong, help me to resist this temptation. 0:20:28.960 --> 0:20:30.440 But he not only prayed. 0:20:30.920 --> 0:20:35.400 The scripture says she kept pursuing him, but Joseph did 0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:36.600 his best. 0:20:36.359 --> 0:20:40.040 To avoid her. There's another key to resisting temptation. 0:20:40.600 --> 0:20:44.800 Avoid the wrong people, avoid the wrong places, avoid the 0:20:44.800 --> 0:20:48.560 wrong channels. Joseph went out of his way to stay 0:20:48.560 --> 0:20:52.879 out of her path. If she came inside, he went outside. 0:20:52.960 --> 0:20:56.119 If she came outside, he would go run errands. He 0:20:56.119 --> 0:20:59.399 didn't think I'm so strong, I'm invincible. He knew he 0:20:59.520 --> 0:21:03.640 was foul, so he did what he could to stay away. Well, 0:21:03.640 --> 0:21:07.680 one day, just so happened, everybody was gone. Potterpher wasn't there. 0:21:08.200 --> 0:21:11.920 She came into the room where Joseph was working, grabbed 0:21:12.000 --> 0:21:14.880 him by the arm, and tried to pull him to her. 0:21:15.600 --> 0:21:21.480 But the scripture says, Joseph tore himself away. Notice the determination, 0:21:21.840 --> 0:21:26.320 Notice the persistence. He tore himself away. And when he did, 0:21:26.720 --> 0:21:29.120 she ripped his coat right off of him. 0:21:29.760 --> 0:21:33.040 He didn't care. He took off running without his coat. 0:21:34.200 --> 0:21:37.760 Sometimes in order to resist temptation, you're going to have 0:21:37.800 --> 0:21:40.919 to leave your coat. In other words, you may have 0:21:41.000 --> 0:21:44.680 to give up something to keep from compromising. You may 0:21:44.720 --> 0:21:48.040 have to give up playing ball with the guys if 0:21:48.080 --> 0:21:50.920 you can't resist partying with him after the game. 0:21:51.840 --> 0:21:53.640 You may have to give up working late. 0:21:53.960 --> 0:21:56.359 If there's somebody there that's going to lure you off course, 0:21:57.119 --> 0:21:57.840 you may have to. 0:21:57.760 --> 0:21:59.720 Give up premium cable. 0:22:00.080 --> 0:22:03.080 If you can't stay off the wrong channels, you gotta 0:22:03.119 --> 0:22:04.560 be willing to leave your coat. 0:22:05.160 --> 0:22:06.640 You can't ask God to help. 0:22:06.440 --> 0:22:08.400 You and go sit in the middle of the temptation. 0:22:08.800 --> 0:22:12.040 You gotta do like Joseph and run from it. And 0:22:12.119 --> 0:22:14.560 I know, men, it's not very macho to run from 0:22:14.600 --> 0:22:17.000 a woman, but you gotta do what you gotta do. 0:22:19.200 --> 0:22:23.080 Young people, quit worrying about how popular you are or 0:22:23.080 --> 0:22:25.640 who's gonna accept you, and do what you gotta do. 0:22:26.720 --> 0:22:29.639 That person at the office that's flirting with you, run 0:22:29.680 --> 0:22:30.360 from them. 0:22:30.840 --> 0:22:33.919 Don't play with fire. If they take the elevator, you 0:22:33.960 --> 0:22:36.840 take the stairs. If they leave it five, you leave 0:22:36.880 --> 0:22:40.440 it five point thirty. Do like Joseph and avoid temptation. 0:22:41.200 --> 0:22:43.600 If you're trying to lose weight, stay out of the kitchen. 0:22:45.280 --> 0:22:47.879 Don't think I'm just gonna go in here and look 0:22:48.040 --> 0:22:49.360 at these freshly. 0:22:49.000 --> 0:22:50.440 Baked chocolate chip cookies. 0:22:52.080 --> 0:22:54.400 After you eat half of them, you'll go around condemned. 0:22:54.600 --> 0:22:58.280 Run from it like this lady I heard about. She 0:22:58.440 --> 0:23:01.880 was on a diet doing so well she even changed 0:23:01.880 --> 0:23:04.520 the route that she used to drive to work so 0:23:04.560 --> 0:23:06.840 she wouldn't have to go by the bakery that she 0:23:06.920 --> 0:23:09.920 used to always go in and buy desserts. One day, 0:23:09.920 --> 0:23:11.760 the roads were closed and she had to go the 0:23:11.800 --> 0:23:14.520 old way. She said, Okay, God, you're gonna have to. 0:23:14.480 --> 0:23:15.240 Help me today. 0:23:15.680 --> 0:23:18.760 I'm not going to stop unless there's a parking spot 0:23:18.920 --> 0:23:23.560 right in the front of that bakery. She came home 0:23:23.560 --> 0:23:25.840 with a big dessert, told her husband, I couldn't help 0:23:25.880 --> 0:23:27.760 it the eighth time around the block. 0:23:27.800 --> 0:23:33.080 There the parking spot was Avoid the temptation, take a 0:23:33.080 --> 0:23:33.720 different route. 0:23:33.880 --> 0:23:37.000 Do what you have to do now, you say, Joel, 0:23:37.080 --> 0:23:38.600 I'm strong, I'm mature. 0:23:38.760 --> 0:23:39.679 I can resist it. 0:23:40.480 --> 0:23:44.360 The scripture says take heed when you think you stand, 0:23:44.720 --> 0:23:48.200 lest you fall. The Apostle Paul was saying, no matter 0:23:48.240 --> 0:23:52.439 how strong you think you are, you are not invincible. 0:23:53.200 --> 0:23:56.280 Every person, every one of us, is capable of giving 0:23:56.280 --> 0:23:59.520 in to temptation. That's why we need to pray ahead 0:23:59.560 --> 0:24:02.000 of time and do what we can to avoid it. 0:24:02.880 --> 0:24:04.520 Partying with the people. 0:24:04.200 --> 0:24:07.440 After work is not worth you missing your destiny over 0:24:08.200 --> 0:24:11.040 Hanging out with the office flirt is not worth you 0:24:11.160 --> 0:24:15.159 ruining your marriage. Watching things that are questionable is not 0:24:15.359 --> 0:24:18.679 worth being sidetracked from where God wants to take you. 0:24:19.560 --> 0:24:23.840 These temptations look so alluring at first, but they always 0:24:24.040 --> 0:24:28.400 end in heartache and pain. I read how an Eskimaux 0:24:28.560 --> 0:24:31.560 used to kill a wolf. He would take his knife 0:24:31.600 --> 0:24:35.520 blade and coat it with animal blood and let it freeze. 0:24:35.680 --> 0:24:38.320 Once it froze, he would put another layer, and another 0:24:38.400 --> 0:24:41.399 and another until it was about an inch thick of 0:24:41.520 --> 0:24:43.240 frozen animal blood. 0:24:43.240 --> 0:24:44.440 Sort of like a popsicle. 0:24:44.960 --> 0:24:47.480 Then he would take that knife into the woods, put 0:24:47.480 --> 0:24:51.080 it in the ground, handle first, with the blades sticking up. 0:24:51.800 --> 0:24:54.960 In the night. The wolf, with its sensitive nose. 0:24:54.680 --> 0:24:58.399 Would come by and start licking the frozen animal blood, 0:24:58.400 --> 0:25:00.600 and the more he licked it, the more he liked it, 0:25:00.640 --> 0:25:05.560 and he'd start looking faster and faster, so feverishly that 0:25:05.640 --> 0:25:09.679 he couldn't even feel the sting of the knife slicing 0:25:09.760 --> 0:25:13.439 his own tongue. He would get so passionate in the 0:25:13.480 --> 0:25:17.120 pleasure of the moment he wouldn't realize the point at 0:25:17.119 --> 0:25:21.960 which his own blood was now satisfying his insatiable thirst. 0:25:22.240 --> 0:25:24.679 By morning time, the wolf would be lying dead in 0:25:24.760 --> 0:25:28.400 the snow. And many times, these temptations that come to us, 0:25:28.560 --> 0:25:32.320 they look so appealing, so inviting, we think all men 0:25:32.440 --> 0:25:35.800 only live once it's not hurting anything. Everybody else is 0:25:35.840 --> 0:25:40.240 doing it now, don't be deceived. Behind that pleasure, there 0:25:40.280 --> 0:25:41.840 is a hidden razor blade. 0:25:42.359 --> 0:25:43.880 You may not feel it in the beginning. 0:25:44.720 --> 0:25:47.080 You know, going out and getting high with some friends 0:25:47.119 --> 0:25:50.680 at first may feel good, but twenty years later, if 0:25:50.720 --> 0:25:52.480 you're addicted and lonely. 0:25:52.119 --> 0:25:53.520 And depressed, doesn't feel good. 0:25:54.320 --> 0:25:57.400 Playing around while you're married may feel good at first, 0:25:57.600 --> 0:26:00.879 but later on when the spouse and the kids the 0:26:00.920 --> 0:26:04.640 homes broken up, doesn't feel good. Being dishonest, not having 0:26:04.760 --> 0:26:08.800 integrity may get you headed first, but later on, when 0:26:08.880 --> 0:26:11.400 the truth comes out, and it always does, it'll put 0:26:11.440 --> 0:26:15.960 you much further behind it. There is a temporary pleasure 0:26:16.440 --> 0:26:19.280 in giving into temptation, but I want you to know 0:26:19.440 --> 0:26:24.000 the pain in the long run will always far outweigh 0:26:24.040 --> 0:26:28.000 the pleasure. I've heard it said the pain of discipline 0:26:28.160 --> 0:26:32.360 is temporary, but the pain of compromise is permanent. 0:26:32.960 --> 0:26:34.840 We say joy's hard, it's. 0:26:34.640 --> 0:26:37.439 Hard to resist. Yes, it may be hard, but do 0:26:37.480 --> 0:26:41.200 you know what's harder? Living in bondage? Going around feeling 0:26:41.200 --> 0:26:44.600 bad about yourself because you know you're so far below 0:26:44.720 --> 0:26:48.760 your potential. There's nothing worse than going through life with 0:26:48.880 --> 0:26:50.040 things holding you back. 0:26:50.280 --> 0:26:52.400 That you know you can defeat. 0:26:53.200 --> 0:26:56.640 And some of you are struggling with addictions, with wrong mindsets, 0:26:56.920 --> 0:27:01.400 with negative emotions. You're allowing something so small to control you. 0:27:02.000 --> 0:27:04.480 Let me tell you what you already know. You're better 0:27:04.520 --> 0:27:04.760 than that. 0:27:05.359 --> 0:27:06.480 You're a child of. 0:27:06.440 --> 0:27:09.720 The most High God. You have royal blood flowing through 0:27:09.760 --> 0:27:13.359 your veins. Don't you dare settle where you are. You 0:27:13.480 --> 0:27:18.560 can overcome anything in your life, large or small, doesn't 0:27:18.560 --> 0:27:22.320 matter if it's a negative attitude or you're addicted to cocaine. 0:27:22.760 --> 0:27:25.679 The power in you is greater than the power that 0:27:25.760 --> 0:27:29.080 is coming against you. You got to keep reminding yourself. 0:27:30.200 --> 0:27:33.240 I am better than this. I Am not going to 0:27:33.320 --> 0:27:38.160 settle for mediocrity. I'm gonna dig my heels in, focused, disciplined, 0:27:38.359 --> 0:27:41.760 and with God's help, I'm gonna resist every temptation. I'm 0:27:41.760 --> 0:27:45.600 gonna break every bondage. Friends, you are well able. Don't 0:27:45.680 --> 0:27:49.240 let something small keep you from the big things God 0:27:49.240 --> 0:27:53.280 has in store. What is that one thing that could 0:27:53.320 --> 0:27:57.439 easily beset you? Identify what it is, and then start 0:27:57.480 --> 0:28:01.400 asking God to help you. Remember, the enemy doesn't have 0:28:01.520 --> 0:28:04.360 any new tricks. If you'll learn to defeat it today, 0:28:04.600 --> 0:28:08.080 you can defeat it. Your whole lifetime and then avoid 0:28:08.240 --> 0:28:12.320 tempting situations. Don't put yourself in a situation where you 0:28:12.400 --> 0:28:15.199 know you're going to be tempted to compromise. But my 0:28:15.320 --> 0:28:19.080 declaration today is that we are going out of here free. 0:28:19.160 --> 0:28:21.680 We are not going to be controlled by a temper, 0:28:22.160 --> 0:28:26.119 by a drug, by an addiction, by a lust, by fear, 0:28:26.240 --> 0:28:30.800 by worry, by a person. No, every stronghold is coming down, 0:28:31.200 --> 0:28:34.719 every bondage is being broken, every chain is being loosed. 0:28:34.960 --> 0:28:38.240 You are going to resist temptation and step into a 0:28:38.280 --> 0:28:41.600 freedom like you've never seen before. I believe it, and 0:28:41.640 --> 0:28:44.720 I declare it over each one of you in Jesus's name. 0:28:45.000 --> 0:28:46.960 If you receive it, can you say him in today? 0:28:48.360 --> 0:28:51.200 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:28:51.240 --> 0:28:53.800 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:54.120 --> 0:28:57.880 Would you pray with me? Just say Lord, Jesus, I 0:28:58.000 --> 0:29:01.120 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. 0:29:02.200 --> 0:29:05.680 I make you my lord and savior. Friends, if you've 0:29:05.680 --> 0:29:08.320 prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. 0:29:08.680 --> 0:29:11.640 Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. 0:29:11.960 --> 0:29:14.320 He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:15.200 --> 0:29:18.080 Thank you for listening to the joel Oustine podcast. 0:29:18.400 --> 0:29:21.040 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:29:21.160 --> 0:29:24.400 those all over the world. Visit joeloustein dot. 0:29:24.160 --> 0:29:27.200 Com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:28.480 --> 0:29:30.959 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:31.080 --> 0:29:33.800 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:33.840 --> 0:29:36.880 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 0:29:37.120 --> 0:29:40.000 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:29:40.200 --> 0:29:41.280 We'll see you next time.