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Whenever you feel enticed to meet a
legitimate need by acting independently of God, you are being tempted through
the lust of the flesh - you resist the temptations of the lust of the flesh by declaring
your dependence on God - as such you are remaining "in the vine,"
Neil T
Anderson
Daily in
Christ Devotional
Satan first
approached Eve through the channel of the lust of the flesh.
He planted a doubt
in her mind about the fruit of the tree when he said: "Has God said,
'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1).
But Satan had
piqued her appetite for the forbidden fruit, and she "saw that the tree
was good for food" (verse 6).
Yielding to the
lust of the flesh contributed to Adam and Eve's downfall.
Satan also
challenged Jesus through the channel of the lust of the flesh.
Our lord had been
fasting for 40 days when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness at the point of
His apparent vulnerability: "If You are the Son of God, command that
these stones become bread" (Matthew 4:3).
He learned about
Jesus' apparent vulnerability to physical temptation by watching Him go without
food for 40 days.
He's watching you
too, looking for soft spots of vulnerability in your appetites for food, rest,
comfort and sex.
Temptation is
greatest when hunger, fatigue and loneliness are acute.
The temptation of
the lust of the flesh is designed to draw us away from the will of God to serve
the flesh (Galatians 5:16, 17).
When Satan tempts
you through the channel of the lust of the flesh, he will invite you to fulfill
your needs in ways that are outside the boundary of God's will.
When you resist the temptations of the lust of the flesh,
you are declaring your dependence on God for your needs.
As such you are remaining "in the vine," tapping into the
resources Jesus referred to in John 15:5.
But when you yield
to temptation in this area, your fruitfulness as a Christian will suffer
because apart from Christ you can do nothing.
Prayer: You are a
strong, fruit vine, Lord, and I will not wither as long as I remain in You.
Strengthen me today to resist the temptation to meet my needs apart from You.
Daily
in Christ Devotional
from Neil Anderson is a popular daily Bible devotion. Daily in Christ
Devotional from Neil Anderson offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical
truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Reading daily
devotions provides strength and encouragement in your daily walk
with Jesus
Christ.
Neil T Anderson is an evangelical best-selling author on spiritual
freedom including 'Victory Over the Darkness','The Bondage Breaker', 'The Steps
to Freedom in Christ' and 'Daily in Christ'. He is founder and president
emeritus of Freedom in Christ Ministries
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