Overcoming Temptationਨਮੂਨਾ

READY TO RUN

Pre-deciding is incredibly powerful. Many times, we think we will be fine just because we aren’t planning to be or do evil. Look at the Bible’s overview of King Rehoboam:

2 Chronicles 12:14 (ESV) - And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.

It took me back that he didn’t do evil because he intended to, but because he wasn’t intentional about avoiding it. He didn’t set his heart to seek the Lord. Are we just floating through life, or will we choose, on purpose, to seek the Lord and flee from evil?

Daniel is an amazing Bible character who was marked by his predecision to live to honor God no matter the circumstances.

Daniel 1:8 (ESV) - But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank…

Daniel’s nation had just fallen. He was taken as a slave to a foreign nation and was being told he had to do things their way, including eating food sacrificed to idols and foods contrary to Jewish law. This decision became his lifelong commitment to standing for what is right, no matter the pressure. He later stood up to the lions' dens, refusing to give up his prayers. He stood strong because he chose ahead that he would put God first no matter what.

Joseph too pre-decided he would do what was right. Joseph’s life had a lot of challenges and mistreatment. Many times, we let what has been hard be an excuse to give in to what we want, but not Joseph. His brothers, out of jealousy, had beaten him up, sold him into slavery, and lied about him. He had then been sold as a slave in Egypt, while working as a slave, his master’s wife took notice of him. When no one else would see, she asked him to sleep with her. But Joseph refused to even consider it. He said, “How could I do this great evil and sin against God?”

As time went on, she kept trying, and one day she was ready to trap him and lay hold of his garment, but he just left it in her hands as he ran away. He was so set on doing right that he wouldn’t let anything hold him back, even if it cost him.

This command to run from sin, to flee from sexual immorality or other cravings of our flesh, is throughout the Bible and is a command for us.

So, let us keep our running shoes handy. Let's decide ahead of time to honor God and run from sin.