Prayers and Supplication
Christian, may the grace of God prepare you for the day when temptation provokes you to rebel against the Lord. The scriptures tell us concerning Jesus, “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.” “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” Jesus Christ can sympathize with your weakness. He too, was tempted in all things as we are, and yet without sin. If you truly want to overcome the besetting sin that entangles you, you must follow in His footsteps. Never forget, prayer becomes your strength in the midst of your weakness, which brings you divine assistance.
Beloved, keep in mind that the Father loved you even when you were an enemy. You were delivered from the realm of darkness in which you were enslaved. Furthermore, He has brought you into the kingdom of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and calls you His own. For, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.” “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Never forget, that you once were condemned under the wrath of God, Who will not clear the guilty, but He saved you with an everlasting love. Regarding this, press on to maturity, not laying a foundation of repentance from dead works thatresult in self-righteousness, but rather turning to the Lord in fervent prayer. “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
The armor that Paul mentions is not physical armor, but rather the doctrines found in the teachings of Christ that are to be pressed upon your heart as a means of worship. The Apostle Paul affirms this to the Church at Rome, “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” The Psalmist teaches us as well, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” Realize that your body is naturally drawn to the corruptions of this world. For Just as King David walked on the roof of his house one moment, just to find himself in the arms of Bathsheba the next, so sin will destroy your life if you don’t take steps to avoid it. Peter allowed pride to set up in his heart during a conversation with Jesus, saying, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.” What happened?
Not only did he fall away, but he also cursed Jesus with blasphemous remarks. We see as a result, that he suffered failure in the midst of his temptations. Without the divine influences of the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to overcome temptations, especially in seasons when its strength is at its highest. For, “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” In this battle, it’s important to draw near to God, just as Jesus did. If you do this, you’ll be able to resist the fiery darts of wickedness with inner strength, and when the trial ends, you will have triumphed over temptation, bringing glory to God.