“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.” James 1:13-16.

The temptation is not the sin, everyone is tempted when they are drawn away of their own lust. It is when we initially mentally engage the lust that has drawn us away that lust is conceived in our hearts which brings forth sin.  The lust, which is now conceived in our heart, is the sin. “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matthew 5:28.

An unsaved person is unable to say no to satan, if we could overcome him there would have been no reason for Jesus to pay our sin debt.  We are born servants of satan…no matter how good a person is or their good works.  Sin is not static.  Sometimes it is even fun for a season but it always leads to death.  The weight of a sin will eventually crush the unbeliever.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.

As soon as we engage the lust we are no longer engaging the Lord.  These lusts do not come with a red flag.  The only way we recognize these lusts is by conviction of the Holy Spirit and discerning by with the Word of God.  The best way to show a stick is crooked is by laying a straight stick beside it…the straight stick will always lay waste the crooked stick just as the Word of God will always lay waste the lust.

When our faith is placed solely and exclusively on Jesus’ finished work on the Cross, we know that we know that we know that Jesus’ gave us victory over that lust and that we no longer have to engage the lust.  When the lust rears its ugly head we retreat to Jesus and He rebukes, we stand in His Armor.  Many of the religious may be giving a big amen right now because they think I’m speaking of “fleshly” sins, those we can see, without realizing I am also speaking of their self righteous sin.  When the religious engage in the lust of spiritual warfare such as soul ties, family curses and trying to “cast” sin out instead of telling the Saint they are sinning and in need of repentance, they (the religious) are just as much engaging lust as the person who is lusting after that drink.

There is deliverance from that temptation.  “Blessed is the man who endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord has promised to them who love Him.  If we love Him, we will keep His Commandments, not because we have to but because we want to and the Holy Spirit will empower us to do so when our faith rests solely on what Jesus has done…not on what we have done, can do or will do but on Jesus, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross.  Seek Him, learn of Him and He will deliver you from your temptation.  – Donna Clark Warren