“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
–Mathew 26:41
Have you ever thought about how temptation comes suddenly and surprisingly without any warning?
You can be reading the Scripture and suddenly have the most unbelievable thoughts, lies, and deceptions come to mind. You can even be in church worshipping Jesus Christ, singing hymns and songs and have ungodly thoughts pass through your mind.
Have you had that happen? Do you wonder what that’s all about? I’ll tell you. It’s a surprising, sudden, and seductive attack of the devil.
Now, I want you to know this. It’s not a sin to be tempted, but it is a sin to give into temptation. Billy Graham once said, “You can’t keep the birds from flying around your head but you can keep them from building nests in your hair.”
So when temptation knocks at your door, what are you going to do? You have a choice to make. You can pray for power and resist the temptation. Or you can entertain the idea and embrace it.
It’s God’s desire for you that you not become a spiritual casualty of sin. That’s why Jesus said, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Be aware of how the devil works. Let your attitude toward sin be one of constant watchfulness and careful dependence on him.
IT’S NOT A SIN TO BE TEMPTED, BUT IT IS A SIN TO GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION.
