Monday, May 23, 2016

 

A Hedge Against Temptation

 

“I will ask the Father and He will give you another helper that He may be with you forever” (John 14:16) 

 

 Hey Gang:  I don’t know about you but in this day when everything that can be shaken is being shaken, I take great joy and confidence that God has made a way through the wilderness for me through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 Bruce Wilkerson included the following comment in his book Spiritual Breakthrough that rang my bell: “I made a dramatic breakthrough when I discovered that right before every temptation, my emotions were distressed (inwardly agitated) and that I was actually seeking for comfort.  That’s when I remembered the promise, ‘I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever’” (John 14:14-17).

Wow, is that not neat.

 Is it not incredible that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to be our ever-present source of comfort? Have you ever really checked Him out? I mean put Him to the test?  I decided to try. I prayed, “Holy Spirit, I am in desperate need of you, I don’t want to sin, please comfort me now”.  Now, I must admit that in the initial stage I felt nothing.  I really felt bummed out! 

 But then I slowly became aware that the anxiety level had subsided, and I felt a degree of comfort.  I also learned that this, like all learning experiences, had to be honed on the wheel of experience.  The more I made my mind aware of putting trust in the Holy Spirit the more I felt the comfort that is provided only by the Holy Spirit. 

 The neat part of this experience is that God has made me more aware of those times when temptation is knocking at my door; as I put my trust in the Holy Spirit to protect me from that temptation, I find that it slithers back into the pit from which it came. 

 Keep in mind we have an irrevocable promise that protects us from falling off the wagon: “No temptation is overtaken you, but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” (I Corinthians 10:13).

 Bruce Wilkerson said, “I’ve prayed to my Comforter many times since, and I’ve discovered two immutable truth: first, The Holy Spirit always completes His responsibility in my heart, and second, He does it without delay.”

 Soooo, buckaroos, Tuck that away in your heart and mind for you can count on Satan and his minions testing to see if you are able! 

 Blessings, 

Gramps