When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; and when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them. | ||
| Deuteronomy 7:1–2 | ||
| “When you go into the Land,” Moses instructs the people, “God will deliver formidable foes into your hand. And you shall smite them.” The same is true for us. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation will ever come our way without the Lord providing a way for victory at that time. But we need to participate. In other words, the Lord will deliver us, but we have a role to play as well. At the moment of temptation, when the battle is raging, when the Enemy is looming, the Lord will give me victory if I choose to participate. There will always be a way of escape, a way of victory. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. - Romans 6:6 Because the word translated “crucified” literally means “rendered inactive,” we can say, “I’m not going to get beaten up by the enemy of temptation, depression, or seduction. Not only has the Lord promised that there is a way of escape, but the sins of anger, hostility, and lust can’t dominate me anymore. When Christ Jesus died on the Cross, anything contrary to Christ was crucified and paralyzed. Therefore, all the old nature can do is yell at me, scream at me, and try to intimidate me. But it cannot touch me unless I choose to listen.” Some people say, “I just can’t seem to get over this. I can’t deal with that. Where’s the Lord?” The answer is that the Lord has done His part. Now He’s waiting for you to do yours and smite the Enemy. Pastor Jon Courson | ||
