All tagged resisting
When you pray the Lord's Prayer and say the words "lead us not into temptation", what do you think that means? Do you think you are asking God to keep you from experiencing temptation? Do you understand it to mean that you are asking God Himself not to tempt you? Do you think it literally means that God should not purposely lead you into tempting situations? Or, do you feel you are asking God to lead you away from your natural inclination to be tempted and sin?
As Christians we are not immune to temptation, and though we resolve in our spirits, and minds, that we will follow Jesus, our bodies are still made of dust… a substance of the world. In this way our flesh is weak, and it is only by the faithfulness of God that we are helped to resist the powerful temptation of sin, and provided escape from it. This is not to say that we are destined to be lost, but that we would most certainly be so without the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the grace of God. Our bodies are not unlike others of the world, so a Christian is tempted just as the unbelievers, yet we have hope, redemption, forgiveness, and look forward to a glorified body. In these promises we are spiritually strengthened, armed, and transformed. Are we prepared to stand against temptation when it comes?
As we live out our lives we find that we struggle day and night to reach, and then to maintain ourselves, in purity, and righteousness. Thankfully, we continue to grow in our maturity, and find ourselves strengthened all the more in our faith, and the maintenance of it, but let there be no doubt that even the spiritually aged, with all their knowledge and wisdom, still wrestle with the world for control of their souls. So how is it that the babies, and the young people in faith can dare hope to keep their way pure if their elders are struggling?