Overcoming Sin with Thanksgiving (Eph 5:3-4)

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”

Let this rule your mind: be thankful instead of lustful and sinning. Instead of walking in what He forbids, be THANKFUL for the immeasurable mercies and goodness’ that He gives you continually. Rather than despair because of the temptation to sin, live for the higher good, the higher glory, and the promise of the reward given to you (John 12:25). You have MORE in Christ than you have imagined. Set yourself before God’s blessings and count them up. Look into the wealth of His love, and take it only, rather than sin. Don’t be duped out of enjoying your wealth to walk in the squalor of iniquity. Be you clean by God’s promises of GOODNESS to you (2 Cor 7:1). Stand fast by the wealth you have, the hope, and the power of His love. Let sin be fearful to you. Never play with it or think that we can escape as those who’re evil in conduct, but LET US fight the battle by the weapons afforded us, which is THANKFULNESS continually for Him. Meditate upon Him in the things you enjoy, so you have temperance (1 Tim 4:1-5). Keep a thankful heart that you have a Savior, and keep up the battle by faith. You will enter your reward, and what you PRAISE Him for now, you will have eternally (John 12:26).

Strengthened With Power (Eph 3:13-21)

Holiness is the mind that I must seek. To be anything but HOLY defames the GOSPEL and DENIES the grace of God. Grace is not meant for the head and theory but to be LIVED in the every day thought and life (1 Cor 7:34). A holy man practices Christ. All else is LOSS (Eccl 12:13). Without holiness we won’t see God, and by holiness we get the FULLNESS of Christ.

First, we battle in the inner man - “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man“ (Eph 3:16). That’s where we war by faith, believing God to the STRENGTHENING of us to do His will, to obey. All battle’s are for SELF-control and obedience - “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city“ (Prov 16:32). The results come our way thereby.

Secondly, faith is the victory - “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith“ (Eph 3:17). We need to believe what we have in God, so that our emptiness is filled by Him. It is not for us to strengthen or even encourage ourselves; it is for us to believe on the Son of God, and He strengthens thereby (1 Sam 30:6). All that I need is FROM trusting Christ as why God does it for me, that it shall happen as He says according to His Son’s blood for me.

Thirdly, the fullness of God, the experience of blessing, and the power of the Spirit whereby we do exploits is GIVEN to us by faith in the Lord’s love for us as sinners and His power to us as helpless rebels - “And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph 3:19). It is by this love revealed that I rise, take up my bed, and walk (John 5:8). If salvation depends upon me DESERVING it or CONTRIBUTING to it, then it is false; it depends only on the Name of Christ and God’s FAITHFULNESS to Him: He is not dealing with us as many, but us as one, joined to Christ. If you have Christ, then God will bless you with the strength you need; it is not a lie, theory, or phantom. Believe His love to enable you to live to His glory.

Lastly, there is actual power that works in us: it is not a story of helplessness but of POWER that we have with God - “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us“ (Eph 3:20). We are tempted, hurt, pained, and every evil of the world afflicts our heart. We must cry, “vanity of vanities; all is vanity”, for we suffer in this world (Eccl 1:2). We have HIGHS followed by tremendous lows. We have victorious times that lead to depression of soul, because we’re lifted so high that to come back to affliction HURTS us. Yet, in all this, the Lord is STRONG inside of His people, and we BELIEVE His love amidst our trouble. Paul writes to the Ephesians from prison, but he says, It’s ok. Don’t worry. The Lord is enough“ (Eph 3:9-16; 6:21-22). Of Paul it says, “The night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome” (Acts 23:11). His sin was not mentioned and removed by blood, and now GRACE will be given to serve God. Know His love.

God Only Shall You Serve (Matt 4:1-11)

“Then said Jesus unto him, Get you hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve (vs10).”

It is written that we shall worship God in Jesus Christ, and not Satan. We will not go too far in this world, living in sin. We will not deny the gospel of God’s grace, but we will believe unto the end. We have been born again into, “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (I Pet 1:3-5).

The Son of God’s obedience was perfect. He never did anything wrong, never lifted up His soul in vanity, and only did what pleased God. Through His obedience, we BELIEVE God who gives us GRACE over sin (Rom 6:14).

First, we hunger in this world – “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry” (Matt 4:2). The Lord Jesus, because of sin, has pain to endure in this world that He did not bring upon Himself. The believer, just by being in this world has the TEMPTATION to take matters into our hands, because we have needs. But, like Christ, we do not, trusting God to care for us – “Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you” (I Pet 5:7). He knows what we need in marriage, in the family, in the job, and in every aspect of life. Thus, we live by HIS word, rather than by OUR needs and feelings, for He CARES for us.

Secondly, we don’t sin that grace might abound – “Jesus said unto him, It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God” (Matt 2:5-7). We don’t say, “God saves, so I’ll live unsaved. God forgives, so I will sin. And God gives power, so I’ll live as I see fit, and power is mine, if He wants me to have it”. No, we use God’s grace to SERVE God, which is how grace is received. We “reign in life” by the obedience of Christ and being justified by faith: God gives us His power over sin (Rom 5:17). The “sin that grace might abound” attitude does not believe God in truth. To believe God is to believe Him for His salvation, which is what He gives (Rom 10:13).

Someone says, “I believe on Christ, and now I can live in sin”, but to BELIEVE on Christ is to be SAVED by God with His salvation, revealed in the scripture. I can’t live in sin and say “saved by grace”.

Thirdly, We are tempted for a season, and then Satan departs, “Then the devil leaves him, and, behold, angles came and ministered unto him” (Matt 4:11). This LIFE is but a light affliction, because it is but a moment, and the DEVIL will depart eternally into the lake of fire (II Cor 4:17-18).

We are tempted down here, but not above what we can handle, for Christ is strength over sin and Satan. We have enough in God to defeat Satan, for we haven’t been left to our wisdom and the deceptions of Satan, for, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4).

Let us believe who we are in Christ, receive strength to worship God by the acceptance we have in the Beloved and by the redemption and forgiveness that we have received. Receive GRACE freely and GRACE will chase away Satan.