Each one of us has fleshly temptations that the enemy taunts us with.
So, how do we walk in victory over these temptations of the flesh.
In Ephesians 4, Paul talks about the exchange process that is vital to walking in victory.
We have to put off and put on.
It is not enough to put off.
There must be a complete exchange.
Whatever the sin that we struggle with is, we will not only have to stop choosing to take Satan’s bait, we will also have to willfully come to Jesus and seek what He has for us instead.
Let me use a simple illustration.
Satan knows that I love soft pretzels.
He’s not going to tempt me to indulge in Brussel sprouts even though I like them.
But if you put a plate of fresh soft pretzels in front of me, I will have a hard time stopping with just one… or two.
So, how would I process this out to gain freedom?
First, I ask the Lord who taught me to overeat soft pretzels?
Then, I walk through forgiving them and get the ground back from the enemy through my past indulgences.
Next, I ask the Lord if I give him my appetite for soft pretzels, what will He give me in exchange?
I have to willfully give over the appetite and the false ways of fulfilling it to Him.
But I also have to receive what He wants to fill me with that is so much better for me than what Satan and the flesh have to offer.
Also, it really helps to ask the Lord to reveal the lies we are believing about the temptation.
Usually, it’s something simple like, ‘This will satisfy,’ or ‘I have to have this.’
Asking the Lord to speak truth to those lies is critical to destroying the lies’ power over us.
We then have to willingly receive His truth and yield the battle to the Lord.
Beloved, we are victorious and free from sin because Jesus has gained the victory and our freedom for us.
We have to choose daily to make these vital exchanges in order to experience our victory and freedom over sin and the flesh.
Put off, put on. Both are needed.
Both are possible through Jesus.
Blessings!
Robyn Henning