Listen "Expulsive Power "
Episode Synopsis
In our walk with God, the battle against every temptation is won through a stronger interest in a more satisfying and enduring reality.
Consider how Jesus dealt with his temptations. Each one appealed to a different aspect of life — the flesh, the world, and the devil himself.
After forty days of fasting he was hungry: “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
Then the world — human applause and acceptance: “the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Then the devil saying, in effect, I myself will give you all the kingdoms of the earth in exchange for worship.
Take note that embedded in each of his replies, Jesus gave voice to a stronger interest he had that trumped anything the devil was offering. That passion served as an expulsive power that rendered the devil’s efforts futile.
And so with us. The secret of being able to resist any and all temptation is a growing fixation on spiritual realities that are so interesting and precious to us that compromising our pursuit of them becomes just plain unthinkable.
Consider how Jesus dealt with his temptations. Each one appealed to a different aspect of life — the flesh, the world, and the devil himself.
After forty days of fasting he was hungry: “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
Then the world — human applause and acceptance: “the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Then the devil saying, in effect, I myself will give you all the kingdoms of the earth in exchange for worship.
Take note that embedded in each of his replies, Jesus gave voice to a stronger interest he had that trumped anything the devil was offering. That passion served as an expulsive power that rendered the devil’s efforts futile.
And so with us. The secret of being able to resist any and all temptation is a growing fixation on spiritual realities that are so interesting and precious to us that compromising our pursuit of them becomes just plain unthinkable.
More episodes of the podcast live2bless
That Mighty Grasp
16/02/2024
Power To Stay Reassured
15/02/2024
Two Essentials
14/02/2024
The Final Goal
09/02/2024
Outgrow Your Delusions
08/02/2024
"The Hope of God’s Glory”
07/02/2024
We Do It Too
02/02/2024
A Mimicking Responsiveness
01/02/2024
Another Definition
31/01/2024
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 — a paraphrase
26/01/2024
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.