God tells us in James 1:12 (NLT), “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Heavenly Father made it very clear to us that testing and temptation will be a part of our lives on earth. That’s why as a single Christian woman, you must remind yourself that this scripture is more than encouragement, it’s a reminder that patience is required. When we look up the word ‘patience’, we learn that it is the ability to accept things like delay, trouble, and suffering without allowing these things to lead us into emotions of anger and distress. So, patience is indeed a virtue, and it will call upon our discernment ability, because we have to recognize that everything that looks good isn’t good for us.
God’s Word tells us that there’s a war going on between our flesh and the Spirit that indwells us. The Spirit wants us to follow after God and His Word, but our flesh is unruly. It has cravings that prompt us to chase after things we think will bring us pleasure, but ultimately bring us pain. This kind of pleasure is typically fleeting; it doesn’t last long, but we get tricked into thinking that it will. As we mature and learn more about our human frame from God’s Word, we learn that the soul hungers for Christ, but we are lured to feed the soul with other things. So, one of the enemy’s tricks is to fool us with speedy fixes and quick pleasures.
In verse 13 of this same Chapter of James, God says “And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.” God doesn’t tempt us to do wrong; this is the enemy’s territory. One of the reasons that God warns us to resist temptation is because temptation is from the devil. The enemy tempts the flesh to gain access to the soul. The rulership of our souls is what this war is all about, and this is very important for us to recognize, because the soul is the part of us that decides whether to honor God’s Word or to give-in to the flesh.
The damage from temptation is that when we give into it, whatever the enemy has tempted us with leaches on to the soul. The soul is the governmental center of our beings. It contains the mind, heart, and will. Whatever the soul says goes. God has given us the gift of free-will, and He will not overstep it. Heavenly Father has charged each of us with the responsibility of renewing our minds and feeding our souls a healthy diet of His Word, so that we can grow and walk in the Spirit. He wants us to feed our souls nourishment from His Kingdom, and not from the kingdom of darkness. This is why He tells us in Galatians 5:16(NLT), “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
We desperately need to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we don’t know the difference between what is profitable for us and what isn’t. As women of God, we might meet a man that from all appearances seems very nice. Some of us will take the leap and make an emotional investment based on appearances, without allowing the Spirit to guide us. We end up making poor decisions that lead us away from the ark of God’s safety.
Patience dictates that we use caution, because the enemy is subtle, and presents something that looks like a blessing, but isn’t. Temptation would not be tempting if it didn’t overwhelm our senses and hook us in with the allure of pleasure. Heavenly Father wants us to patiently endure as it says in James 1:12, and not jump and rush into situations and relationships without being guided by the Spirit. We need to make sure that God has cosigned our decisions and choices, and if He hasn’t, we need to resist.
In James 4:7 (NLT), God tells us, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” This verse is twofold. First, we must humble ourselves and submit to God for His divine direction. Then, we resist the devil. We don’t give in to what the enemy is presenting and allow it into our hearts, minds, and souls. We resist by standing on the promises of God. He has promised us a Crown of Life if we endure testing and temptation. The reward is great; therefore, we must assume that the testing and temptation is no joke. To remain faithful to God, it is imperative that we operate from a Kingdom mind-and-heart-set of patience, so that we can be blessed and receive our rewards.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Your Crown of Life”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2017. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.