Good day my fellow brethren of the church, peace of the Lord and compliments of the season. Today I'll be sharing a little message, I hope it bless us.
Text: 1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour
and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
To many people, Christians Included, the idea that God allows His children to be tempted by the devil is an idea that is inconsistent with His might and omnipotence. If God ls Almighty, they reason, then He should intervene in Satan's attempts to seduce us and should ptevent Satan from damaging or destroying our personalities.
P. Harton says, 'A conquering nation that is not sure of its own strength, refuses the people any kind of independence at all, and keeps control with a strong hand, is governed not by a love for the people but by a fear of the people'. God does not control the lives of His people by fear but by love, justice and the desire to do what is right. He will not deliver us from temptation, but He can deliver us in it. Whenever we are faced with dilemma, it is one of Satan's strategies to persuade us that because God does not prevent temptation, He is not able to help us. Itell you, with the force and conviction of my being God is well able to help us, and the help He gives us is not to extricate us from the temptation but to supply us with grace to face it.
So if temptation can be used for our spiritual development, why fear it? Humility will not permit us to desire temptation that would be to presume on our own strength but eagerness for our Christian advancement should result in our not dreading it and not being surprised when it comes. Holiness and purity of soul would not be as awesome as they are to our human reasoning if they could be acquired without a struggle and without commitment.