Led into temptation

Balaam may have prophesied about the Messiah, but as I mentioned before, he was no friend of his, nor was he a friend to Israel.

When God refused to let him curse the Israelites (costing Balaam quite a bit of money), Balaam plotted how to bring the Israelites down.  And he soon found a way.

According to Numbers 31:16, Balaam advised Balak to use the Moabite women to seduce the Israelite men and lead them into idol worship.

The plot was successful.  The Israelites fell into idolatry, and 24,000 were killed as a result.

Satan tries to do the same with us.

He knows God’s protection is on us, and so he tries to pull us away with God.  And he always attacks us at the point in which we are weakest.

James writes,

Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.  (James 1:14-15).

The Israelites were tempted by their own lusts and allowed themselves to be dragged away and enticed.

That gave birth to sin, and the result was death.

We too sin when we are tempted by our own lusts and allow ourselves to be dragged away and enticed.

So what do we do?

Paul writes,

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.  (2 Timothy 2:22)

So first, we are to flee from temptation.

It’s what Joseph did in Genesis 39 when Potiphar’s wife tried to entice him to sin.

But it’s not enough to flee sin; we need to pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace.

Don’t just run from what’s evil.

Run to what’s good.

And finally, remember you don’t have to fight sin on your own.

Join with others who also pursue Christ.  Be accountable to them.  And hold them accountable as well.

Help each other in your fight against sin.

You’ll find that the fight becomes that much easier with God and others on your side.