Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
(Jude 1:24-25 NASB)

Many people have been conditioned to exercise greater confidence in failing than faith in a God who knows no defeat. Thus, they fall into sin because they let their desire for the lusts of the world take precedence over their hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God. Hence, they give up the greater portion of their lives to the world while giving God the leftovers, so to speak.

Many even try to justify sinning by assuming it isn’t possible to live in obedience to God’s commandments. In this way, they inadvertently nullify God’s promise to keep them from falling, and thereby imply that the flesh is stronger than the Spirit. Thus, they blaspheme God.

We need to stop downplaying the power and authority of God over our lives and start believing that He can fulfill His promise to deliver us from evil. In other words, we need to stop making excuses for our sins, and start demonstrating what it means to exercise faith in Almighty God.

The next time temptation comes knocking on your door, don’t answer it. Instead, humble yourself before God, and ask Him to empower you with strength to overcome evil. You may be surprised to see just how powerful God is! For He has said, “Fear not, for I am with you; nor be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). Do you believe these words? If so, prove it by obeying God’s voice.

~ Chris S. Esty