“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but Cod is faithful, who will
not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able; but will with the temptation also make
a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (I Corinthians 10:13).
The Scripture teaches that you and I must be on our guard at all times. Peter wrote: “Be sober, be
vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour” (I Peter 5:8).
Paul, in the context of our verse for today, gave us a word of caution: “Wherefore, let him that
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12).
We must never grow confident and secure in ourselves. Others have fallen. We may too. And we
are most likely to fall when we think we are strong and able to take care of ourselves.
But to this word of caution, God adds a message of comfort. Although we live in a world fraught
with temptations and snares, we must not despair or grow over-anxious. Admittedly we will face
the common testings and temptations that everybody else faces. But we have a tremendous
advantage. We have a faithful God watching over us day and night. He neither slumbers nor
sleeps.
Satan may deceive and accuse, but God is near to comfort and guide us in the way of truth. Our
best friends may prove false, the world may fail us, but God is faithful. Our strength and security
is in Him. He will not, He cannot fail. When a temptation comes, God knows. He knows exactly
what we can bear. He knows exactly the amount we can take. He will see to it that the temptation
is proportionate to our faith and spiritual condition.
My son-in-law is a wrestler. I remember going to a match at the Air Force Academy and
watching him win. He wrestled another guy in his own weight class. He was not allowed to
wrestle one of the little guys; nor was he on the mat with someone much heavier than he.
Everyone was matched up with other men their own size. Now, that’s what God does. Our
temptations are always a size we can grapple with.
And there is another tremendous promise here. There will always be a way of escape, a way out.
He will never lead us down a blind alley. There will never be a valley so dark that we can't find
our way through. There will never be an affliction so grievous but that He can see us through it
and turn it to our spiritual advantage.
So there is no room for a despairing spirit or hopelessness. God wants you to walk this path of
life, and He will permit no obstacle in the path that will force you to leave it or turn and go back.
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