Words of Encouragement - Overseer J Troy Blackwell

Spiritual Warfare/Temptation

11-06-2014

 

It's been quite some time since I've posted a word of encouragement; it's rather lengthy. So, much of what I read and see of God's children living beneath their privileges simply because of yielding to temptations have prompted this post. I pray that you read it, think on it, and practice it. I believe The Lord will do something awesome in your lives as a result. Love and Blessings!

"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. (James 1:13-14 NKJV)
James reveals two major keys in overcoming temptation. He teaches us what temptation is and who it is that can be tempted.
First, God never tempts us to sin and neither can He Himself be tempted to sin. (Nothing in His nature desires sin and therefore there is no "attraction" to sin for God.)
Secondly, James explains what temptation is; "each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed."
"Each" of us have to take ownership for our "own" sins and not blame anyone else....not even the devil. It is our "own" desires that makes sin attractive to us. It is that attraction that the enemy is aware of so he exploits it by specifically tailoring a temptation to fit that desire. To be "drawn away" is to be literally "lured away" as a fish that is attracted to an artificial lure specifically designed by the knowledgeable and
experienced fisherman to attract the type of fish he seeks to catch.
(Satan is an experienced and shrewd fisherman who's studied mankind's behavior since the beginning of time.....he knows exactly what we like!)
Now, the key to overcoming temptation is to do what Jesus did. "He was tempted in every way we are yet He did not sin." (Heb 4:15)

 

#1. Make God's desires your desires. (Seek always to please Him)

 Jesus said, "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”(John 8:29 NKJV)

Since God cannot be tempted to sin, when we replace our "own" desires with His, the enemy can no longer attract us with what he offers.

Psalm 37:4...."Delight yourself also in The Lord (seek to please Him) and He will give you the desires of your heart (not just what "you" want but what "to" want)
When God's desires become our desires, we lose our attraction to temptation.

#2. Jesus always (immediately) confronted temptation with the spoken Word of God.

Luke 4 shares the story of Jesus being tempted by Satan. Notice how the very thought of sinning was confronted by God's Word....spoken.
Temptation always begins with our thoughts. Therefore, when the thought of sinning enters our minds, we must confront it immediately with the "weapons of our warfare which are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ....(2 Corinthians 10:4c-5 NKJV).

If we don't immediately confront the thought of sinning with The Word, "a thought will lead to an action; an action will lead to a habit; a habit will lead to a character; a character will lead to a destiny."

Use what Jesus used!..... Make God's your desires. Confront the very thought of sinning with The Word. God bless you!



Daddy Daughter Celebratory Dinner

Learning About Servitude

Our Youth Leader, Mrs. Nicky Pickard taught our young people about 'Serving In Love'. 

The scriptural context came from John 15:13 which states, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Bible Truth: Believers are to follow Jesus' example and show love through unselfish service and sacrifice.

Lesson Aim: Students will find ways to serve others unselfishly.

Our own Dylan Oliver exclaimed he helps others by:

Making up his own bed, helping his mom and dad cook and by cleaning up! He also reassembles his own drums after taking them down of his own accord.

Celebrating the Visionary and the Vision

An Inspirational Word ~ Pastor J Troy Blackwell



I've been concerned about a lot of the messages I've been hearing and seeing posted on Facebook by my fellow Christians; ministers and laity alike. None of which lack zeal or passion for sharing the truth. But my concern is many of the messages lack compassion.....

1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2 (NKJV)

  
 Amazing! The Light of the world; the one who came into the world to call men out of the darkness of sin; He who once declared "men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil" ...always found himself surrounded by sinners. The above text takes place at a time in Jesus' earthly ministry when He had developed a reputation for hanging around, drinking and cavorting with sinners. He was known to be the honored guest at the soirées thrown by "tax collectors and sinners." In affect, the text represents the "gossip in the Gospel....."

What's amazing about this text, and that which I think makes it a good lesson for those of us who are Christians; called to be "the light of the world;" we ministers of the Gospel to sinners is this, light exposes sin. There is no way a sinner can come out of darkness except his or her sin is exposed for what it is. And here Jesus is, The True Light; no sin found in Him at all. Yet, sinners who love darkness are willing to hang around Him; risking exposure. They absolutely loved having Him around. Could it be that He compromised His convictions and that endeared them to Him?......

Or could it be that there was something in that light that while it exposed their sin, it drew them to Him nonetheless? Well, it's obvious that His love was in His light. I believe that we as Christians, particularly preachers, teachers, ministers of the Gospel, have often lacked the love in our light.....we are quick to expose peoples' sins; often leaving them ashamed and embarrassed, feeling rejected and hopeless. So, rather than our light attracting them, it repels them. They're not drawn to the light, they retreat further into the darkness.

If we are the "light of the world," what is missing in our light that allows us to expose sin yet sinners are not drawn to us the way they were drawn to Jesus? How many sinners love being around us? How many run when they see us coming? If there is no genuine love in the light, our Gospel can do more harm than good! The Sun is a wonderful light.....it warms the earth. Life grows and is nurtured by its light. Our way of travel is made clear by its light. Even tender blades of grass will penetrate the smallest cracks in the asphalt to reach towards its light. We all love the sun's light. But if that very same sunlight is shined upon anything through the lens of a magnifying glass, it would be consumed; utterly destroyed.

So it is with the souls of men when we minister the light of the Gospel without Love. We cannot fake genuine love for a sinner; either our light exposes and attracts or exposes and repels. We can try to make excuses for our failure to reach sinners all we want to..... "it's a different world now; people don't want to accept the truth anymore." "Sinners are more bound in sin now than they were in Jesus' day." None of that is true! People are the same and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We have to just do it like He did it; He had "love in His light." Is there any in yours? God bless you! Love ya with the love of Jesus....I really do.

Senior Pastor J Troy Blackwell
Freedom for Living Ministries
March 8, 2014

Youth Of Freedom..Studying Romans 8:31

Dylan Mikal read this scripture last night at Word Enrichment..

Celebrating the Visionary and the Vision

We would like to introduce our guest speakers for our afternoon worship encounters during the month of April:

April 6, 2014 - Pastor Raleigh Bagley III of Concord Baptist Church in Chase City, Virginia 

April 13, 2014 - Elder Troy L. Nevells of Christ Temple Apostolic Church in Danville, Virginia

April 20, 2014 - Pastor Ervin S. Best of Beulah Baptist Church in Madison, N.C.

April 27, 2014 - Overseer Stephon Brown of Noah's Ark Full Gospel Baptist Church in Reidsville, N.C.

All afternoon services will begin at 4:00 p.m. EST.