Victory over sinful desires

Edwin was decluttering his garage over the weekend when he found her pictures in a folder. He pulled out the pictures and started going through them one after the other.

“Where could she be?”, he wondered.

It’s been close to one year since Avah moved out of Edwin’s apartment. They were not married but living together in an immoral relationship. But Avah came home one day, and Edwin told her that he had accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, after attending a church meeting with a friend. He explained that his newfound faith meant that they could no longer continue in fornication. So Avah immediately searched for another place to stay and moved out of his apartment. 

But as Edwin looked through Avah’s pictures, he longed to see her again. He sat on the garage floor, closed his eyes, and recalled the moments they spent together. He quickly looked her up on Facebook and sent her a message.

One month later, Edwin and Avah met at a restaurant and after their meals, went for a long walk.  

“I knew you would be back”, Avah said, as she locked the door to the hotel room they were staying during their weekend trip.

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. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren (James 1:13-16).

The Bible explains the source and process of temptation in James 1:13-16. It begins with our personal desires and lusts. We can decide and choose who we would listen to – whether the voice calling us to sin or the one asking us to receive grace and strength to act and respond in righteousness.

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (Romans 6:16).

Through the grace of God, we can obey the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit in our consciences. God has also made a way for us to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

The grace of God is able to make us overcome temptation and say “no” to our sinful desires. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Titus 2:11-12).