How Do I Resist Temptation?

Well, this morning, I want to talk to Well, this morning, I want to talk to you about resisting temptation. I want to tell you about resisting I want to tell you about resisting temptation and I want to start with a temptation and I want to start with a temptation and I want to start with a the by telling you a story. It's It's the by telling you a story. It's It's the by telling you a story. It's It's something that I I I had heard about something that I I I had heard about something that I I I had heard about before, but I came across last week. I before, but I came across last week. I before, but I came across last week. I was reading just an old profile of a was reading just an old profile of a was reading just an old profile of a former politician. former politician. former politician. I'm not going to mention his name I'm not going to mention his name I'm not going to mention his name because I'm not because I'm not because I'm not I don't want us to be distracted by his I don't want us to be distracted by his I don't want us to be distracted by his politics, what we think about him. politics, what we think about him. politics, what we think about him. That's not really what I'm interested That's not really what I'm interested That's not really what I'm interested in. But in his profile, they talked in. But in his profile, they talked in. But in his profile, they talked about something that had happened to about something that had happened to about something that had happened to him. him. him. So, um before he was uh serving as a So, um before he was uh serving as a So, um before he was uh serving as a politician, he was in the military. politician, he was in the military. politician, he was in the military. And he was a pilot. And he was a pilot. And he was a pilot. And so, he was on one of these flights And so, he was on one of these flights And so, he was on one of these flights as a pilot and his plane was shot down. as a pilot and his plane was shot down. as a pilot and his plane was shot down. And so, as soon as his plane got shot, And so, as soon as his plane got shot, And so, as soon as his plane got shot, he ejected himself from the plane. he ejected himself from the plane. he ejected himself from the plane. And as soon as he hit that eject button, And as soon as he hit that eject button, And as soon as he hit that eject button, the force was so strong that it broke the force was so strong that it broke the force was so strong that it broke two of his arms and one of his legs. two of his arms and one of his legs. two of his arms and one of his legs. Which was already incredibly painful.

Which was already incredibly painful. Which was already incredibly painful. And so, he he fell to the ground and he And so, he he fell to the ground and he And so, he he fell to the ground and he fell in a body of water and it's in the fell in a body of water and it's in the fell in a body of water and it's in the middle of an enemy city. And so, people middle of an enemy city. And so, people middle of an enemy city. And so, people in that city see this enemy pilot in that city see this enemy pilot in that city see this enemy pilot fall to the ground in the water. They fall to the ground in the water. They fall to the ground in the water. They run and they pull him out of the water run and they pull him out of the water run and they pull him out of the water with his three broken limbs and they with his three broken limbs and they with his three broken limbs and they continue to beat him more and he's continue to beat him more and he's continue to beat him more and he's captured. captured. captured. Someone else stabs him in the groin with Someone else stabs him in the groin with Someone else stabs him in the groin with a bayonet. a bayonet. a bayonet. And they take him prisoner and they put And they take him prisoner and they put And they take him prisoner and they put him in solitary confinement in what is him in solitary confinement in what is him in solitary confinement in what is about the space of a box. about the space of a box. about the space of a box. And they keep him there and they And they keep him there and they And they keep him there and they continue to torture him and they try to continue to torture him and they try to continue to torture him and they try to get information from him. get information from him. get information from him. >> [snorts] >> [snorts] >> [snorts] >> And then what they figure out that his >> And then what they figure out that his >> And then what they figure out that his dad has been promoted um to to to some dad has been promoted um to to to some dad has been promoted um to to to some new authority in in the military and new authority in in the military and new authority in in the military and they say, "Okay, well, if we can, you they say, "Okay, well, if we can, you they say, "Okay, well, if we can, you know, let him go, then maybe that'll know, let him go, then maybe that'll know, let him go, then maybe that'll work well for us." And so, they offer work well for us." And so, they offer work well for us." And so, they offer him the chance like, "Hey, you can be him the chance like, "Hey, you can be him the chance like, "Hey, you can be freed." And he says, "No." And and they said, "Well, why would you And and they said, "Well, why would you say no?" And he said, "Well, well, say no?" And he said, "Well, well, say no?" And he said, "Well, well, usually with prisoners of war usually with prisoners of war usually with prisoners of war what's supposed to happen is whoever was what's supposed to happen is whoever was what's supposed to happen is whoever was captured first gets to be released captured first gets to be released captured first gets to be released first."

first." first." Now, the person who was writing about Now, the person who was writing about Now, the person who was writing about this was saying, "I know it's hard for this was saying, "I know it's hard for this was saying, "I know it's hard for us to believe that politicians care us to believe that politicians care us to believe that politicians care about anybody but themselves." And they about anybody but themselves." And they about anybody but themselves." And they but he said, "No matter what you think but he said, "No matter what you think but he said, "No matter what you think about what this man has to say, we at about what this man has to say, we at about what this man has to say, we at least see least see least see that he can be driven by something other that he can be driven by something other that he can be driven by something other than his own self-interest." than his own self-interest." than his own self-interest." Because after he said no, he was sent Because after he said no, he was sent Because after he said no, he was sent right back to that box and his ribs were right back to that box and his ribs were right back to that box and his ribs were broken and he was there in solitary broken and he was there in solitary broken and he was there in solitary confinement being tortured for four more confinement being tortured for four more confinement being tortured for four more years. Now, when you hear something like that, Now, when you hear something like that, you think, "What would drive someone to you think, "What would drive someone to you think, "What would drive someone to have the opportunity to get relief? have the opportunity to get relief? have the opportunity to get relief? To get something that would interest To get something that would interest To get something that would interest them and to turn it down?" Because what them and to turn it down?" Because what them and to turn it down?" Because what we know is we are normally driven in the we know is we are normally driven in the we know is we are normally driven in the decisions we make by self-interest, by decisions we make by self-interest, by decisions we make by self-interest, by what feels good to us in the moment. what feels good to us in the moment. what feels good to us in the moment. And we know this to be true. And we know this to be true. And we know this to be true. We experience this in the morning when We experience this in the morning when We experience this in the morning when our alarm goes off our alarm goes off our alarm goes off and we hit the snooze button. You didn't and we hit the snooze button. You didn't and we hit the snooze button. You didn't hit the snooze button because it was a hit the snooze button because it was a hit the snooze button because it was a good idea. good idea. good idea. You did it because it felt good in the You did it because it felt good in the You did it because it felt good in the moment.

moment. moment. And you convinced yourself that if you And you convinced yourself that if you And you convinced yourself that if you had 5 more minutes, then maybe it would had 5 more minutes, then maybe it would had 5 more minutes, then maybe it would solve all your problems. solve all your problems. solve all your problems. This is how human beings normally make This is how human beings normally make This is how human beings normally make decisions, what feels best in the decisions, what feels best in the decisions, what feels best in the moment, our own self-interest. moment, our own self-interest. moment, our own self-interest. And there are so many decisions that are And there are so many decisions that are And there are so many decisions that are put in front of us each and every day, put in front of us each and every day, put in front of us each and every day, but here's one of the problems with that but here's one of the problems with that but here's one of the problems with that is the God who created us wants is the God who created us wants is the God who created us wants something better for us with our something better for us with our something better for us with our decision-making. With everything that's decision-making. With everything that's decision-making. With everything that's in front of us, he wants more for us in front of us, he wants more for us in front of us, he wants more for us than just what feels best to us in the than just what feels best to us in the than just what feels best to us in the moment. So, for someone like that that moment. So, for someone like that that moment. So, for someone like that that soldier to decide, even though this soldier to decide, even though this soldier to decide, even though this isn't what's going to feel good, I'm isn't what's going to feel good, I'm isn't what's going to feel good, I'm going to make this decision, there has going to make this decision, there has going to make this decision, there has to be some higher reality or or some to be some higher reality or or some to be some higher reality or or some value of his that seemed bigger to him value of his that seemed bigger to him value of his that seemed bigger to him than how he felt in the moment. than how he felt in the moment. than how he felt in the moment. The The story we're going to look at The The story we're going to look at The The story we're going to look at today is looking at the life of of today is looking at the life of of today is looking at the life of of Joseph. That's the series that y'all Joseph. That's the series that y'all Joseph. That's the series that y'all have been in. I'm excited about that cuz have been in. I'm excited about that cuz have been in. I'm excited about that cuz Joseph is one of my favorite characters Joseph is one of my favorite characters Joseph is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. His life is crazy. in the Bible. His life is crazy. in the Bible. His life is crazy. If someone wrote a movie like this, If someone wrote a movie like this, If someone wrote a movie like this, they'd be like, "This isn't believable."

they'd be like, "This isn't believable." they'd be like, "This isn't believable." But Joseph, uh born the youngest, he was But Joseph, uh born the youngest, he was But Joseph, uh born the youngest, he was the beloved by his father, chosen by the beloved by his father, chosen by the beloved by his father, chosen by God, sold into slavery, and yet God is God, sold into slavery, and yet God is God, sold into slavery, and yet God is still with him still with him still with him through it all. through it all. through it all. And one of the things I love about it, And one of the things I love about it, And one of the things I love about it, too, is sometimes we think of the Bible too, is sometimes we think of the Bible too, is sometimes we think of the Bible as this perfect book with these perfect as this perfect book with these perfect as this perfect book with these perfect characters making perfect decisions. characters making perfect decisions. characters making perfect decisions. And when in reality, what we find in the And when in reality, what we find in the And when in reality, what we find in the Bible is a is really about a perfect God Bible is a is really about a perfect God Bible is a is really about a perfect God loving imperfect people with very loving imperfect people with very loving imperfect people with very imperfect lives. imperfect lives. imperfect lives. And that's a comfort to me cuz I am an And that's a comfort to me cuz I am an And that's a comfort to me cuz I am an imperfect man with an imperfect life. imperfect man with an imperfect life. imperfect man with an imperfect life. And I need that perfect God. And I need that perfect God. And I need that perfect God. One of the things about this imperfect One of the things about this imperfect One of the things about this imperfect life that the Bible reminds us of is life that the Bible reminds us of is life that the Bible reminds us of is that this world is just full of that this world is just full of that this world is just full of temptations. All these decisions in temptations. All these decisions in temptations. All these decisions in front of us. front of us. front of us. And the way I'm going to find define And the way I'm going to find define And the way I'm going to find define temptation for today is an invitation to temptation for today is an invitation to temptation for today is an invitation to go the wrong way. go the wrong way. go the wrong way. Almost like we're walking in a Almost like we're walking in a Almost like we're walking in a particular direction on the right path, particular direction on the right path, particular direction on the right path, and someone is inviting us to take wrong and someone is inviting us to take wrong and someone is inviting us to take wrong turns turns turns all the time.

all the time. all the time. Almost like when my 5-year-old is Almost like when my 5-year-old is Almost like when my 5-year-old is sitting on the couch with me eating a sitting on the couch with me eating a sitting on the couch with me eating a snack or at the table, and I'm like, snack or at the table, and I'm like, snack or at the table, and I'm like, "Hey, take this trash and walk to that "Hey, take this trash and walk to that "Hey, take this trash and walk to that trash can." trash can." trash can." You would think it was 30 mi away. You would think it was 30 mi away. You would think it was 30 mi away. The way he gets distracted with each The way he gets distracted with each The way he gets distracted with each step. I'm like, "That LEGO has been step. I'm like, "That LEGO has been step. I'm like, "That LEGO has been there for 4 days. there for 4 days. there for 4 days. Why are you just noticing it?" Why are you just noticing it?" Why are you just noticing it?" Temptation is for us everywhere. And one Temptation is for us everywhere. And one Temptation is for us everywhere. And one of the problems with that is because we of the problems with that is because we of the problems with that is because we we're sinners, our hearts are long for we're sinners, our hearts are long for we're sinners, our hearts are long for things that God tells us are not good things that God tells us are not good things that God tells us are not good for us. And God wants more for us than when And God wants more for us than when those decisions are in front of us just those decisions are in front of us just those decisions are in front of us just deciding what feels good in the moment deciding what feels good in the moment deciding what feels good in the moment and it is a hard road to walk. God has and it is a hard road to walk. God has and it is a hard road to walk. God has called us to faithfulness and and and called us to faithfulness and and and called us to faithfulness and and and it's for our good. So so one may ask it's for our good. So so one may ask it's for our good. So so one may ask then, how can we stay faithful to this then, how can we stay faithful to this then, how can we stay faithful to this God if he's pointing us in the direction God if he's pointing us in the direction God if he's pointing us in the direction for good? How can we stay faithful to for good? How can we stay faithful to for good? How can we stay faithful to him in the midst of temptation? And I him in the midst of temptation? And I him in the midst of temptation? And I think we have a great example here in think we have a great example here in think we have a great example here in the life of Joseph and the main point the life of Joseph and the main point the life of Joseph and the main point today I think is this, when God is with today I think is this, when God is with today I think is this, when God is with you, you, you, no enemy is too big.