01/08/08

The Great Escape

1 Corinthians 10:13 - There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

In my mail dated 14th July I had explained the difference between testing and temptation. What I like to share today with you is something very important. Which is, even when we are tested by God or God allows Satan to tempt us or if we reject God and let Satan tempt us; in all cases there comes a window which I call the great escape. When we use this window we pass the testing or overcome the temptation.

Let me explain you with the great example of Abraham. When the Lord spoke to Abraham that he will be blessed with a child, Abraham was 75 years old. But since Abraham did not follow the instruction perfectly, he wandered for many years before he received his blessing which was at the age of 99.

Genesis 12:1-2
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Abraham was told by the Lord to leave all his other family members and take only his wife and leave, but Abraham did not follow the instructions fully and took his nephew Lots with him.

Now if you read the scripture where Abraham receives his blessing of a child, just read a few scripture back and you will see the great escape window that got Abraham his blessing.

Genesis 21:2
1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Genesis 20:15-18
15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

If you read in this period of 24years which Abraham and Sahara when through; both of them had laughed at different times when the Lord spoke to them, that they would be blessed with a child. But, even after 24years of not getting his own blessing, Abraham believing in the Lord prayed for someone else to be blessed with a child. At this moment of time was his faith perfected in the Lord and Abraham passed his testing.

Whenever we go through any testing or we are under temptation we should watch out for the window of great escape and use it. This window may come many times or only once, so we should not take the risk and ignore the opportunity to exercise our faith in the Lord and use it.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You are a merciful God. At every moment You always give us an chance to come back to You. I thank You for the many windows of escape You have made available in my life. Help me to notice them at the time of testing or when under temptation. I make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)