TODAY’S DEVOTION (Saturday 29th March 2025)
“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. James 1:13-15 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 88TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF VICTORY
The most dangerous network in the world is not among the drug barons, arms dealers, or international criminals. Don’t misunderstand me, these networks are dangerous. But the most dangerous network in the world is the network between the flesh, the devil, and the world.
If you recognize other networks but do not recognize and deal with this one, you will find life on earth very difficult or bully your way through to enjoy peace in this life but eternal punishment in the life to come. Every fall in life is traceable to this network. Every sin is traceable to it.
For instance, it is the network between the flesh, the devil and the world that is responsible for the many young people that are ruining their careers with premarital sex, pornography, wild living, and release of vile passions. It is not what society may have diagnosed. Don’t forget, the same network destroyed the redemptive ministry of Samson in Judges 16.
This network was responsible for the near ruin of David when he slept with a man’s wife to satisfy his flesh and killed her husband to cover it up. This dangerous network has broken down marriages, shut down very powerful ministries, locked up promising lives in spiritual prisons, and done much more than human words can describe.
Eternally, the network is responsible for every soul found in hell; it took many from Christianity to insanity, from purity to impurity, from consecration to desecration, from Holiness to filthiness, etc. Finally, they died without repentance and ended up in hell.
Friend, if we can conquer this terrible network, then we can have rest in this life and the life to come.
Many people are single because the network keeps them single. Others are sick and have no hope of healing because the network is keeping them sick. Jesus healed one man in John 5:1-14 and said to him “Sin no more least a worst thing come upon you.”
SIN IS A FORM OF LAWLESSNESS THAT RESULTS WHEN A MAN SUBMITS INSTEAD OF REBEL AGAINST THIS DESTRUCTIVE NETWORK.
The Amplified version of Hebrews 12:3-4 said.
“Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.”
“You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood.”
What truth can we glean from this? Firstly, the battle against this internal network is real. It requires more strength than many have thought to conquer.
Secondly, God wants every of His Child not to grow weary, lose heart, relax or faint in mind concerning the network, especially when it moves against us. He wants us to always put up a fight and strong resistance against it. That is why the Bible said, “You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood.”
Though Christian believers in Some African nations, Asia, and in the Middle East are doing that now! Glory be to God who have being supplying them with the grace to offer their necks to be slaughtered and pour out their own blood just to make sure they do not sin against God.
The network of our flesh with the devil and the world to take us to hell is real and we must understand how it functions to be able to conquer.
Our devotional text made it clear that it begins from within. The devil and the lost world are always influencing hearts to go in their direction, to bring us to ruin. The text began by saying God is not responsible for temptations. He could allow trials, but He is not responsible for any of them.
MEANING, GOD IS NOT PART OF THE NETWORK.
It went further to say “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.”
What is it that entices our desires and draws us away from the right path into temptations? The devil and the lost world networking with our flesh! Meaning, if we can resist or endure the temptation and not submit to it, we will be victorious.
Talking about endurance, Jesus made it clear to the end time Church that it will become the survival key of the Kingdom because of the horrors of the last days.
Sadly, many no longer know how to endure pain, temptations, trials, and all that life throws at us, that is why we are living very defeated lives! For example, we will go into marriages, and if something that needs endurance springs up, we back out of the marriage saying it is no longer God’s will.
We will enter a covenant relationship with a man of God; a relationship we know God initiated, and when something that we need to endure take place we will disengage from it as quickly as possible. Saying it’s no longer God’s will.
We will join a spiritual family we know God raised for us but when a rebuke, a teaching, or a call for Holiness that we need to heed to through endurance comes, we disembark saying it is no longer God’s will. Friend, the only way to break from the network of the lost world, the devil and our flesh to destroy us, is to endure trials, pains or temptations and not submit to it.
The Bible made it clear in James 1:12-14 that
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (NKJV)
A generation that therefore does not know how to endure the temptations, trials, or pains that are necessary for kingdom gains will doubtlessly endure what will never bring reward to them at the end.
IF YOU REFUSE TO ENDURE WHAT IS GOD, YOU WILL END UP ENDURING WHAT IS NOT GOD AND GETTING WHAT IS NOT GOOD AT THE END.
Whenever we endure things in God’s will, the result is always pleasant. The Bible says enduring temptation will bring the crown of life. Meaning, enduring what is God brings unspeakable joy at the end. If you are therefore, presently enduring what you take for God, but Is not really God; there will be sudden destruction at the end not a crown of life!
Talking about enduring things that are not God, I want you to understand that many are presently enduring things that will never bless them at the end. They are enduring relationships and marriages God never sent them into in the first place, sinful pastors and money-making prophets God never gave them, sicknesses and diseases God never willed that they have, people and places that are not part of God’s will for their lives etc.
They endure a lot that is either ruining them or will suddenly ruin them one day calling it faith.
Enduring anything outside divine will is a labor in vain. It is blind endurance. God has said in His word we shall not labor in vain or bring forth for trouble. If you are therefore enduring anything that is not part of God’s will for your life, you are foolish. I call that “foolish endurance.”
My prayer this morning is that God speak to your heart through this devotional and take you away from enduring the wrong things of life.
There is a network between our flesh, the devil and the lost world to destroy us but if we endure within a divine plan, we will conquer. That is the message of today’s devotion.
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR YOU THIS WEEKEND.
“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, and My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.”
“They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.” Isaiah 65:21-23 NKJV