Text- Proverbs 1:10 – “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”
As long as we remain on this earth, we will keep facing enticements from sinners. For as long as there remains breath within you, someone somewhere will entice you with an option to go against the will of God, but here is the admonition of wisdom… consent thou not.
You see, you cannot control the offers that people will present to you, or the things they will suggest to you. The only power you have is the power of your will; the power to make a choice… either to consent or to dissent; and that exactly is where the turning point is.
When you consent, you join your will and approval to the enticements, and thus become a partaker of evil, but when you turn down an enticement, you put the devil to shame and glorify God. Hear what Paul says in Ephesians 5:6-7, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.”
The word “entice” itself suggest that there are some sorts of pleasure or advantage attached to what you are being convinced to do; however, Paul says in the preceding verse that the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient because of those things.
So then, our perspective towards enticements should not be about the pleasure we may derive, but on bringing pleasure to God.
That’s why Paul further admonishes in verses 10 and 11 of the same chapter (Ephesians 5): “Find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
Beloved, don’t ever allow a sinner to talk you into doing something that is against the will of God. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
When sinners try to influence you to do this or that, refuse and call it what it is… sinful and dishonoring to God. Don’t bother that they may labeled you as a “holier-than-thou”!
When they ask you, what’s wrong with going for a night party, or ask you to go to the club or to the bar with them for just a few drinks… Consent thou not!
When they ask you to look at a perverted web page, or tell you that a little flirting with the opposite sex is harmless, or expect you to laugh at a dirty joke… Consent thou not! When they want you to cheat or lie, or to stop living for Jesus in any form, shape, or manner… Consent thou not!
As you go about your day today, you will face enticements like any other day. But remember, if sinners entice you, consent thou not!
PRAYER
Lord, please grant me the grace to resist temptation, and to remain steadfast in you even in the face of fierce enticements in Jesus Name.
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