I triple dog dare you...

Remember way back when, can't believe i said that, as kids we used to do some of the dumbest things for attention or just because we were goated into it.  As I was writing I began thinking about the movie "A Christmas Story", I know right, and the scene where this boy is dared to put his tongue on a frozen flag pole.  The boy really didn't want to do it, but when you got all your "friends" around cheering and then the scenario begins to spin out of control..Goes something like this

"I dare you to put your tongue on that flag pole" - boy 1

"You crazy; i dare you to put yours on their" - boy 2

"Uh uhh I double dare you" - boy 1

"oooooooooh" - crowd of "friends"

"Oh yea!!! I double dog dare you to do it" - boy 2

"oooooooooooooooh" - crowd of "friends"

"PFFT.....I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU" - boy 1

"AAAAWWWWWWW" - everyone but boy 2

Game over, commence the flag pole licking; and the rest is history.  This played out scenario is how I see Satan's demons coming at me all the time.  temptation is just like this, but imagine this scenario with sayyyyy sex....Goes a little something like this

"You know you want to have sex with her/him why not go ahead and make the first move" - demon

"yea but I have been doing good and I am trying to live holy for a change" - believer

"scripture says there is no condemnation in Christ; so go ahead and do the deed and repent later" - demon

"IIII don't know, a whole lot could go wrong" - believer

"yes but a whole lot can go right too" - demon

"plus you've been good all this time right, you deserve a breather" - demon cont.

"just kiss and see where it goes; no harm in that right?" - demon still cont.

"that wasn't so bad" - believer

"of course not, not go ahead and cop a feel; clearly they want the attention" - demon

"OK, should be no harm there" - believer/fallen

And the rest, as they say, is history.  Have you experienced this scenario?  It may not be sex; it could be stealing, cussing, gossiping or a slew of other sins you have been fighting to not continue doing.  The thing is in that last scenario have you noticed what was missing?  Read it again and see if you can tell.....Ill wait.....

The answer is the Holy Spirit; where is he during all this?  Well hopefully since you are a believer that should mean you have given your life to Christ and accepted him as your Lord and savior and therefore believe upon the redemptive work that Christ endured to save us from our sins and restore a right relationship with God.  Sounds good don't it? but do we believe in our hearts and if we do, then where is the Holy Spirit when we really need him?

Here we are faced with the option of falling victim to sin and damaging our relationship with God or turn the other way.  Which way should we choose?  Now as believers the choice is easy, but let's not be that blind ok?  There are many out there who know right from wrong, but do not know holy from unholy.  As believers and hopefully followers of Christ we should know, because we are getting to know Christ personally.  Scripture says 

Jesus answered....and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself - Luke 10:27

There is a lot said in that scripture that believers choose to negate to appease their flesh.  Heart, soul, mind, strength must be lined up with Christ in order to love him.  How do we love him?  By keeping his commandments (John 14:15; 15:10) that's how.  That is no easy task alone, because we are all wrapped up in sinful flesh and that flesh wants what it wants.  

Scripture says 

Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world - 1 John 4:4.  This scripture is not only talking about the Holy Spirit but also our relationship with Christ.  How much greater is our relationship with Christ versus the world?  That is how we resist temptation.  If we are not nurturing our relationship with Christ then we basically are saying that our relationship with the world is greater than our relationship with Christ.  In order for the Spirit to be louder than the temptation, you have to make your relationship with Him greater than your relationship with your flesh.  Which means you are going to have to alienate yourself from some things and people.

You are going to have to make tough choices as to what's more important to you; hurting this persons feelings by telling them "no" or having Christ continue to smile upon you.  Resist temptation or continue to make steps to separate yourself from the world.  Doing so allows the Holy Spirit to turn you from your former self into the image of Christ.  That should be the goal for all Christians.  Not to just get by in this life, but we are all to conform to the image of Christ.

So every time I am faced with a temptation I hear "What's more important to you?  Christ or flesh......I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU TO MAKE A CHOICE."