Count It All Joy When Ye Fall Into Divers Temptations
Temptation is a necessary and beneficial experience that educates, strengthens, and establishes us, ultimately leading to humility and a deeper faith.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the transformative power of temptation in his sermon 'Count It All Joy When Ye Fall Into Divers Temptations.' He explains that trials and conflicts serve to educate, strengthen, and establish us, revealing the true state of our hearts and humbling our self-confidence. Through these challenges, we learn to rely on Christ's resources and the promises of God, deepening our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Each victory over temptation not only builds our faith but also equips us to face future battles with renewed courage and confidence in our victorious Leader. Ultimately, these experiences lead us to become more than conquerors, drawing strength from our struggles.
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The battle does us good. The conflict educates us, strengthens us, establishes us. It is necessary that we be grounded and settled and finally approved and rewarded. One of the best results of temptation is that it shows us what is in our hearts. Until temptation comes, we feel strong and self-confident; but when the keen edge of the adversary's weapons have, pierced our souls, we have more sympathy with others and less confidence in our own selfsufficiency. We are humiliated and broken at His feet, poor and helpless. This is the best thing that can happen to us. Temptation exercises our faith and teaches us to pray. It puts us under fire and compels us to exercise our weapons and prove their potency.
It shows us the resources of Christ and the preciousness of the promises of God.
It teaches us the reality of the Holy Spirit and compels us to walk closely with Him and hide continually behind His strength and all-sufficiency. Every victory gives us new confidence in our victorious Leader and new courage for the next onset of the foe, so that we become not only victor, but more than conquerors, taking the strength of our defeated foes and gathering precious spoil from each new battlefield.
Sermon Outline
- The Battle Does Us Good
- The Results of Temptation
- The Power of Temptation
- Temptation puts us under fire and compels us to exercise our weapons
- Temptation shows us the resources of Christ and the preciousness of God's promises
Key Quotes
“The battle does us good.” — A.B. Simpson
“One of the best results of temptation is that it shows us what is in our hearts.” — A.B. Simpson
“We are humiliated and broken at His feet, poor and helpless.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- Recognize that temptation is a necessary part of our spiritual growth and development.
- Allow yourself to be humbled and broken by temptation, leading to a deeper dependence on God.
- Use temptation as an opportunity to exercise your faith and pray, trusting in God's resources and promises.