1 Corinthians 10:13 (a.k.a. why is it...)

My thoughts;
"Ye have not yet resisted unto blood..."
I don't recall the verse. Ok, here it is,
Heb 12:4
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
(My new Sword Searcher is a blessing!)
What this verse tells me is that I NEED to resist.
Also this one;
Jas 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
What this verse tells me is that it is up to me to take the first step towards God, but to do so with pure hands. In other words, in a manner befitting repentance.
Taken together I see that, it is up to me to resist sin, to confess my weakness against temptation, approach God, and then to LOOK for the escape.
I submit, sir, perhaps you missed the escape. Or perhaps you did not resist "unto blood".

The key, I think, is that you asked for strength, rather than USE the strength He had already given you. And quit "feeling" like you can't bear it. God knows your frame, that we are but dust.

Adam, I know what you are going through. I, too, have a besetting sin that I struggle with. Though if I was totally honest with God and myself, I haven't "resisted unto blood". So I am preaching more to me than to you.

I'll lift you up, brother, you lift me up, and in a month we'll rejoice together, ok?

In His service;
Jim

 

I think one possibility is that God is teaching us that we need one another. Many men are weak, and we are to support the weak, Acts 20:35; 1 Thess. 5:14. We're to carry each others' burdens, Gal. 6:2.

Perhaps this is the way of escape that God has provided for your temptation.

 

That was a great question! Odd to see, as I'd sat here and thought about it the other day.
I'm thinking that it's a verse of encouragement. Are you faced with a temptation that no other man has faced? No.
1COR 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.

Is God responsible for tempting us? I don't think so. Yet in this verse He reminds us that we have an escape. You can go with the temptation or turn to Him.
When you gave into the temptation, were your thoughts toward the temptation or toward God? As you were moving toward that temptation you could have made excuses like "God will forgive" or "if it's that bad he'll stop me somehow" or "just one more time", or you could have fallen on your knees despite if you were in public, you could have visualized Christ on the cross paying for that sin, and your mind would have turned toward Christ and your escape route would have become wider and more apparent.
Which did you do?
We have to remember to FOCUS and PAUSE when temptation comes along. NEVER take doubtful action without giving yourself time to ensure that you're in the right frame of mind to do so.
Use your other options.
Want a donut and not supposed to? Keep your weight written down and pull it out and look at it before you buy. (I refuse to do that, but will some day when I care enough. EKE! )
Pornographic magazine beckoning from behind the counter of the store? Imagine being shot by your wife...eeerrr, I'll let the men handle that one...

Gina

 

I think it is lack of faith. Think about it!

You asked God for help and then you were tempted again. You think, I asked for help and you didn't help me so I can't help but do it.

God does not answer prayers in our time, but His time. He does not always answer them the way we think He should.

Perhaps you need to use the same determination (which you call pride) in fighting the temptation along with God's help.

 

Temptation is a strange thing. We often blame things on the devil or God (he is tempting me) when really we are enticed away by our own lusts.
Scripture says so.

When I have had a recurring temptation, and have been really SERIOUS about overcoming it, I'll pray or think about/quote a scripture that is pertinent, and I'll often think about my precious little girls. Would they be proud of the fact that their mama said or thought or did those things? And I really like what Gina said about visualizing Christ on the cross. After seeing the Passion, its easy to do.
But basically I have learned there is a choice to be made. 1) Give in and always carry around guilt
2) try harder

I'll certainly lift you up in your predicament. The scripture you quoted doesnt mean that God will magically remove temptation from us, but he will grow us and mature us to be able to withstand it. (My translation )

 

Adam,Something has occurred to me before that may have some bearing on this.When tempted are you vocal about it?I mean do you pray OUTLOUD about it or talk OUTLOUD about the problem with others?The reason I ask this is that I know the Bible teaches that Satan is the prince of the power of the air(Eph2:2)and that the atmosphere around us is the domain of he and his demons in this age.I know that unlike God,he(satan) is NOT omniscient(all knowing),omnipotent(all powerful)or omnipresent(everywhere at once).However,satan doesn't have a HEARING problem and neither do his demons.Sometimes I think that we make too much "noise" about the problems we have and he or his demons hear us real good and "pour it on".I would suggest that when tempted you should quietly within yourself call upon the Lord for help and plead upon His shed Blood between yourself and God.I just believe that sometimes we give satan and his legions too much information and he simply uses it against us to further trouble us.I'm sure he gets great GLEE in doing this since he HATES us as much as he hates the Lord Jesus Christ.If you simply must talk outloud with someone about the problem,do it prayerfully calling on the power of the precious shed Blood of Christ as your defense.Remember,all our sins were "future" when Christ paid for them on the cross and are already covered by His Blood at the time we got saved.This is a mystery but nonetheless true....and what a blessing!!!!Satan is a defeated foe so all we have to do is claim the victory in His Blood!But...he is an ANGRY defeated foe and he will "as a roaring lion" seek to devour us if he can.We must be as quiet as possible and be as"wise as serpents and harmless as doves".God bless you Adam...I hope this is some help to you.

Greg Perry Sr.

 

What I have found in my own life is that it is not the overwhelming power of the temptation but the underwhelming lessening of my own resolve. If I Cor 10:13 is true (and it is) then the possibility doesn't exist that the temptation is too much for me. I sometimes "can't resist" the temptation to exceed the speed limit but, you know it is a funny thing that I have ALWAYS been able to resist this temptation when following or being followed by a Kentucky State Trooper. The temptation is the same but my resolve changes.