"Escape"
Pretty much everyone likes the word "Escape" because it brings a sense of relief to mind for the individual. For instance, being able to flee from an uncomfortable situation or to be able to get out of danger. However you decide to look at it, it's a pleasant emotional response.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where all you could think about was getting out of it as quickly as possible? Or maybe, you found yourself exposed to a particular area of sin that you had some difficulty letting go and you feel that you can not withstand the temptation. Either way, the answer can be found in God's Word.
Now let's take a look at "Escape" as mentioned in the Bible.
First we will look at Psalm 124:7 (NIV). Here we see that "our help is in the name of The Lord". If you find yourself in a predicament where you know the best course of action for you is to "Escape" from it, then we are instructed to call on and trust in the name of The Lord. Jesus always knows what is best for us; just take a look at Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV). It says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". We should keep each day we live covered in prayer because the enemy (the devil) is always looking for ways to make us stumble and ensnare us so that we are no longer effective in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You might be saying..." Well, I did pray about it and still do each day, but The Lord has not removed me from the situation".
I have asked this question at times and here is what I learned from it...
You see...Sometimes God wants us to stand on His Promises in His Word and draw strength from His Holy Spirit before He will move in a situation on your behalf. That's why in Corinthians 12:10 (NIV) it says "...For when I am weak, then I am strong"....When you are weak and feel that you can no longer stand it, that's when you should draw on the strength that is available to you through The Holy Spirit.
For example, take the situation that I mentioned earlier and apply it here…
If you find yourself in a situation where you are faced with temptation to sin in an area of your life that you have experienced difficulty in letting go of that sin, then God may be waiting for you to draw strength from Him through His Holy Spirit and say to the devil "NO! I will Not do it"...then you will see God's power and the devil will flee from you. The Lord wants us to be strong in Him and get into His Word so that we know Him better with each passing day, this way we will be able to withstand the attacks from the devil and our devotion to God and our very lives will be a living witness to those around us and through our lives God is Glorified and other people's lives are changed. Take a look at the verses in 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV) and you will see what I am talking about. I encourage you to read the verses after that through verse 11 as well, as it gives us instruction on how to equip ourselves in order to keep from stumbling.
Now here is another verse in God's Word where it actually warns us...
2 Peter 2:20 (NIV)
[20] If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
Here is an example of how important it is to spend time in God's Word each day. By doing so we dress ourselves each morning with the full Armor of God as it is written in Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV).
God will always provide you with an "Escape", whether it's an immediate answer to prayer or after you have accomplished what God wanted you to do. The danger however is in falling into the same trap or situation again because you were not wise enough to stay away from it after the first encounter. This doesn't mean that Jesus won't save you or that He loves you any less than before, it just means that if you are foolish enough to place yourself in that situation again or maybe you haven't gotten away from the influences that were there the first time around...then you will find yourself truly regretting that you didn't walk the other way.
God will always watch over you and keep you safe, but if you did place yourself in that position again after God gave you a way out the first time...then you might have to endure it for a while or reap the consequences of your choices. God does not harbor anger towards us, he knows that we are human and that we will slip up from time to time...but because He loves us so much he uses situations that we placed ourselves in (even when we knew better) to allow us time to learn from it and remember the lesson. Just read the verses in Hebrews 12:4-11 (NIV) and it will show you that God really loves every one of His children.
If it was an area of sin that God enabled you to "Escape" from the first time, then you need to bring it under the authority of Jesus Christ and repent of that sin. To repent is to walk away from it and not return to it. If you ask for forgiveness of your sins, then God is surely to forgive you, but in order to know the Will of God for your life, you will need to repent of your sin and not return to it. How can any of us expect to know what God has planned for us if we continue to rebel against Him and His ways?
Spend time reading the verses that I have included here with this devotion and ask Jesus to speak to your heart as you read them. I pray that this is a new start for those that were touched by this devotion, that your steps are guided by The Lord each day forward.
In His Love,
Christopher
(88Fingers)
Bible verses are below:
2 Peter 2:20
New International Version (NIV)
[20] If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
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2 Peter 1:3-11
New International Version (NIV)
[3] His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. [4] Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
[5] For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; [6] and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; [7] and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. [8] For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
[10] Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, [11] and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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Psalm 124:7-8
New International Version (NIV)
[7] We have escaped like a bird
from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
[8] Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
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Jeremiah 29:11
New International Version (NIV)
[11] "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
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Ephesians 6:10-18
New International Version (NIV)
The Armor of God
[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [13] Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. [14] Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, [15] and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [16] In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [17] Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
[18] And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
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Hebrews 12:4-11
New International Version (NIV)
God Disciplines His Children
[4] In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. [5] And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, [6] because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” [7] Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? [8] If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. [9] Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! [10] They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. [11] No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
