Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. Proverbs 4:15

The verses before this one warn the righteous not to be lured to the path of the wicked. It is so very important to continually use the Lord as your shield against the deceptions and temptations of the enemy. This verse says to avoid the way of the wicked and tells us not to travel down their path. We have been warned that their path leads to destruction. We should avoid it all costs and not even look at the path. The moment we allow our minds to rest upon or flirt with temptation we are opening a door just a crack and the enemy will use any space to get a foothold over us again.

This verse while a warning, gives us hope. Even if you step your foot on the path of the wicked you still can turn from it. Don't allow the enemy to deceive you and make you think just because you've taken one step you can't turn immediately back. Just because your foot stumbles upon the ways of the wicked it does not mean you have immediately become a slave again. Though it is important to avoid the temptations and bonds of sin, you must not allow shame or guilt to overtake you and drive you down further along the path.

Repentance means to turn from. Just because you have flirted with temptation it does not mean you have again become a slave to it. Rather than be consumed with the shame and guilt of your sin, turn from your sin and toward the saving grace of Christ. While it is important not to abuse his grace or take it for granted, it is there for a reason. His grace is there for the times when we do flirt with temptation and when we do stumble upon the path of the wicked. Do not be deceived into thinking that one mistake has sealed your fate and you have fallen completely from grace. Instead, recognize and confess your sin. Run to the mercy seat where his grace and love are abounding.

Allow his blood to cover your sin and remember that his blood takes away the shame and the guilt. Don't allow the enemy to use shame to accuse you and keep you trapped. Do not give into hopelessness for God's hand is mightier than the words of the enemy. Don't listen to the lies and allow yourself to believe you are guilty forever. Stop focusing on what the enemy says you are. The moment you turn from the path you've stepped on and go back to the Lord, your name has been changed from sinner to saint and your guilt has been made innocent by Christ's blood. This verse tells us to turn from the path and move forward again. Don't become so focused on your failure that you doubt God's forgiveness and prevent yourself from moving forward and continuing to grow in Christ. Take each failure to be another lesson that teaches you how powerless you are without Christ and how much you need him.

Turn from your sin and guard your heart with the Lord. While you may feel you can handle the flirtations with sin and that no harm could befall you sometimes it happens so quickly you don't even realize it. The moment you begin to think about the passions of your human desire is a moment of opportunity that the enemy uses to have that human desire control you. God's grace has taken you from the path of the wicked and his grace is sufficient for when you begin to venture down that path again. His hand is so very protective of you because he loves you. He wishes to save you from the path and bring you back to him as soon as you step away because he has better things planned for you than destruction.

It is not about being perfect but it is about confessing that sin and leaning upon God's strength to turn completely from it. The minute a chain of bondage begins to wrap itself around you remember the freeing power of Christ's blood and turn back to him before you find yourself completely fallen away and completely bound again. There is freedom and power in his grace. Stop your flirtation with temptation and allow Christ to free you from the bonds of shame. Grab onto the promise of freedom and turn back to the path quickly so that you may continue walking forward.

 

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Dear Lord,
Forgive us Lord for trying to flirt with temptation. Our pride convinces us that we can handle it by ourselves but too often we find ourself in the enemy's clutches before we even realize it. God we know we've messed up and we know you know but help us to immediately turn to you and allow your grace to move us along forward. We know we are not perfect but we pray you continue to make us like you father. In our failure you are proven the victor. You overcome our sin and our shame and we pray that we will go after the joy of your grace rather than focus on and be bound by shame. You have given us forgiveness and freedom and we thank you for it. Allow us to own the promise of moving forward and to take hold of it instead of harboring shame. In your holy name, Amen.