What we are to ask of God:
Matthew 6:13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
If we should ask God to not lead us into temptation, isn't it foolish to charge into it of our own accord?
Facing temptation to accomplish God's will, facing temptation to spread God's word, facing temptation to SAVE someone is far different from charging into a temptation fraught endeavor for selfish reasons.
Its the difference between a soldier who kills when he must and a soldier who kills when he can. Gods armor can withstand much, but charging into a battle that doesn't help your commander win the war is not wise. To me this is a much more accurate metaphor than learning to swim. Charging into a battle to save another, or getting ambushed and having to fight a battle here or there that don't necessarily help win the war is one thing, but planning to fight several battles that don't help work towards the goal is foolish and unnecessarily taxing.
Yes, don't do it, temptation specifically happens on our own accord AFTER having let Satan in. And, once Satan is 'in,' resisting the fruit, so to speak, becomes painstakingly possible (impossible?).
Scripture does give us verses for way out like lightnin' aptly says above and oncewolf says from 1 Cor. 10:13, 'no temptation overtaken you, except such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.'[/quote]
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This is the Lord's best example of 1 Cor. 10:13 at work in my life:
True story: I used to work at corporation and girl there was so friendly to everybody. I was in my mid 30s, she too, she with 4 kids, and, me never have had kids (never been myself in life situatiin where kids could be had). Anyway I didn't think anything of it when she asked me to.dinner one day. I said 'yes,' naively not realizing that once there she was very forward with me and, playing christian music at end of night, soft, romantic Christian music, like 'This is the air I breathe.'
Anyway, it was weird but, at work, she was one of many girl friends (not girlfriend) I had , by association . But once at her house, meeting her kids, 2, 5, 8, and, like 12 , that an attraction started and she wanted to.go further than just talking on couch at end of night and I knew my pact with God and felt His power in me and I politely listened to her say, 'Isn't this song so beautiful?' and she began singing it, getting closer o me, and I agreed and was liking song and , anyway, the reality hit me , HIS REALITY, it was wrong sitation and I left after that 'breathy' song.
* Added:
This story speaks of the Lord overcoming as I was (nearly) overcome, the moment was ripe, pun intended. Since that situation, God's strengthened me to resist temptation in questionable situations. Remember scripture says 'resist temptation,' and 'resist the devil,' The devil is INSIDE , at the core workings of the temptation, that when to FRUITION will become sin.
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Now, here is what fighterlamb said, excerpted paraphrased, from his OP:
My memory remembers:
He is sleeping in room of a girl's house fighterlamb LIKES, not just a girl friend, but a girl he LIKES. I am not using 'girlfriend' term because maybe she don't feel same way liking him.
1. Fighterlamb says he takes long walks with this girl
2. It sounds like he writes 'deep love letters' to this girl.
Double red flag NOT to sleep at her house in a guest room. No, no, no, no, no, no.
Did I say 'no' was my final answer ? No !
Scripture says: ”let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no,' lest you fall into judgment.”
OK, granted, maybe not a perfect tie-in to saying no to temptation but the thoughts do connect.
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Ok, so, you want to know how to lead yourself into a healthy relationship with this girl, fighterlamb, you go on long walks with and write deep love letters too but you still see as a sister?
Stay away from her guest room. Visit? Sure, but leave at night. Simple.
And, shawnteecee, said, you should 'respect girls like your sister,' is good, but all The respect in The world you have for a girl you LIKE , and, do.things with like 'long walks' needs no chance of seed of temptation to root, grow, become. God taught us all the so-sad Truth of temptation in the beginning of man's time and how we can be living in utter paradise and yet The Enemy can STILL swim in tempting, destroying words, to our minds (remember, ADAM was next to Eve when she ate of the forbidden fruit), in a moment's flash. All gone. Blink.
