Fleeting Pleasures
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:23-30
Key Verse: Hebrews 11:25
[Moses] chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.
Hebrews chapter eleven gives a great picture of how God’s people lived by faith. It gives example after example of how faith played the key role in the lives of those who have gone before us.
One of the examples is Moses. Today’s Key Verse reminds us that Moses chose to live with oppression rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. This verse is important to all Christ-followers because we need to realize that sin is pleasurable.
Every temptation that we face is because of the pleasures of sin. We are not tempted by something that has no appeal to us.
We are not “bad Christians” because we feel a desire to sin. The devil tempted even Jesus in all ways (Hebrews 4:15). I have often preached that if the devil can’t get us to sin, He will make us feel guilty for being tempted to sin.
As Christ-followers, God has given us the Holy Spirit that lives within us. When the devil tempts us, there is a little voice warning us not to take the bait of the evil one.
Sometimes we may wonder why we the devil tempts to sin but remember that in this life we will face every trick that he can throw at us. When the evil one tries to get us to feel bad about feeling drawn to temptations, we can claim victory when we say “no”.
The key word in today’s Key Verse about temptations is “fleeting”. The pleasure that sin brings to us is so short-lived that it is never worth the consequences.
I often remind myself, when I am tempted, that I will enjoy it for a few minutes and feel bad about myself for days. That is what happens to Christ-followers who sin.
One preacher reminded his listeners that Christians never enjoy their sin like they did before coming to Christ. I believe that to be true. The fleeting pleasures that sin once brought are less pleasurable now that we have God’s Spirit in us.
Not only do I tell myself how short-lived the pleasure a sin would bring to me, I add to my thinking how long-lived the feeling is about a victory over the temptation.
In other words, sin brings fleeting pleasures but overcoming sin brings long term joy in us. If you keep these thoughts in the forefront of your mind, then you will start enjoying more victories and less defeats with temptations.
We are never alone in our battle with sin; God’s Spirit within us continually nudges us in the right direction.
Father, grant me strength and wisdom as I battle sin. Give me joy as I resist the temptations of the evil one. In Jesus’s Name, amen.