Resisting temptation

We all face temptation, students were told during the final chapel of spiritual emphasis week. The way to resist temptation is to use the word of God, and the best way to have the word of God at the ready is to memorize it, said Pastor Wes Collins.

When Jesus faced temptation early in his ministry, he quoted Scripture, Collins told students, reading the story of Jesus in the desert from Matthew 4.

"And what happens when Jesus quotes Scripture?"  he asked. "Satan is silenced."

 

Collins said it word of God is powerful and good, but it's not useful to us if we don't have it at the ready.

"Jesus memorized it, and if Jesus memorized it, that maybe makes me think we should make this practice more relevant in our lives," Collins said.

Take time to put the word of God in your head and in your heart, he said.

Collins used students Jake and Sam to act out two scenes in which students faced temptation.

 

Collins said a practical way to memorize Scripture is to jot a verse down on a card and keep it in your pocket.

"When you get some time, take it out and look at it," he said. Eventually it works its way into your head and then into your daily life.

"A verse will come to mind, just when you need it at the right time," he said. "God has given you the tools. The question is, are you going to use them?

This is not a task on your to-do list, this is about a relationship," he said. "The reason we don't forget about God is that he has not forgotten about us.

"Jesus died on the cross for your sins and you stand holy in the sight of God."

Today's memory verse: Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17.

A student praise team led us in worship with Indescribable, Everlasting and My Redeemer Lives.
 

Each afternoon during spiritual emphasis week, students gathered in small groups after lunch, each one led by a pair of Grade 12 students. They watched a short video together and then participated in a discussion. Here are the discussion questions from today:

1. How does Satan tempt us?

2. What did Satan tempt Jesus with? 

3. What did Jesus do in response?  

4. How was Jesus able to respond immediately with Scripture verses (and no iPod)? 

5. What do you think of memorizing Scripture?  What are the benefits?  What are the difficulties?

6. Has your understanding of God’s word changed over this past week?  If so, how?