FAITH CAPSULE: Do not be a victim of temptation.
Acts 12
Devil’s failure not to get man directly into temptation will possibly provoke him to tempt man against man. King Herod must have fallen for temptation by virtue of his attempt to terminate Peter after his successful termination of James.
Peter followed Jesus all through His ministry but gave himself up to a cheap untimely death attempt. He went to sleep where there was a need for him to be awake watching and praying. Jesus identifies the antidote of temptation when he was with His disciples. Jesus was having a prayer session in the garden with His disciples and while He was praying the disciples were at sleep. It is written, “When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:45-46) If active engagement in watching and praying is what it takes for man to avoid temptation, it will also deny man not be a victim of other’s temptation. Jesus, in His word makes us to know it that watching and praying is the antidote for temptation. It does not matter the manner of temptation or the avenue it takes to affect us. A believer that does not sleep but give self to watching and praying shall prevail over every agent or avenue of temptation that leads to life termination.
Imagine Peter, a man who spent time with Jesus day and night and could not prioritize his life when to sleep and when not to sleep. Peter’s life documentation with Jesus clearly points out that determination cannot prevail but prayer with the help of the Holy Spirit shall make man prevail and not fail.
It is written, “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also…” (Acts 22:1-3) King Herod, after having killed James, must have been tempted to think the same for Peter. He went and put Peter in prison, intending to kill him just as he killed James. In the face of death, Peter was sleeping instead of praying. Thank God for the church’s prayer of deliverance on behalf of Peter. He lost focus by not watching and praying and entered into a sleep of death. The Bible states about him, “And when Peter had come to himself, he said, ‘Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.’” (Acts 12:11) As a temple (church) of God, are you asleep? Times we are living is time to be awake and be able to deny temptation in every area of falling for temptation.
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to keep you so that your faith will not fail.