So you shall put away the evil from among you.
Deuteronomy 22:21b
It is a dangerous and costly mistake not to take temptation seriously. The sad testimony of many who have succumbed tosin’s enticements is that they thought they were strong enough toremain in the midst of temptation and resist it. God requires that Hispeople remove evil from their midst (Deut. 21:21). One way to do thisis to remove anything in your environment that may tempt you to sin.When wickedness surrounds you, you are in danger of becominganesthetized to its destructive potential. Never assume that you areimmune to temptation. Do not underestimate the craftiness of the evil one.
God does not tolerate evil, for evil cost the death of His Son.Sin causes untold pain and destruction to everyone it touches.Treating evil lightly shows foolish disregard for God’s redemptivework. An honest evaluation of your life will reveal temptations thatyou should remove, such as some forms of entertainment or ungodlyrelationships. When God convicts you of evil in your midst, remove itimmediately! There are times, however, when you are powerless toremove ungodly influences, so you must remove yourself from thetemptation. Paul urges us to avoid every kind of evil (1 Thess. 5:22).When Joseph was enticed to commit adultery by his master’s wife, hefled immediately! (Gen. 39:12). Do not lose your abhorrence of sin. Bediligent to keep any form of temptation out of your home, out of yourrelationships, out of your mind. You will not be able to walk closelywith God unless you see sin as He sees it. Darkness and light cannotcoexist. Run from the darkness to the light!
