Foundations Devotional: Week 3, Day 4
Day 4 – Sovereign Over Sin
Temptation will come, but God promises to give us the power to resist.
Isaiah 14:24-27
The Lord Almighty has sworn,
“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,
and as I have purposed, so it will happen.
25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land;
on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke will be taken from my people,
and his burden removed from their shoulders.”
26 This is the plan determined for the whole world;
this is the hand stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him?
His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
God is sovereign. He is the supreme authority over everything, including sin and its repercussions. He doesn’t cause anyone to sin, but He will allow temptation to enter our life. And since we have free will and the Holy Spirit, we can decide how to respond. Thankfully, He retains ultimate control and weaves the consequences of our actions in accordance with His purposes.
Sometimes God permits our sin to run its full course. For instance, when the Israelites refused to turn away from their disobedience, He “gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk by their own plans” (Psalm 81:12).
Without divine protection, the nation succumbed to corrupt influences and was overrun. Those consequences drove the Israelites to repentance, which was His original plan. Conversely, God will sometimes put an immediate halt to sin. Such was the case when King Abimelech took Abraham’s wife to himself. The king had been misled and was not aware that he was about to commit a sin. But the Lord knew of the deception and intervened (Genesis 20:1-6).
Temptation is inevitable, but engaging with sin is a choice. God’s sovereignty means that any temptation must first pass through His permissive will. In this way, He makes sure His children are never tempted beyond what they can resist (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Prayer:
Sovereign Lord, thank You for being in complete control over all things, including the temptations I face. Your Word reminds me that temptation will come, but You promise to give me the power to resist. I trust in Your faithfulness and Your plan, knowing that nothing happens outside of Your will.
When I encounter temptation, help me to remember that You have already provided a way out. Strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit to make the right choice and turn away from sin. Lord, I choose to rely on Your strength rather than my own, knowing that with You, I am able to overcome.
When I stumble, draw me back to You in repentance, and when I stand firm, let it be by Your grace. I trust in Your sovereign hand to guide me each step of the way.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.