[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

...does God allow the circumstances that HE KNOWS will ultimately lead that person to sin?

I thing God allows circumstances that he knows will ultimately lead people to sin because he knows we are sinners...but he also knows that repentance and resisting sin strengthens our spirits. He allows the storms for our greater good. For example... David. Why did God allow circumstances that brought David into sin?

David had eight wives before he finally found the one God chose for him. Each reveals something about David's needs and interests at the time...

Mikal - Her name means "brook" or "stream". She was religiously Jewish to the point of legalism. But David's happiness wasn't to be found in "religion".

Achinoam - Her name means "my brother's delight". She was lovely and social, everything that Mikal wasn't. But David's happiness wasn't to be found in this elegant social girl.

Abigail - Her name means "my father is rejoicing". Abigail was a faithful and spiritual woman, but still she wasn't right for David.

Maakah - Her name means "fondling woman" or "pet". She was caressing and tender. But again, she wasn't going to bring David happiness.

Haggith - Her name means "festal". She was the life of the party. A party girl. Fun, sexy, and exciting. The name is often used as an adjective to describe ancient belly dancers. She was HOT! While Maakah was caressing and sensuous, Haggith was hot and sensuous. But even she wasn't right for David.

Abital - Her name means, "dew" or "my father is dew". The connotations are very intimate. She and David had a very passionate love affair and she was always on the ready for him. He didn't have to take her to a dance, our caress her emotions to prompt her. She was always desiring of him. But even she wasn't the one who would make him happy.

Eglah - Her name means "heifer". lol She was perhaps a big woman. Motherly, tender, and definitely tended to David's "boo boos". But as with motherly types, odds are she also held significant control. David ultimately wasn't going to find happiness with her either.

Bathsheba - Her name means "daughter of an oath" or loosely translated "daughter of promise". David meets her while she's married to Uriah. Here's the reality... no man can add a day to his life. Uriah was destined to die soon. Had David talked to her and waited Uriah may have died on the battlefield and David would have had his "woman of promise". However, David failed the test of patience. David committed adultery with her and later David was the instrument that brought about Uriah's death, making David a murderer. In all David's past relationships he discovered what he was looking for wasn't enough to bring happiness. David had to depend on God and when God put her in front of him David couldn't wait for the promise. And even though David reaped the consequences for his sin... Bathsheba served to save Israel and serve as David's queen faithfully. It took David going through so many women to learn that those things wouldn't bring happiness and David had to learn to trust and wait on the Lord with Bathsheba, because getting ahead of God brings pain and heart ache.

The point is... situations, even if they bring sin, serve us well in that if we are attentive they can help make us all that we're supposed to be and bring us into God's perfect will.

Sin never has the jump on God... God can, and will, always turn it around if we give it to Him.

How on earth can one overcome and why even pursue the overcoming in the first place when God allowed the circumstances that planted the seeds for tremendous failure-- failure that seems perpetual, if not in word and action every time, in thoughts almost daily?

Muscle failure makes our bodies stronger. So too does spiritual failure. It shows you what you're made of. What you're weaknesses are. Who you really are without God's grace. It serves to cause us to have to come before God for his sovereign grace. It shows us we can't save ourselves and that we absolutely NEED Jesus. It shows us the areas WE have to guard. Religion often doesn't understand this. We become legalistic and performance oriented and instead of allowing sin and weakness to run it's course to teach us and make us stronger we judge based on performance. I know men who have committed grave sin in their lives and today they have some of the deepest most anointed relationships with God... many who never sunk to those depths have a shallow and performance driving relationship with God. They expect a "reward" for being so good... they missed the fact that it's not about their performance... it's about relationship.

I'd also like to mention something that I personally think is a myth... I don't believe in the idea that sin in the mind is actual "sin". Let's take lust for example. Jesus said,

Matthew 5:28
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

First, Jesus said that whoever looks upon a woman "to lust after her". This means to look at a woman with the full intent of desire and access. This isn't admiring a beautiful woman. This isn't experience sexual attraction. This isn't feeling sexual feelings or thoughts. This isn't even sexual fantasy. Consider that in the Song of Solomon the unmarried lovers fantasize about each other in some very vivid ways.... and it wasn't sin. Jesus is talking about the seductive spirit that some men have. If you look at a woman and even fantasize about her... you've not sinned. But if you look at her and decide to pursue her, the moment you do you've committed adultery in your heart. Now, please note, Jesus didn't say, "hath committed adultery with her". Jesus said, "hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Jesus is showing that sin originates in the intents of the heart. He isn't saying that someone who does this has committed adultery, he's saying that they've committed it in thought and therefore this is where actual adultery originates. So please, I'd say don't feel condemned if you have normal sexual thoughts, interests, fantasies, or needs. If anyone feels these it is normal. We are men. God made us men. Religion would have us be Eunuchs. That isn't what Christ's point was.

How can I ever get to a place where I am pleasing God?

Be yourself sheltered in God's grace and love. Be yourself... all your victories and all your failures. God loves you... ALL OF YOU.

There are sins that have existed in my life (in thought or action) that persists, that come back, even after the most powerful experiences with God I've been blessed to know.

That's because you're human. Do you hate it? Good. Imagine how you'll feel the first day grace has completed it's work and you're glorified without sinful passions or interests! It will be the most joyful experience in your life! You'll want to dance, cry, praise, and love God in ways you'll never be able to love him on earth! You'll finally not know those sinful impulses and you'll experience the full freedom Christ planned for you since before the world began.

I'd trade the emotional highs of Pentecostal worship and unquestionable moves of God, for a life completely free from one or two sins that contradict every notion that I might be saved.

Why? Because you think God will love you more if you perform better? Not so brother. Pray for God to teach you out of those sins. Pray for God to show you what purpose they serve. God isn't on the edge of his seat hoping you'll make it.... he died to ENSURE that you will make it in spite of your sin.

I want to experience that kind of a move of God. I have in some areas, but not all.

I'm not sad, for real. I am just at my wits end in pursuing a life that reflects the Holy Ghost that I profess I have.

The Holy Ghost is the "Spirit of Grace" Rejoice. Your sin and struggles were already atoned for. The moment you turn to your performance... you let go of the cross.

Sin is like a terminal disease we all have. It will kill us. We have it in remission at times and show no symptoms. But then there are seasons when the disease flares up and we find symptoms showing all over. It reminds us that we are sick and need to continue treatment. We need to continue a daily does of prayer, the Holy Ghost, Bible reading, church attending, neighbor loving. Eventually those symptoms will subside again for a season. Don't be surprised when symptoms show again in the future. Treat it like a cough, runny nose, or herpes sore. When the symptom arises it reminds you that you're sick and need to see a doctor... Jesus.

It's about Jesus... not you. That's the good news.