“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16) That pretty much covers the whole gamut, these are the temptations that assail the born-again believer on a daily basis, these are how those who do not serve Him as Lord lead their lives every day.
Life is short, grab what you can, whether it is from a high-end jewelry store or from a dumpster, the fulfillment of these three sins is what surrounds the lives of nearly every human being. What else is there, work, our employment field, allows us the opportunity to seek pride from our accomplishments, the money it provides can be used to purchase in unnumerable ways the things of the world whose singular purpose is to bring some form of temporary happiness through the eyes or the flesh.
There are no other categories, the incredible wisdom of God has boiled it down to the root nature of sinful man, these three encompass all that can be had by the unrepentant man, and each of them have no eternal value whatsoever.
Solomon spent many years searching for this wisdom, “And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.” (Eccl. 1:17) And he finally found that all under the sun is vanity and vexation of Spirit. Nothing satisfied, what fulfilled the desires of yesterday were gone today, what we sought so much for today would be gone tomorrow. Yet man in his ignorance continues the search, grabbing for the wind, never realizing that what he has sown he will reap.
It is of the utmost importance for Satan to keep these three directives at the forefront of every human being, whether they lead a nation, or if they dig ditches, nothing must be allowed to enter into their minds that has to do with the eternal, and yet, as oxymoronic as it may seem, the fear of death is the greatest catalyst for keeping them in that state. They must rush through life, grabbing all they can, “Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.” (Eccl. 8:15)
Contentment must never be allowed.
The man of God, in one way, shape or form will fight the world in these three areas his entire life, for Satan and the world he operates will never quit attempting to hinder his walk until the moment he dies, anything that he can do to dishonor the name of God he will do, for that is his mission, his cause. We, those who have been crucified with Christ are the ambassadors of the kingdom of God on this planet, we are His mouthpiece, we are the representatives of what this world is to see of Jesus Christ, we are to be a reflection of not only His love for mankind, but of His hatred of all that is evil.
When we fall into one of these three great temptations, it will be noticed, and it will be spread as far and wide as is possible, for the falling of a man of God before the world is a cause for celebration in the eyes of the world.
When the two witnesses are killed during the tribulation period, (Rev. 11:7) there will be great rejoicing upon the planet, gifts will be sent, for the ambassadors of the Most High will finally be gone. When a man of God falls into one of these traps today, the same thing happens with those that know him as a Christian, and if that man understands his place in the kingdom, he will feel great shame, yet not for himself. It is the Lord God he has dishonored. “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Psalm 51:4)
When the Lord allows you to reach this point in your service to Him, you will indeed become profitable for the kingdom, the traps will become easier to spot, and you will be blessed to take the next steps, so to speak, in your sanctification.
