TEMPTATION: THE ROOT, SHOOT, AND FRUIT

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19 

“When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Jas1:15 NKJV 

The root of temptation is a sinful desire, the shoot is a sinful decision, and the fruit is a sure and certain defeat. Let’s look at each. (1) The root. The word desire means “a strong urge, a craving of the soul.” When you begin to desire something that is outside of God’s boundaries, conception takes place and sin takes root. Sin grows, and at some point, it bursts out into the open. If you don’t uproot it immediately, that desire will, like a weed, eventually produce fruit in your life. That’s why you should be quick to pray, “Lord, I renounce this wrong thought in Jesus’ name and submit myself fully to You.” And then reach for your Bible and feed on God’s Word. “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Ps119:11 NLT). (2) The shoot. Left alone, the root of selfish desire will inevitably give way to the shoot of a sinful decision. “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin.” The Greek phrase suggests a child in the mother’s womb before making its appearance in the world. The evil desire cannot stay hidden any more than a child can stay in the womb indefinitely. That desire will, for sure, “give birth.” (3) The fruit. The Bible says that sin “brings forth death.” Besides death and eternal separation from God, it can also mean the death of dreams, relationships, ambitions, reputations, opportunities, and so much else that is good. So resist temptation: the root, the shoot, and the fruit.