Everyone experiences trials and temptations. Kaya naman, to encourage you, we start today a three-part series titled “Victory over Trials and Temptations”.

“Magpakabanal kayo sapagkat akong si Yahweh ay banal. Kayo’y pinili ko sa gitna ng mga bansa upang maging akin.”

Levitico 20:26

“Pass na muna ako sa gimik tonight ha,” ang sabi ni Mike. May balak kasi ang barkada niya na mag-inuman sa bahay ng isa pang kaibigan. Matinding pangangantiyaw ang inabot niya sa kanila at inakusahan pang killjoy ng mga ito.

Sanay na si Mike. As the only Christian among his college friends, he has been called worse. Goody-two shoes. Walang pakisama. Masyadong banal. He wasn’t always this way, though. Dati, siya ang numero unong promotor ng kalokohan. Minsan, para lang magkapera, pati sariling lola, ninakawan niya.

Then something changed. His older brother dared him to attend a church youth camp. If he “survived,” bibigyan daw siya ng limang libo as a reward. But he more than just survived the meeting of Christians. He became one of them. When his kuya was giving him the money, Mike declined and said, “Higit pa sa limang libo ang nakuha ko. Binago ni Jesus ang puso ko.” Mike soon realized na dapat na niyang talikuran kung ano ang mga ginagawa niya dati. And, he didn’t have to do it on his own. The Holy Spirit is empowering him to change from the inside out.

When God calls us to be holy, it means that He wants us to be set apart — iba sa karamihan, malayo sa kamunduhan. For Mike, it meant saying no to the desires of the flesh, like avoiding the temptation of drunkenness. Being holy will mean different things to different people. But for the true Christian, one’s holiness will always point back to God.

By the grace of God and through the Holy Spirit, you can be victorious over temptations. Join us again tomorrow for our series “Victory over Trials and Temptations”.