"KEEP FOLLOWING"JESUS DESPTE TRIAL AND TEMPTATIONS

 After baptism, your life will not be problem free. In fact, Jesus made it clear that his disciples would carry a "torture stake." Actually, they would do so "day after day." (Read Luke 9:23.) Was Jesus saying that his followers would always be suffering? Not at all. He was simply emphasizing that in addition to the blessings they would experience, they would face challenges. Some of these challenges might even be painful. - 2 TIMOTHY 3:12.

Perhaps you have already faced opposition from family member, or perhaps you have sacrificed certain material pursuits to put Kingdom interests first. (Matthew 6:33) If so, you can be certain that Jehovah has noticed your faithful works. (Hebrews 6:10) Likely, you have experienced the truthfulness of Jesus' words: "No one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news who will get 100 times more now than in this period of time-houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields with persecution- and in the coming system of things, everlasting life." (Mark 10:29, 30) The blessings that you have received are truly greater than any sacrifices that you have made. - PSALM 37:4. 

Yu will need to fight "the desire of the flesh" after baptism. (1 John 2:16) After all, you will still be a sinful descendant of Adam. At times, your feelings might be similar to those of the apostle Paul. He wrote: "I really delight in the law of God

according to the man I am within, but I see in my body another law warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to sin's law that in my body." (Romans 7:22, 23) You may feel discouraged by your sinful tendencies.  However, thinking about the promise you made to Jehovah when you dedicated yourself to him will strengthen your resolve to fight against temptation. The reality is that when you face temptations, your dedication will simplify your life. How? 

Next time: "KEEP FOLLOWING" JESUS DESPITE TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS

From the jw.org publications