Welcome And Mission

Chris Grainger 1:34

Welcome to the Lion Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intends you to be. I'm your host, Chris Cranger. Let's jump in. All right,

Scripture On Temptation And Escape

Chris Grainger 1:42

fellas, meet episode time. Let's get into it. Okay, so scripture of the week this week is 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verses 12 and 13, two verses this week. It says, Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you, but such that is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able. But with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you'll be able to endure it. So, fellas, that scripture right there is so stinking powerful, man. It's just good stuff right there. And we showed you how to simplify and apply to your life in the spiritual kickoff episode. So go back to listen to that last podcast out there, fellas. And again, we do them Monday through Friday at the at the Lionel Tennis. And fellas, it's our free way we serve you. And by the way, these episodes, and you may notice that once a month we just do a solo week. So we want to share some things that I've been writing and God's place on my heart. And hopefully you'll be encouraged by it. And recently we've been sharing on these particular weeks plans from the Bible apps. This is directly from the Bible app. Hopefully you'll be you're encouraged by those plans. But hey, sometimes it's just nice to have it in audio format, right? So this is we turn them into a podcast, and hopefully you enjoy this one. So this one is all about I'm just a guy resisting temptation. And let's just face it, fellas, temptation is something that every dude out there faces. Okay. Whether it's women or technology or vices, the enemy knows exactly when and where to strike and to hit us where it's going to hurt us the most. It doesn't discriminate, does it? Nobody don't care how old you are, how successful you are, or what your status is. Temptation is coming and it's going to be part of our reality. But how we choose to respond, that's what matters. Now, God's word is the ultimate guide, fellas, for understanding temptation and learning how to stand firm against it. So this is going to be part of what we unpack today. And look, I'm not going to be able to remove temptation from your path. Okay? Full disclosure, up front. But I hope through God's word, show you ways that you can be equipped to face it with strength, clarity, and obedience. Because if we start fighting

Winning The Battle In Your Mind

Chris Grainger 4:09

against temptation God's way, man, that's when the game changes. And I think we first need to recognize that the ultimate battle, fellas, begins in the mind. Remember what it says in Romans 12, do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. That's an important verse. And the more I think about it and reflect on it, the more and more I convinced that I focus too much attention on the action I take regarding temptation, both good and bad. I just do. I just I just I put too much effort there. And while that's certainly worth considering, it seems to me that the real root lies in the thoughts I entertain long before any action ever takes place. The action is just part as part of actor math. And what's curious is that those thoughts often begin with innocent intentions. But if I'm not careful, they can spiral out of control. Okay. So what happens for me, I don't know about for you, but the initial thoughts are generally tied to curiosity and intrigue. Okay. But the longer I let them sit there and linger and take root, the easier it is for them to turn into lust and desire. So let me kind of give you an example. So I have a love-hate relationship with social media, okay? And there's a strong emphasis on the hate. I'm not even kidding about that, bro. But as the lion within us tries to reach as many men as possible and encourage them in their discipleship journey, I gotta start utilizing different forms of media. I just do, because that's just part of our way to get the message out there to connect with guys. And the issue that I run into is that I start, oh, particularly when I start thinking about the type of content we should create, um, to do that, an effective way to learn is to consume some of what's already out there. Okay, and it's just just basic one on one stuff. And that's where things start taking a turn for me, okay? Because I've noticed that when I flood with my mind with too much of other people's information, my self-criticism does what? It just goes through the roof. And then I find myself stuck in a continuous loop of consumption, comparison, and condemnation. Just consume, I compare, then I'm condemned. Consume, compare, condemn. Must be a Baptist thing, they all start with C. But the more aware I become of others' success, the more cynical I grow towards the work that I'm producing. That's not healthy, bro. And yet the temptation to disengage from these platforms can feel overwhelming. And it's almost as if it's beyond my control. And so many times I have to take a purposeful pause and reiterate my thinking. And maybe this is be helpful for you to start making that shift too. Because if it's true that conscious self-criticism causes us to stumble, and it does, then imagine what would happen if we devoted the same mental energy to conscious self-reflection on what God tells us says about us directly from his word. The very thoughts that once pulled us into defeat could be redirected into a battleground where God builds our victory. And maybe that's why starting here is a good place to start. We start thinking about temptation. Because there's toxicity, there's a very toxic way to go about this. Because if we try to address through this podcast every temptation that dudes are going to face, like it'd be impossible. Because what's a snare for me is probably not a snare for you. May not even be on your radar. Yet here's one truth that remains our thoughts are the mechanisms that sets everything into motion. Period. And the Apostle Paul, I believe he recognized this and hits it head on with Romans 12, too, because he's recognizing the incredible power that exists in the mind of every believer. Simply put, fellas, the battle is often won or loss in our minds long before it ever shows up in our behavior. Period. You don't just end up in a hotel room with someone that's not your wife just uh by accident. No. The battle starts well before behavior gets there. And also something worth thinking about is that renewal doesn't happen by accident either. You don't renew your mind just by accident, it takes intentionality. And when you choose to replace a simple thought with scripture, you're renewing your mind. That's how you train your mind for battle. Because temptation may lurk around every corner, but when we consistently, consistently lead our mind with his word, we don't just resist the enemy. We advance God's kingdom that's within us, the lion within, one thought at a time. So think about this. Here's a couple questions, and we'll take a break after this. What thoughts might most often lead you towards temptation? I don't know what they are for you, but but wrestle with that. And how can you begin renewing God's your mind daily with God's truth? So think about those questions, guys. We're gonna take a break. We'll be right back and we'll keep digging into this.

What You Feed Grows Daily

Chris Grainger 10:03

Alright, fellas, now let's talk about what you feed grows. Okay, so in Galatians 5, it says, So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will you will know not gratify the desire of the flesh, okay? So if temptation, I think in if we look back in history, in 2007, there was a new battlefield that temptation that entered all of our lives. Okay. And quite frankly, it takes lots of dudes out of the game every day, unfortunately. Because that was the year that the first iPhone rolled out. Okay. I'm not bashing Apple. I'm just saying this is the way D1 works. Because suddenly temptation beyond our wildest imagination lived right there in our pockets, man. I mean, we're talking about instant access at our fingertips to whatever you wanted. I remember the smurf the first smartphone I got and how immediately I was just pulled in. Tractor being, you get that reference, we can be cool. We're super good friends. Anyway, I grew up watching the phones evolve. Like from straight up bag phones, Bo. I mean, I had a bag phone when I first went to college to flip phones, too. You guys remember when you got man dating myself. Any of you guys remember blackberries? If you if you had a blackberry, we can definitely be friends. I remember the first Blackberry I got. But when I held my first smartphone, whoo, there was a dopamine hit there that was just surging through my veins. Every time messages or emails or or web, you know, website browsing came in. It was powerful. And then it came by a discovery moment for me. Man, this was big. What I discovered what hit me hard was that I had unlimited access to anything I ever wanted to search for right in my pocket. And for a young 20-something-year-old man, that was pretty much a temptation impossible to control. And I would find myself having these internal debates and making rationalizations to why certain sites were visited. Oh, it just doesn't work. Again, if you're rationalizing, you're just trying to make rational lies. Just be careful about that, guys. And before long, I began slipping down the slope of feeding the desires of my flesh. And looking back at it right now, I can see the temptation. Man, that thing was a lot like fire. It grew wherever I chose to feel it. And the problem was I didn't feel the heat. And soon enough, uh, I started uh crossing from curiosity into danger. And the more I fed the flesh, the more it demanded. Because each hit of dopamine numbs you a little bit more and more and more. And willpower isn't enough to win the fight. Trying to defeat temptation through willpower alone is like trying to fend off a lion with a stick. That lion's gonna just snap the stick and eat your head, bro. And that's where promises that I hear in Galatians are so powerful. And it says the spirit, not willpower, gives us victory. So how do we walk by the spirit? It's not a spiritual secret, right? It's definitely not a spiritual sprint either. But it's staying connected to God in real daily ways. Prayer. Spending time in his word, surrounding yourself with godly community. And when I started leaning into those practices, I noticed something started to shift. The desires of the flesh didn't disappear, but their grip weakened. Just did. The spirit's voice grew louder and louder than my temptations. And again, that's what I've used this one over in in the past where it talks about the Native American proverb that says, Inside every man there are two wolves, you got a good one, you got an evil one. Which one wins? Well, then really the one that wins is the one that you feed. And that's the challenge. What are we feeding our mind and our heart with? Are we consuming things that strengthen our spirit or starve it? And if we honestly answer that question, it usually reveals to us why temptation feels so powerful. Because it's impossible to starve temptation if we're feeding it daily. It's just impossible. It's never gonna get hungry. But if you start feeding your spirit through God's word and worship and fellowship with other believers and conversation with the bones in Christ, you'll be amazed at how much stronger your resistance will become. Again, what you feed grows. And at the same time, what you starve dies. Think about that. So right now, think about what are you currently feeding more? Your flesh or your spirit? And then what daily habit could you start? Or maybe there's one you need to stop that would strengthen your closer walk with God. All right, fellas, take our next breath. We'll be right back.

When You Fall Refuse Condemnation

Chris Grainger 15:32

Now we're going to talk about what happens when we fall. Okay, because Proverbs 24, 16 tells us, for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again. Okay. And it also tells us in Romans 8:1, therefore now there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. And the guilt that follows temptation can be just as crippling as the act itself. Okay, and for me, that feeling of failure can leave me feeling pretty stinking useless. Like I'm beyond repair. I mean, for me, like just straight up growing up and even into my 20s, the big temptation and struggle I dealt with was food. I mean, I was always the bigger kid in class, and that identity really left some pretty deep scars. Because when I looked in the mirror, I didn't like what I saw. And getting my health in order has been a lifelong journey. And it amazes me still how God creates something for good, like food, and how we can twist it into something destructive when our flesh takes over. And it's hard, bro. I mean, it's still hard. It's hard, particularly on like the holidays and birthdays, because you got family gatherings and desserts, and the kitchen is like a sanctuary for temptation. And every year tell myself, I'm gonna go to mama's, I'm not gonna eat as much. I'm gonna go to mama's, I'm gonna eat it not at each as much. And what I do, I eat just as much. Right? So I'm trying to do better. Then I find myself in the kitchen, and I bring the leftovers home. And next thing I know, two o'clock in the morning, I'm I'm stinking elbow deep in a in a bag of ginger snaps. It's just 12 works. And it's and what bothers me the most isn't the cookies, the cookies are the jam. What bothers me the most is what comes after. Because I'll be lying in there in bed, frustrated, mad, and thoughts just swirling. And I start negotiating. I'm like, well, it's all right. I'll just double my workout tomorrow. And then I'll start blaming it. Well, if my if if if mama or my wife, we hadn't brought them stinking things home, or she'd just hit them like I asked, I wouldn't be here. And then I start being feeling condemned. And I'm like, all right, Chris, you know what's happening, right? You're just a punk. You're weak. You're pathetic. You're never gonna change. Of course this happened to you. That sounds familiar to you. I'm telling you what, Bo, the pattern is old. Temptation, indulgence, condemnation. Temptation, indulgence, condemnation. Over and over and over. Same demons, different days, baby. That's it. And I don't know, maybe for you it ain't food. If it's not food, praise the Lord. Maybe it's pornography. Or flirting with someone who isn't your spouse, or cutting a corner at work just to get ahead. I don't know whatever what it is, but I know one thing, the result's the same: guilt and shame. And the guilt tells us that we've gone too far. But here's what I know to be true. Falling doesn't define us, staying down does. And Proverbs tells us that the righteous man, right here, this is the verse we looked at, right? Falls seven times, but he does what? He rises. That means our identity isn't tied to how many times we fall, but to the God who helps us get back up. And then when we get up, we have to remember Romans 8:1. There's now no commendation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Because condemnation means we're not fit for use. But that is not who you are. You are not disqualified. You're not broken beyond repair. Yeah, the fall happened. That doesn't mean the war is lost. The danger isn't in the stumble. It's if you choose to stay down. Bro, we've got to get up. We've got to confess. We've got to repent. We've got to keep moving forward towards Jesus. Because too many of us are taking identity in the lives of the enemy instead of walking in the truth of what God, who God says we are. And that's you and you've fallen and decided to, man, screw it. I'm just going to stay down. I'm going to ask you the same six words that Jesus asked the paralytic, do you want to be healed? That question changed his life, and it could change yours too. If the answer is yes, then stop believing the lies and start walking in and do this in life. I don't care if it's cookies, women, alcohol, it don't matter. None of those things define you. Jesus does, period. And when you fall, and you will, it's okay. Remember the righteous rise again. So a couple questions worth thinking about is what temptation wins, or rather when it wins, what lies do you tend to tell and start believing about yourself? And then what keeps you from getting back up after the fall? So guys, we're gonna take our last break. We're gonna come back, we're gonna finish this unpacking this topic about this to God, resisting temptation.

Live Ready With The Armor

Chris Grainger 20:39

Alright, fellas, welcome back. Last part we're gonna talk about living ready. Because Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the full armor of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. And then John 10, 10 talks about the year one come to steal, kill, and destroy, but I've come that you may have life have it abundantly. And but those the that verse in Ephesians is pretty interesting that Paul uses the word schemes. Yeah, I start thinking about football. Because they're great in football. They're brutal in life, though. And and I like watching great teams in the sports. I just do. I like how great teams, no matter what the sport is, expose weaknesses in their opponents. Like, just think about a strong defensive team. They're at their best when the offense that they're defending is confused. Like with motions and shifts and misdirections. And that often leads to what? Bad decisions and interceptions, right? And you see the chaos at the line. Like, yes, you see linebackers shifting around and safety's creeping and players moving everywhere. But beneath the noise, the defense knows what it's doing. To a T. Everything is calculated, everything is intentional, everything is designed to cause damage. Then, just when a quarterback drops back, he thinks he's got everything in control, something shifts, something changes. It's a blitz from the edge, it's movement from the corner of his eye, and here's a hit that he never saw coming. Those are tough plays to watch. But they're also predictable. Think about this. Quarterback willingly steps into a field face to face with who whose men, their whole goal was to hurt him. Okay, that's it. That's their whole goal. And the pros, they get paid good money for it when college they do too. That's a whole nother topic. And when when we expect schemes in football, we just do. We celebrate them when they work. But it's a lot harder when those schemes happen in real life, amen. What's wild is how many men wake up every day unaware that they stepped into a battlefield. I mean, they just didn't know, they don't know. It reminds me, like when I was growing up with my brother, we go squirrel hunting. And those squirrels were sitting in trees and they're just enjoying the crisp fall day, completely oblivious that the enemy was closing in. They had no idea it was getting ready to happen. They didn't know that me and my brother was like we were snipers, getting ready to take them out. And this is how spiritually most men live. Just sitting there on a tree limb, chewing on acorn, unaware that the enemy is closing in. And scripture tells us he ain't got the three goals, guys. Still, kill, and destroy, period. He's strategic. He's patient, he knows your weaknesses. Your triggers, your timing. He doesn't just attack, he schemes. Temptation isn't random, it's targeted. And yet, unlike the squirrels, we've been warned. Nobody warned squirrels. And God didn't leave us clueless about the danger. He told us exactly what's coming and gave us a clear command. Put on a full armor of God. Put it on. And Paul didn't say that because battle gear looks cool, which it kind of does. But no, he said it because we're in a war every single day. The enemy doesn't take any time off. Are you kidding me? And you can bet that even today, when you're listening to this podcast, after going through this episode, Satan is looking for ways to pull you down. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news. I'm just telling you the truth. But here's the good news. Just like a quarterback walking on the field, you got equipment. You got protection, you got tools, and you have the strength to win. But problem is most men leave their armor in the stinking locker room. You wouldn't walk out on a football field against the Pittsburgh Steelers with some crocs on, would you? And a tank top. No. But from a spiritual wall, we pray occasionally, or we read our Bibles when it's convenient. Or and we think that that's enough to survive the fight. Survival is not victory, bro. It's not. We have to, as men, start gearing up daily, putting on the armor, daily, using it, standing firm. Reality is God, Paul says you put on the armor of God, you never take it off. The armor's on all the time. Standing firm. And when you get to heaven, look, I hope your armor, this is what I tell people all the time. When I get to heaven, and I hope we get to see our armor of God. And when I look at mine, I pray. I pray. It's dented up, it's banged up, it's scratched up, it's battle worn, it's got scuff marks and grass stains and dirt, whatever. I want proof to show that I was in the fight. I do not want shiny armor. Because shiny armor just means that it was never used. And I'm afraid there's too many brothers out there that are pretty far along in their discipleship journey. So their armor is brand new. And here's the reality temptation can be resisted, but never passively. Nope. You can't drift your way into spiritual strength, guys. You can't fight the enemy when you're half asleep. You gotta be ready. The same guy who got who gave King David courage and Joseph integrity and Jesus victory over Satan himself has given you everything you need to stand strong. So we have to gear up, recognize the battle is real, real, the enemy is relentless, but then God is so much greater. So I'm I'm questioning what armor you need to strengthen the most right now. And where is the enemy scheming on you right now? Where are those schemes coming up? So think about that. And our whole question of the week this week is again, what compromise have you been excusing instead of confronting? And look, this whole idea of temptation, I know it's not fun to walk through, but it's important. It's meaningful because it's real. This is what we deal with as men. But please share me, bro, you are not alone. God has already given you the strength you need to stand firm.

Practical Next Steps And Community

Chris Grainger 27:15

And look, I I don't want to encourage you if you want help in this journey, check out the lion, fellas. We are here to walk with you. This is why we have our support. We have a sexual integrity support group, we have a health support group, we have a husband support group, we have groups that meet all throughout the week. We have our leadership mastermind groups, fellas. We have our speaking events, we have our in-person events, we have so many different ways to walk with you. But you gotta take the first step. You have to lean in. And guys, we're here for you. I can't do it for you. I can't do the work, but I can definitely walk with you. And this is what we love to do with The Lion Within is. We'd love for you to check out the LionWithin.us. Check our resources out, guys. How we try to serve, how we try to encourage, how we try to equip and walk with you. And hopefully, if just by looking at some of those resources, you will indeed be encouraged. And from there, fellas, lean in. So thanks for listening. Look, give us ratings and reviews, share this stuff out if you don't mind. That would be extremely helpful if you shared the stuff out. And guys, you know, rating uh uh not ratings, but but if you if you leave comments, that helps as well. And check us out on the social platforms. We're trying to do more and more socially to get the word out there. And look, guys, if if you think your men's group at your church needs some support, I would love the opportunity to come in and be an encouragement to them. Maybe give them a little kick in the pants if they need be. But walk with you guys. So I'm I'm starting to do more and more of these speaking events and engagements. So if there's if you think there's an opportunity that I can serve and help, reach out. Again, reach out, Chris at the lionwithin.us or support at the lionwithin.us. Send us an email. We'd love to talk with you, see if it's a good fit, and then we'll see if we can make it happen. All right, guys. Well, look, come back on Friday. We'll have a wonderful member spotlight. Super excited to get this one out for you. And other than that, thanks for listening. Again, reviews help. And if you want to support what we're doing, thelionwithin.us slash donate. So that slash donate and become a monthly supporter. We greatly appreciate your help. This work is hard, but it's meaningful. If you're finding value in it, be one of our partners. Come walk with us. All right, guys. We'll see you next time. Have a great day. Keep unleashing the lion within.

Sexual Integrity Group Invitation

Chris Grainger 29:48

It's time to stop battling pornography, lust, and temptation alone. We're done sitting on the sidelines, seeing shame win, and hearing from guys that are fighting private wars with no backup. So we decided it's time to fight back. We have our sexual integrity support group, which is a confidential space inside the lion's den for men who are ready to step into the light and pursue real freedom. This isn't just for guys in crisis, by the way. It's for any man who's tired of the cycle, who's tired of living in secret, who's tired of saying this is gonna be the last time. Look, most guys don't need another app or some rules. They need some brothers to come alongside them to say you're not the only one. This doesn't define you. And freedom is possible. So look, inside our group, you're gonna find a confidential, judgment-free forum to engage and ask questions. You'll have honest conversations without commendation. And you'll also have a monthly call with a trusted guide. So look, this isn't just about stopping pornography. It's about becoming a man of integrity, a man aligned, a man who lives in freedom, not secrecy. And you don't have to clean your stuff up first to come. You just have to step in. So our sexual integrity support group is found inside the lion's den. And you can start that today with a 30 day free trial. So if you're ready to stop fighting alone and need that extra support, start your 30 day free trial right now at thelionwithin.us. That's thelionwithin.us. And step inside the lion's den.