Seven things everyone should know about temptations
1. We are all tempted.
Many a times we are led to believe that we are tempted just
a little bit more, or differently than other people and therefore we take this
as an excuse to sin. The truth is: we aren’t. We all face the same battles
every day. I’ve never met a Christian who was
never tempted. I’m yet to meet anyone who never sinned. We are all tempted to
sin in many ways and occasionally, even though we don’t like it, we sometimes
fall into sin. Everyone who ever lived was tempted, even Jesus Christ (Mathew 4:1,
Mark 1:13, Luke 4:2). Jesus was tempted to sin just like we are but he never
sinned (Hebrews 4:15)
2. You can overcome.
Most of the time the enemy tempts us, he wants
us to believe that we cannot overcome, that we can only delay the sin but
eventually fall. That’s a lie. We really do not have to sin every time we are
tempted. Jesus said that he had overcome the world and that in him we can
overcome the world. (John 16:33). 1 John 2:14 says, “I write to you young men
because you are strong and the word of God lives in you and you have overcome
the evil one. The word here of course refers to Jesus Christ (John 1:1). When
we have Jesus living in us and through us, we have (already) overcome the
world. 1 Corinthians 10:13 is a very famous verse. it says “There’s no
temptation that has taken you but such as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear
it”.
3.
There’s
joy, reward, providence on the other side.
After Jesus had been tempted by the devil in the wilderness,
the Bible says, that the Angels came and ministered to him (Mathew 4:11). Luke
puts it even better: Then Jesus went back full of the (Holy) Spirit into
Galilee… The point here is, when we resist sin, we grow in strength and in grace
each time. If we resist a certain temptation the first time we face it, it will only be easier to resist it the next time it comes. But if we fall, we're only more likely to repeat that the next time we are tempted. Ellen G. White put it this way: "The first time the temptation comes, meet it in such a decided manner that it will never be repeated!" The temptation we overcome determine what reward we gets. Joseph couldn’t have been prime minister in Egypt had he slept with
Potiphar’s wife. Jesus would not have accomplished His mission on earth had he
bowed down and worshiped the devil. We also read, "The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning..." ( Job 42:12). We can therefore endure temptation knowing that there's a rich reward waiting us on the other side of it. The
anxiety we experience will be replaced with joy and peace. Satan would have us believe
that when we resist temptation, he’ll keep bothering us till we give in. This,
of course, is a lie. The Bible promises us that if we resist the devil he’ll
flee from us (James 4:7).
4. The battle is already won.
The battle against the devil and his agents is not our
battle, it belongs to the Lord and he already won! (Psams46:1-7). We only have
to call unto him in faith. If we want to resist temptation with our own resolve
and determination we’ll always fall short. Consider Ephesians 6:12. It says, “Put
on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of
the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against rulers….” When we have the full armor of God (Ephesians
6:14-17) our victory is not just probable, it is assured. We are not at any disadvantage. Actually it is
us with the upper hand.
5. Temptation is not sin.
This is rather straight forward. Temptation itself is not
sin. We know this because the Bible says that Our Lord Jesus Christ was tempted
yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
6. Satan tempts you at an opportune time.
Many Christians have observed that they’re most tempted to
sin after they have gone through a period of intense prayer and fasting or of seeking
God. Even Jesus was tempted after fasting in the wilderness for forty days. It
is almost counter intuitive in our minds because that’s when we think we are strongest, yet
it turns out it is our most vulnerable moment. It is something I have
experienced myself. I think this phenomenon is best explained by 2nd
Corinthians 12:10. We read, “Therefore I am well content with weakness, within
insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s
sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Again, consider 1st Corinthians 10:12 which warns, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!".When we feel strong that’s when we’re
most vulnerable because we are relying on our own selves (rather than on Jesus), our feelings (rather than God's word), and on our own strength (rather than God's grace), which
cannot help us or save us. But when we acknowledge our weakness we are apt to run
to God for strength, for in him we hide and have our refuge. Satan doesn’t just tempt anyhow/anytime. In Luke 4:13
we read that Satan left Jesus until another opportune time. Consider also 1
Peter 5:8 which says, “Your adversary the devil prowls about like a roaring
lion seeking whom to devour…” This means the devil doesn’t just attack anyone, anytime he wishes. He is limited. Otherwise why would he be prowling around looking for who to devour? He looks for the weak and especially those too conceited with their own pride (and false sense of security) to seek God's help in prayer. Helen G White wrote, "The darkness of the evil one covers he who neglects to pray." Prayer is both a duty and privilege for all Christians.
7. . We play a part in our own downfall by what's in our heart.
How do we do this? Well, when we set our minds (desire,
affection, lust) on the things of this world. Romans 8:7 warns, “For the carnal
mind is enmity against God: For it is not subject to the law of God, neither
indeed can be". James 1:13-15 adds, “But every person is tempted when he is
drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desires". The evil
desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin…” When we entertain evil
desires in our minds (fantasies, lusts and dirty thoughts) sin lurks at our doors. These are the doorways through which we are enticed. Sometimes we entertain these thoughts hoping that they aren't harmful. But they certainly are because they are foothold for Satan to tempt us and draw us away from God. When there is no evil desire in your heart, Satan finds no foothold in your life with which to entice you to sin as Jesus said, "for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me." Paul says in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is excellence, if there's is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
All scripture quotations in this article are taken from the New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated.
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