Struggling with temptation?
Ephesians 6:12-18 25th July 2010
What is a temptation? Temptation is an act that looks appealing to an individual. It is usually used to describe acts with negative connotations.
In the Bible, temptation is a test or trial designed to give a person the 'opportunity to do evil and sin' against God-(that's test his/her resolve). Sometimes the point is to confuse the subject about what good and evil really are. Sometimes the point is to simply see if they truly understand what good and evil are in the first place. 'God sometimes allows the temptation', but Satan is instrumental to the temptation, and whoever has the weakness to the temptation picks up the bait.
The implication that God allows the devil to tempt us, is totally different from Him being the source or instigator. Well, one could argue that why should God get involved in something that could ruin a person's life or destroy his/her faith.
God always sees things in the affirmative rather than negative. He 'uses' temptation as a yardstick in determine the maturity of a Christian to handling a spiritual as well as physical promotion.
Please donot forget that God has an interest in a Christian's level of promotion.
Psa 35:27 ''Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant''.
The more overcoming a christian is in his/her daily lifestyle, the higher God's name is proclaimed among even the sceptics.
Every temptation has God's prize tag of glory attached to it. The bigger ones temptation, the higher the level of promotion.
If something is too tempting, there is sometimes the urge to destroy the source of temptation and thus alleviate the guilt for being tempted. Too often, though, other people have been identified as the source of temptation.
Temptation is always associated with evil and sin, meaning something bad that could happen to you or a desire that could get one into committing sin.
Read the account of Job 2:2-7, it wasn’t a pretty sight, the devil caused that pain, however, God allowed the situation to happen. Jas 1:13 Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from God. For God is not tempted by evils, and He tempts no one. Read Revelation 12:9
Though the devil is the primary cause of evil, but not everything can be blamed on him. There are three things that generate temptations:
The Devil, World, and the Flesh, we have just heard of the devil’s part in creating temptations, now let’s hear what part the world plays in this instance. Read Ephesians 6:12, the authorities and situations in the world that cause pain and problems.
The Flesh is another influence that causes temptation, that’s situation or objects that generate a craving or desire. Some examples are:
• Excessive eating that causes obesity (control what you eat)
• Pornography ( don’t watch erotic film)
• Alcoholism (don’t go to the pub to buy orange juice or any environment that could heighten your craving.)
‘’Self-respect is the root of discipline: The sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’’ (Polish born US Jewish philosopher and theologian)
Personal responsibility:
1Jn 5:18 ''We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him.
Jas 1:14 But each one is tempted by his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them.
Jas 1:12 blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having been approved; he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him''
Ephesians 6:13-18- feet shod with the gospel (put on the gospel as a sandals or shoes) meaning if there is something that will provoke temptation don't go there, with the pretext of doing something else; let the word of God guard your thought.
The problem with some people is that their lives are focused on demons, who don’t allow them to behave well or be successful; anything that went wrong in their lives were blamed on the devil, without them being responsible for any of them.
However, the bible doesn’t see it that way, Mat 26:41 Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
What this chapter is saying is that our weakness doesn't protect us from being tempted. There is going to be periodic tempting, however, we must be watchful in prayer and righteous living; that the glittering appearance of temptation doesn't deceive us, to fall for its charm.
The obligation of watching to guard yourself from being succumbed to temptation is placed on you. The truth of the Gospel is personified in Jesus, and it is in him that we must focus to shield ourselves with the word of God, rather than blaming everything on the devil.
God expects us to be responsible in some things in our lives, hence he is going to judge man according to the way we behave in this world, and judge Satan also separately.
Let’s look at the scenario of Eve, Adam and Satan, they were judged separately, even though Satan was the influence of the disobedience, because Eve and Adam failed to be responsible for their obedience, they also had to be punished for being irresponsible.
Temptation will definitely come as long as we live in this world; however, the way one responds to it, is the key to your influence on the situation.
Pastor Graham Bennett, 24/07/2010