Handling Temptation God's Way.

Just as Jesus was tempted by Satan to depart from His earthly mission of redemption, 
we too are tempted to change our direction from following Christ.  The devil mocks,
 slanders, and detests our obedience to Jesus Christ, beginning in our thought life,
 followed by our actions.  

In I Corinthians 19:13 the apostle Paul said, 

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and He
will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also 
provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Remember that God is not the tempter!  The Lord's brother told us that every 
man is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:14)  Realizing
 the source of our sin and temptation is key to winning our personal battle with sin. 

The answer to your temptation to sin is three-fold.  Satan may have your target sin, but 
your target sin is not unusual or particular to you!  First, he says, its common to everyone. 
 So don't allow yourself to feel isolated or overwhelmed by it in the sense that your sin is 
somehow worse than everyone else's.  

Secondly, God is faithful to us in the temptation.  He does not stand at a comfortable 
distance and watch us go through temptation.  He actually is right there with us during it! 
 I remember one time in ministry I became quite discouraged and it seemed that I was 
powerless to stand.  This trial lasted several weeks, but at the end of it I was shocked to 
realize that the Lord hadn't just allowed me to go through a great trial, He had actually 
carried me all the way through it!  God is faithful to us even when we fail to recognize His presence and protection.
The other side of God's faithfulness is that He guarantees that He will never allow Satan
to overwhelm us in the temptation.

Finally, notice that with every temptation, God will provide a way of escape that you may
 be able to endure it.  Let me illustrate.  I happen to love Animal Planet and similar 
programs.  It fascinates me to watch the lions hunt.  Their whole strategy is aimed at 
shutting down every escape route for their prey, one sly step at a time.  Then when they are
 ready to attack, the odds are always in their favor.  That is exactly how the devil presents 
temptation to us.  Beginning with the thought, he develops the thought into tiny bite size 
moves that slowly, but deliberately corner us.  And then the temptation's result is in his 
favor.  God's provision for us at this point in any temptation is to allow us to be delivered.  

But notice something very important in the text.  God's escape route is not to suggest to us 
that it is like the temptation never happened, but rather that we endure it.  This word means
 to bear up under the weight of the trial.  It sets forth the idea of outlasting the temporary 
effect of temptation and coming out victorious on the other side!  Maybe Satan has 
convinced you that you cannot win the battle over sin in your life.  Why not start on the 
path to victory by believing God's promise to you today?