Know the Laws of Temptation!
As a Christian it is important that you understand how temptation works in the life of a believer and how God uses it for our good and His glory. As we approach this subject we need to be clear about something right from the start. It is vital information to know that God is sovereign but He is not the author of temptation! James told us,
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God", for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (Js 1:13)
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God", for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (Js 1:13)
God is not to be blamed for the things that tempt us. Those desires come from within us not from the outside. Our heart is the culprit which leads us to sin. Parents often will blame other kids for their own children's sinful behavior when the problem is really the heart of their own child. That being said,
Bad companions corrupt good morals ( I Cor 15:33)
But there is something else very important about temptation found in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians that we also need to understand, and it is good news for every believer in Christ. Paul states here,
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 will with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (I Cor 10:13)
There are three truths about the problem of personal temptation that ought to be great news for every Christian. These truths are universal and true for every one of God's children in Christ. There is no discrimination for how long you have been a believer or how short a time you have known Christ. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, each of these truths about temptation is rooted in God's faithfulness to us. Right here in the middle of this text, Paul declares that God is faithful in the inevitable reality of temptation. In other words, God has absolute control over this area of our lives. Even though God is not the author of the temptation to sin, He uses it for our development in becoming more like Christ. Let's glance at three quick truths about God's faithfulness here. First,
God is faithful to make temptation the same for all of us. This is good to know when I am faced with something I have never encountered before. I can be certain from the start that I am not facing something others have not faced before me! I can also be certain that if others have faced a particular tempation and conquered it, then I can also win the battle in this area. Secondly,
God is faithful to not allow temptation to be overwhelming to us. Let's be clear about something. All temptation seems to be more than we can handle when we face it. The reality is that we can conquer every temptation as we yield ourselves to the Spirit of God in the moment rather than give in to the lure of sin. Here is where we make constant choices every day. Every temptation to sin involves a choice. When we choose to obey God, we will win the battle every single time! Thirdly,
God is faithful to provide a way to excape and endure the temptation. God will never arbitrarily leave us in a vulnerable place of potential harm. He does not abandon his children or allow us to suffer needlessly. God is good by nature and always does what is best for each of us all of the time! Consequently, God promises not to leave us in a compromised position but give us an alternative in order to escape the immediate danger of sin. Always remember this as you face the problem of temptation! Look for the escape door that is ALWAYS there!
As you consider the problem of temptation today don't neglect to appy these universal truths to your own life situation. God wants you to know that He is always faithful to you as you face the temptation to sin!
But there is something else very important about temptation found in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians that we also need to understand, and it is good news for every believer in Christ. Paul states here,
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 will with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (I Cor 10:13)
There are three truths about the problem of personal temptation that ought to be great news for every Christian. These truths are universal and true for every one of God's children in Christ. There is no discrimination for how long you have been a believer or how short a time you have known Christ. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, each of these truths about temptation is rooted in God's faithfulness to us. Right here in the middle of this text, Paul declares that God is faithful in the inevitable reality of temptation. In other words, God has absolute control over this area of our lives. Even though God is not the author of the temptation to sin, He uses it for our development in becoming more like Christ. Let's glance at three quick truths about God's faithfulness here. First,
God is faithful to make temptation the same for all of us. This is good to know when I am faced with something I have never encountered before. I can be certain from the start that I am not facing something others have not faced before me! I can also be certain that if others have faced a particular tempation and conquered it, then I can also win the battle in this area. Secondly,
God is faithful to not allow temptation to be overwhelming to us. Let's be clear about something. All temptation seems to be more than we can handle when we face it. The reality is that we can conquer every temptation as we yield ourselves to the Spirit of God in the moment rather than give in to the lure of sin. Here is where we make constant choices every day. Every temptation to sin involves a choice. When we choose to obey God, we will win the battle every single time! Thirdly,
God is faithful to provide a way to excape and endure the temptation. God will never arbitrarily leave us in a vulnerable place of potential harm. He does not abandon his children or allow us to suffer needlessly. God is good by nature and always does what is best for each of us all of the time! Consequently, God promises not to leave us in a compromised position but give us an alternative in order to escape the immediate danger of sin. Always remember this as you face the problem of temptation! Look for the escape door that is ALWAYS there!
As you consider the problem of temptation today don't neglect to appy these universal truths to your own life situation. God wants you to know that He is always faithful to you as you face the temptation to sin!
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