Life offers many good things. However,
in the midst of this wonderful life we are confronted with the problem
of temptation. From the beginning, God allowed the devil to put
temptations in the paths of men. I am sure this is for our good or God
would not have allowed it. Actually trials and temptations bring out the
best in us when we react to such as we ought
(Jas. 1:2-4).
Temptation is not sin but yielding is.
God will not allow the devil to tempt us above what we can bear. In
fact, God sends a way of escape for every temptation
(1 Cor. 10:13).
Isn't that wonderful to know? Yielding to temptation will bring a few
moments of pleasure to the flesh but no pleasure to the spirit. And
yielding to sin will have a devastating effect on our lives for years to
come. Oh, if we could remember to ask ourselves, "Is this short-lived
pleasure worth the years of regret that I will experience?" Most of the
time when we are tempted, we don't have our heads on very well. If ever
there was a time when we need to pray, it is when we are tempted to do
something that we know we ought not do. Jesus said, "Watch and pray,
lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak"
(Matt. 26:41).
Note some truths that will help:
1.
Consider The One Who Is Doing The Tempting:
Satan is responsible for temptation and is, in fact, called the tempter
(Matt. 4:1,
3). He is our worst enemy and if
he can influence us to yield to him, he has accomplished what he wants
to accomplish. He wants us to lose our souls. We have permission to
abhor evil, "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good"
(Rom. 12:9).
If I am to hate evil, then I must hate the source of evil, the devil.
The word evil is of the "d" evil
(Jn. 8:44; 1 Jn
3:8). When we are tempted,
surely we don't want to yield to the one who introduced sin into the
world, is a murderer, is the father of all deceit, and is the worst
enemy we have.
Jas. 4:7
-- "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you." In life, we have the choice of submitting to God and
resisting the devil or resisting God and submitting to the devil. That's
it! It is one or the other.
2.
Realize That Each Of Us Has The Capacity To Sin:
I once lost my temper on the golf course and the friend I was with put
his arm around me and said, "R.J., Paul said in
Eph. 4:26
- 'be ye angry and sin not' and you have the first part of that passage
down really well." He was right because I was angry and sinned. It is
easy to think something you ought not to think; say something you ought
not to say; and do something you ought not to do.
God didn't make us sinners. But one of
the essential things in overcoming temptation is to admit when we sin.
If we are guilty of sin, then we have the capacity to sin. You don't
have to be a Harvard graduate to understand that
(1 Jn. 1:8_10).
How strong you are today has nothing to do with the temptations you will
face tomorrow. Don't think for a moment that you are too strong to yield
to temptation. Some of the strongest people I have known have yielded to
sin and fell completely away from God
(1 Cor. 10:12).
The people of Israel thought they were
strong but they yielded and it led to their destruction. If others have
messed up their lives by yielding, I need to remember that I have the
capacity to do the same. The wisest person is the one who learns from
the mistakes of others. To realize that I can yield to temptation which
leads to the loss of spiritual life here and the loss of eternal life in
the world to come, will help me to think like I ought to think when
confronted with temptation. There is nothing that is worth the loss of
your soul.
3. We
Must Remember That We Have A Merciful Father And Loving High Priest Who
Are Willing To Forgive When We Repent:
Christ left heaven to live on this earth, died on the cross, arose from
the dead, and ascended to God's right hand to be our Mediator and
Advocate. It will help us when we are confronted with temptation to
remember how merciful God has been throughout our lives up to this
present time. Our past sins have hurt Him enough. If I truly love Him, I
don't want to hurt Him again.
It will help you when you are tempted
to remember that temptation comes from the biggest enemy that man has
ever known. It will help you when you are confronted with temptation to
remember that you are not any stronger than David or Paul. We must admit
that we are weak enough in the flesh to fall when we are influenced by
the devil. However, let us remember that we are strong enough to stand
against the wiles of the devil when influenced by the Lord. And when you
are confronted with temptation remember that God loves you and wants you
to come back home. He is willing to wipe the slate clean if you will
repent. The hero of the parable of the two sons in Lk. 15 was neither of
the sons; it was the loving father. Believing this and giving your life
to the Lord is the best way to resist the devil
(Eph. 4:27; 6:11).
