“No
temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man… – 1 Corinthians
5:17
Temptation is something that I really don’t want to think about, but something that I deal with every day. It is like a seed that is planted. If I choose to water it, to cultivate it, to let it become the focus of my attention, then it will bear fruit which is sin. Temptation is the beginning of a process that leads to sin. Pastor Greg Laurie said “Temptation is like a bird that flies over your head. You can’t stop it from flying over you, but you can keep it from making a nest in your hair.” (Promise Keepers Conference, Boulder Colorado, 1993) Temptation is the opportunity to choose a way other than the way the God has provided.
“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived ... “ – James 1:14-16
There is a thrill that comes with it. That thrill is a stirring of our flesh that delights in disobedience. There are some things, when offered to me, I am not the least bit interested in. I am not tempted in the least bit to eat tofu. Like the taco chips they set in front of you at a Mexican restaurant. I can decide that I won’t eat any, but before I know it, I am munching on taco chips with salsa. We have found that the best way to resist is to not let the taco chips make a nest on our table. We refuse the offer. In one restaurant we had no less than five different servers ask us if we needed chips. Everybody eats chips so it was odd that we were not. God has called us to be a peculiar people, not indulging in what everyone else does.
Why is temptation thrilling? Because temptation is directed at what our flesh wants. There are three ways that we are tempted – just like Jesus in the desert.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17
Yielding to temptation brings a momentary inner relief from the battle. You give in to what you know is wrong because you don’t have the spiritual strength to do what you know is right. God provided a way to escape temptation, if you choose to take it. All too often what people want is a promise they won’t go to hell, not a provision to live a new life in victory over temptation and sin. Do you say, "I have tried but I can’t?" That is the problem. You don’t have the natural ability to prevail against a supernatural struggle. But you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. (Philippians 4:13)
Temptation is something that I really don’t want to think about, but something that I deal with every day. It is like a seed that is planted. If I choose to water it, to cultivate it, to let it become the focus of my attention, then it will bear fruit which is sin. Temptation is the beginning of a process that leads to sin. Pastor Greg Laurie said “Temptation is like a bird that flies over your head. You can’t stop it from flying over you, but you can keep it from making a nest in your hair.” (Promise Keepers Conference, Boulder Colorado, 1993) Temptation is the opportunity to choose a way other than the way the God has provided.
“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived ... “ – James 1:14-16
There is a thrill that comes with it. That thrill is a stirring of our flesh that delights in disobedience. There are some things, when offered to me, I am not the least bit interested in. I am not tempted in the least bit to eat tofu. Like the taco chips they set in front of you at a Mexican restaurant. I can decide that I won’t eat any, but before I know it, I am munching on taco chips with salsa. We have found that the best way to resist is to not let the taco chips make a nest on our table. We refuse the offer. In one restaurant we had no less than five different servers ask us if we needed chips. Everybody eats chips so it was odd that we were not. God has called us to be a peculiar people, not indulging in what everyone else does.
Why is temptation thrilling? Because temptation is directed at what our flesh wants. There are three ways that we are tempted – just like Jesus in the desert.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17
Yielding to temptation brings a momentary inner relief from the battle. You give in to what you know is wrong because you don’t have the spiritual strength to do what you know is right. God provided a way to escape temptation, if you choose to take it. All too often what people want is a promise they won’t go to hell, not a provision to live a new life in victory over temptation and sin. Do you say, "I have tried but I can’t?" That is the problem. You don’t have the natural ability to prevail against a supernatural struggle. But you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. (Philippians 4:13)
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