Overcoming Temptation #1 of 2

According to the dictionary, a temptation is “the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise.” Since the beginning of time, temptations have existed. Eve was tempted to ignore God and fulfill her own desires. Not much has changed since then. This world is full of temptations. Whether the temptation is pornography, discouragement, hatred, unfaithfulness, fear, or failure, absolutely any temptation can be overcome because God’s children are overcomers. Let’s study about what God says considering temptation and how we can overcome it in our own lives.

Temptations are common to everyone.

The tendency is to think that you are the only one who has these temptations, and as a result, no one can really understand you or your situation. According to God, that is not true. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.” In other words, you are not the only one who deals with temptations, regardless of the temptation. Let’s take a peek at a few people in the Bible who were tempted:

1. Joseph: In Genesis 39:7, Joseph’s master’s wife was after him so much that she asked him to sleep with her. Although the Bible doesn’t go into detail, this was a pretty hot pursuit for sexual desire. Potiphar was one of the richest and most powerful men alive, meaning his wife was probably not ugly. Joseph was minding his own business and trying to do right, yet this temptation for sexual seduction was in his face, sought him out, and was available if he wanted it.
2. Balaam: In Numbers 22:17, Balaam was offered promotion and riches if he would just curse God’s people. Balaam was God’s servant, but the king came to him and offered a truckload of treasures if he would say a few quick words against God’s people. Just turn his back once and the riches would all be his. Couldn’t he later say that he didn’t mean it? Couldn’t he have acted like he said it? It’s just a few words. Seems pretty tempting.
3. Achan: In Joshua 7:21, Achan was on soldier duty when he saw the riches in one of the enemy’s tents. Would anyone know or even blame him if he just kept a little for himself? It looked so good, and the forbidden treasure seemed to almost jump into his arms. The temptation was so strong that he decided to give into it.
4. David: In 2 Samuel 11:2, David saw Bathsheba bathing and she was “very beautiful to look upon.” Was it really his fault that she was out there? He’s the king, so doesn’t he deserve a little pleasure if he wants it? Nobody would really know, would they? The glance became a stare, the stare became a desire, and the desire became a reality.

We could mention Jeroboam, who was tempted to follow his heart (1 Kings 15:30); Peter, who denied Christ because he was afraid (Mark 14:67-71); or our Lord Jesus, who was hungry after fasting and subsequently tempted by the devil (Matthew 4). The point is that temptations flaunted themselves in front of Bible heroes, as well as our Lord, and they will certainly not put the brakes on for you or me today. Remember what God said, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13). This does not mean that temptations are a good thing, rather that they are something that happens in the life of every person. You are not the only one who has temptations. It’s easy to think that no one struggles with temptations like you do, but this is a lie from the devil. Regardless of the financial status, age, education, or position you hold in a church, temptations are going to present themselves to you. The verse goes on to say, “But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Although temptations might be common to all mankind, God can help you overcome the temptations!

Understand the breeding grounds for temptations.

Although temptations are “common to man,” we must realize that temptations are usually born and definitely fueled by our own lusts. Listen to the words in James 1:13-14: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

God tells us that temptations do not come from Him, but from our own lust. Lust is a passionate desire for something, specifically sexual desire. Here’s two examples: someone is tempted to consume alcohol or drugs because his friends are doing the same, or because it’s in their house. Or he might be tempted to look at pornography because it popped up on the phone and with one click he can see much more. The point is that the temptations flare up when the door is opened by foolish decisions. James 1 gives the idea that God is saying, “Don’t you try to pin this one on me. You fell into those temptations because you were in the wrong place, with the wrong people, or you let the wrong influence linger too long before closing the door.” Because someone is angry, they are tempted to say hurtful things to others. Because someone is not satisfied with what God has given them, they are tempted to covet what others have. Whether coveting someone’s money, spouse, car, house, or life, the temptation is not from God, but rather a manifestation of dissatisfaction with God and His provision. According to Matthew 4:3 and 1 Thessalonians 3:5, one of the devil’s names is “the tempter.” The temptations are not coming from God, they are coming from the tempter, the devil!

There are consequences to giving in to temptation.

Peter Marshall, a Scottish-American preacher greatly used by God as chaplain in the US Senate, said in A Man Called Peter, “It’s no sin to be tempted. It isn’t the fact of having temptations that should cause us shame, but what we do with them.” Think about King David from the Bible. As he walked on the roof, he saw Bathsheba bathing. The problem came about when he gave into the temptation and called her to his house. Temptations seem to be ever-present. But temptations are not necessarily the problem; what we do with the temptation is the problem. Whether something seen on a screen, a thought that pops into one’s mind, or suggestive offers that are not sought out, temptations are going to present themselves at some point. It is the yielding to the temptation that brings the consequences. If you were to ask someone if they want to destroy their marriage, ruin their testimony, hurt those they care about, or not be trusted again, the obvious answers would be “no.” But giving into the temptations always ends in destruction. First John 2:17 offers the needed answer: “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” The temptations that we think will please us are short-lived and unfulfilling. One day those pleasures will blow away with the wind. The answer lies in doing the will of God. Serving God today means saying no to that temptation, and the same goes for tomorrow and the next day. In the end, serving God, and doing His will, is what really lasts. The consequences of yielding to temptations are grave, but rejecting them to serve the Savior brings lasting pleasure.