How to Handle Temptation
- this morning we’re going to look at man’s oldest problem: temptation
- this is something that goes as far back as Adam, yet is as contemporary as today
- you may feel a little like Alexander Woollcott, who said, “All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal, or fattening”
- sometimes, even when we know what is right, it’s difficult to say no
- in the immortal words of Oscar Wilde, “I can resist anything but temptation”
- now, right off the bat it’s important to distinguish between trials and temptations
- the Bible uses the same word for these two terms, but with two very different ideas
- there’s a big difference
- trials are situations designed by God in order to help us grow
- temptations, however, are designed by Satan in order to cause us to sin
- the Bible promises a reward for those who withstand temptation
- (James 1:12) Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial [or temptation], because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
- in the Greek games of that day, a head wreath was given to the winner
- the equivalent today would be a gold medal
- God promises us a victor’s prize when we meet a temptation head-on and prevail
- not only that, but our lives will be blessed or happy
- I want to resist temptation!
- the question is, how?
- how do I handle temptation?
- the Bible, which is very practical in this area, gives us three principles
- ONE: BE REALISTIC
- (James 1: 13 NASB) Let no one say when he is tempted…
- the Bible doesn’t say, “if you are tempted,” the Bible says “when you are tempted”
- temptation is a fact of life
- I am tempted, you are tempted, Jesus was even tempted
- I remember hearing a preacher once say, “I haven’t been tempted in thirty years”
- I remember sitting in the pews saying, “Yeah, right!”
- if you’re not being tempted, you’re not even alive!
- some people think that the more spiritual you become, the less temptation you’ll face
- but the most spiritual person who ever lived – Jesus Christ – experienced great temptation
- the Farmer’s Almanac once said, “Don’t worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it starts avoiding you.”
- well, that’s a crock
- we all face temptation – young and old, rich and poor – it really doesn’t matter
- we’re all tempted
- there’s a misconception that once you follow Christ, you’re not supposed to be tempted again
- that somehow we’ve all arrived and can fake it
- “No, I would never think of doing that – how could anybody?”
- but reality check here – we’re all tempted
- we might be tempted in different areas, but make no mistake about it
- we’re all tempted
- in fact, it’s not even wrong to be tempted
- it’s not sinful to be tempted
- Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin”
- it’s sinful to give in to the temptation, but it’s not sinful to be tempted
- we need to be a little bit more transparent than we usually are
- we all have the same struggles
- you are not tempted because you’re evil; you’re tempted because you’re human
- be realistic, and expect temptation
- TWO: BE RESPONSIBLE
- it’s amazing how much we love to blame others for our own struggles
- we love to blame other people, Satan, or even sometimes God
- how many times have you heard someone say, “The devil made me do it”?
- well, before you begin blaming someone else, take an honest look at yourself
- for one thing, don’t blame God for your temptations
- (James 1:13) When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone”
- God never tempts anyone
- in fact, God takes an active role in limiting the temptations you face
- don’t blame God for your temptations
- Billy Graham said, “God never tempts any man. That’s Satan’s business”
- don’t blame external circumstances or people for your temptations
- I sometimes find myself saying, “He made me angry,” or, “If I hadn’t been in that situation, then I wouldn’t have been tempted”
- but Jesus said:
- (Matthew 15:19 NLT) For from the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all other sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander
- in other words, temptations and sins don’t come from external sources – they come from within
- don’t blame God and don’t blame other people
- the fact is that I bring most of my problems on myself
- and so do you
- if we’re ever going to be able to handle temptation, we have to accept responsibility for ourselves and stop blaming others
- first, be realistic: expect temptation
- second, be responsible: don’t pass the buck when you’re tempted
- THREE: BE READY
- when temptation comes, be ready
- be prepared
- (1 Corinthians 16:13) Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith.
- (Matthew 26:41 NLT) Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you.
- (1 Peter 5:8 NLT) Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.
- how do you prepare for temptation?
- well, temptation never gives us advance notice
- it usually catches us very much by surprise
- often, it can come at a time of great success, or when we least expect it
- (1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT) If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin.
- nevertheless, there are steps we can take to prepare for temptation
- where do you begin?
- you begin by understanding how temptation operates
- 2 Corinthians 2:11 (NLT) says, “We are very familiar with [Satan’s] evil schemes.
- the one thing that you can say about Satan is that he is remarkably consistent
- God wants us to understand how he operates, and he hasn’t changed his methods very much
- it’s very easy to understand how temptation works
- temptation is never just a one-time act
- it’s a process, and James tells us the four steps Satan uses in order to tempt us:
- first (verse 14), “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desires…”
- the first step of temptation is desire
- temptation begins as an inside job
- while there’s an outer component – something external – what really kicks in is one of our internal desires
- many of the desires that God has given us are routine and necessary
- we all have desires to eat, sleep, work, love, to be loved
- but a runaway desire is a destructive desire
- that’s where it begins – with desire
- the second step is deception
- verse 14 says, “he is dragged away and enticed”
- James uses a couple of hunting terms
- “dragged away” is a hunting term for getting caught in a trap
- and “enticed” is to catch by using bait
- the strategy is to take on of our desires, and to drag us away from our normal response by using bait
- it’s a deceptive trap
- what kind of bait does Satan use on you?
- you use different bait for different types of animals
- the devil knows your hot button
- he knows exactly what will work on you
- Jesus said in John 8:44:
- (John 8:44 NLT) [Satan] was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his nature; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
- Satan’s character is deceptive
- and his chief tool is deception
- even though we know this, it’s amazing how we still take the bait over and over and over
- and we go from step one (desire) to step two (deception)
- but temptation always looks better than it really is
- the payoff is never there
- desire turns to deception
- the whole purpose of temptation, by the way, is to substitute something for God
- to replace him with a superficial quick-fix that feels good for a moment, but has devastating results
- step three is disobedience
- verse 15 reads, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin”
- at this point, the temptation shows itself in some sort of action
- the bait has been accepted, and disobedience is the result
- what starts out in your mind eventually comes out in your lifestyle
- that’s the way it works
- and finally, step four is death
- verse 15 concludes, “and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death”
- that’s the ugly consequence of falling to temptation
- if we win over temptation, we get a crown of life
- but if we fall to temptation, we get death
- that’s the consequence
- you don’t get to choose the consequence; the consequence is built right in
- one pastor says, “I am free to have my kicks but I am not free to eliminate the kickbacks. I am free to make choices but I’m not free to choose the consequences”
- by yielding to temptation, one may lose in a moment what it took a lifetime to gain
- the place to start in resisting temptation in step one
- before you take the bait, before you’re disobedient, stop!
- it’s like a novice skier going down a black diamond slope
- the time to stop is before the descent
- be realistic – you’re going to be tempted
- be responsible – don’t blame someone else
- be ready – know how temptation works
- we’re going to close off this morning with some very practical steps you can take when you’re tempted
- before we do this, let me remind you that if you haven’t been born again – if you haven’t begun following Jesus Christ – then you can’t effectively resist temptation by yourself
- you can fight off some of it, but you need the supernatural power that God gives to his children
- the promise I’m about to read is for followers only – but you can become a follower yourself today
- (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT) But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so you will not give into it.
- what can you do when you’re tempted?
- believe that God has seen it before
- it’s nothing new
- it’s not unique to you
- “they’re no different from what others experience”
- God has seen this same temptation over and over
- believe that God will limit its intensity
- “He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it”
- God will never let you be tempted more than what you’re able to bear
- he automatically prevents Satan from giving you more than you can handle
- and believe that God will make a way out
- “When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give into it”
- there is always a way out
- Satan never backs us into a corner without God providing a way of escape
- what’s the payoff?
- (James 1:12) Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial [or temptation], because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
- let’s pray
- you might be here this morning, having struggled in a particular area for years and this morning you realize why you’ve been losing
- you’re trying to fight Satan on your own power, but your own power isn’t enough
- you’ve never come to God and admitted that you’ve sinned
- you’ve never given your life to him, and trusted in Jesus to fix the damage caused by your sins
- this morning you can pray, “Jesus, I want to be reborn. I want a fresh start on life. Would you forgive all the sins I’ve ever committed and help me start over today”
- that’s why Jesus died on the cross
- you can invite him to be the controller of your life
- you might be struggling
- what is your hot button? where does Satan bait you?
- it might be that you’re struggling with the way you treat your spouse, a tendency toward exaggeration or anger, lust
- it could be a lack of control financially or with your weight
- God knows what you’re going through
- he’s seen it thousands of times
- he wants to help you – to wipe the slate clean, to give you power over temptation
- accept responsibility this morning – don’t blame others
- admit there’s a weakness
- ask God to help you
- thank him that he has promised to limit the intensity of the temptations you face
- he has provided a way of escape
- ask him to help you
- Amen.
