How To Overcome Temptations

The Terror of Temptations

1 Corinthians 10:13: "For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin, no matter how it comes or where it leads) has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man (that is no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience and such as man can bear). But God is faithful to His word and to His compassionate nature and He can be trusted not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will always also provide the way out of the means of escape to a landing place that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently." (Amplified Bible)

Temptation- To be enticed, incited or attracted to do something wrong or a forbidden thing

1. Where Do Temptations Come From - Each person is enticed by his own lusts.(James 4:1-4)

2. God may give Satan permission to tempt some of us like in the case of Job. (Job 1:12)

3. Satan may tempt anyone as he did Jesus with offers of power, prestige and positions of greatness. (Matt. 4:1-11)

4. Every person is tempted by their own desires, passions or selfish interests. (James 4)

5. Everyone can be tempted by the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and by the boastful pride of life. (I John 2:15,16)

6. Everyone can be tempted by bad associates or friends. (Prov. 1:10)

7. Some christians can be tempted by well meaning fellow believers Temptations can come from all kinds of worries, riches or pleasures of this life.

Why Does God Allow Us to Be Tempted ?

1. God can use temptations to develop more of a Godly character in our life.

2. God can use temptations to test the level of our maturity and obedience. God can use temptations to provide examples to others how they can overcome obstacles.

Why Does God allow Different Temptations For Every Person?

1. No temptation that comes to you is beyond your capacity to resist it. In fact temptations are universally appealing to all people, just in different forms. But God monitors the level of the intensity of each temptation so that we are able to bear up under its pressures. (I Cor. 10:13)

What Are Some of the Means Through Temptations Come?

1. Frustrations, difficulties or discouragements can tempt us to give into feelings of defeat, despair and failure.

2. Bitterness can cause us to grow resentful towards people, organizations or even our own poor choices.

3. Temptations can come from many types of worries, riches and pleasures

4. Temptations can come from within our own sinful human nature.

5. Temptations can come from any and every member of our own families.

6. Temptations can come from the devil and the powers of darkness.

7. Temptations can come from ill health

8. Temptations can come from Pharisaical oriented believes

9. Temptations can come from conflicts within our own thinking, emotions or actions

10. Temptations can come from poverty or deprivation or disease

11. Temptations can come from accomplishments, accolades or worldly thinking

What Are Some Different Types of Temptations

1. We can be tempted by anything that appeals to our human desires that are contrary to the will of God. These temptations can come in the form of unbelief, mis-beliefs, worry, jealousy, anger, wrath, slander, clamor, immorality, laziness, drunkenness, complacency, selfishness, idolatry, selfish ambition, false securities, societal pressures, family pressures, peer pressures, sexual allurements, the love of money, possessions, unbelief, immaturity, failure to grow up in all aspects into Christ, unhealthy comparisons, sins of omission, sins of commission, sins of disposition, sins of wrong assumptions. (Gal. 5:19-21)

What are Some of the Results of Temptations

1. If you give into any temptation it will eventually become your Master.

2. Obsessions of pride, relationships or personal interests

3. Giving into temptations can ruin your credibility

4. Giving into temptations disqualifies you from being an example

5. Giving into temptations disqualifies you from being promoted to higher levels of responsibility

How To Conquer Temptations

1. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Singing and making melody in your hearts. Whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Col. 3:16)

2. Watch and pray that you do not enter into temptations. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. (Matt. 26:41)

3. Learn to use the word of God at strategic times throughout the day - especially the morning to program your thinking to have the mind of Christ. (Matth. 4:1-11)