A STORY WAS ONCE TOLD A BOUT THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD LINE AS IT WAS BEING CONSTRUCTED. AT ONE LOCATION ALONG THE ROUTE AN ELABORATE TRESTLE BRIDGE WAS BUILT ACROSS A LARGE CANYON IN THE WEST.
WANTING TO TEST THE BRIDGE, THE BUILDER LOADED A TRAIN WITH ENOUGH EXTRA CARS AND EQUIPMENT TO DOUBLE ITS NORMAL PAYLOAD. THE TRAIN WAS THEN DRIVEN TO THE MIDDLE OF THE BRIDGE, WHERE IT STAYED AN ENTIRE DAY.
ONE WORKER ASKED, "ARE YOU TRYING TO BREAK THIS BRIDGE?" "NO," THE BUILDER REPLIED, "I’M TRYING TO PROVE THAT THE BRIDGE WON’T BREAK."
IN THE SAME WAY, THE TEMPTATIONS WE FACE ARE NOT DESIGNED TO SEE IF WE WILL SIN, BUT TO PROVE THAT WE WON’T! TEMPTATION IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE SEEN AS A WAY TO SEE IF WE WOULD SIN. IT IS A WAY TO PROVE THAT WE WON’T GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION, SIN, AND DISPLEASE GOD BY OUR ACTIONS.
WHEN IT COMES TO TEMPTATION IT HAS BEEN RIGHTFULLY STATED THAT “TEMPTATION, IN AND OF ITSELF, IS NOT SIN. IT BECOMES SIN, WHEN WE, BY OUR OWN WILLFUL CHOICE, GIVE IN AND YIELD TO THE LURE OF THE TEMPTATION.”
JAMES 1:14-15, TELLS US, “TEMPTATION COMES FROM OUR OWN DESIRES, WHICH ENTICE US AND DRAG US AWAY. THESE DESIRES GIVE BIRTH TO SINFUL ACTIONS. AND WHEN SIN IS ALLOWED TO GROW, IT GIVES BIRTH TO DEATH.”
THE CHALLENGE FOR US THEN, AS CHRISTIANS, IS NOT SO MUCH THE TEMPTATION ITSELF AS IT IS WITH WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO WITH THE TEMPTATION. SOME GOOD ADVICE COMES FROM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WHO SAID, “IT IS EASIER TO SUPPRESS THE FIRST DESIRE THAN TO SATISFY ALL THAT FOLLOW IT.”
HE MUST HAVE HAD AN UNDERSTANDING OF 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13, THAT SAYS, “NO TEST OR TEMPTATION THAT COMES YOUR WAY IS BEYOND THE COURSE OF WHAT OTHERS HAVE HAD TO FACE. ALL YOU NEED TO REMEMBER IS THAT GOD WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN; HE’LL NEVER LET YOU BE PUSHED PAST YOUR LIMIT; HE’LL ALWAYS BE THERE TO HELP YOU COME THROUGH IT.”
NOTHING WILL ROB US OF OUR SPIRITUAL SUCCESS SO DEVASTATINGLY AS YIELDING TO TEMPTATION. WE’VE ALL BEEN TEMPTED. WE ALL KNOW THAT TEMPTATIONS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND IN VARYING DEGREES. WE ALL KNOW ALL TO WELL THAT A CHRISTIAN IS NO LESS SUSCEPTIBLE THAN ANYONE ELSE.
THIS IS THE REASON JESUS USES THE WORD “TEMPTATION” IN VERSE 38 WHICH MEANS “TESTING” OR “TRIAL.” JESUS DIDN’T WANT HIS DISCIPLES TO FALL PREY TO TEMPTATION.
HE WANTED THEM TO PRAY TO GOD FOR THE STRENGTH TO GO THROUGH THEIR COMING ORDEAL WITHOUT FAILING.
JESUS ALSO KNEW THEIR HUMANNESS TOWARDS FALLING VICTIM TO TEMPTATION WHEN HE SAID, “WATCH AND PRAY.” WATCH SIGNIFIES THAT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE ALERT TO THE SPIRITUAL DANGERS OF SATAN’S LURE. PRAY SIGNIFIES THAT WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING OUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD SO THAT WE WILL NOT GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION.
JESUS THEN CONCLUDED WITH SAYING “THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK.” JESUS IS LITERALLY SAYING THAT GOD’S SPIRIT IS WILLING TO SUPPLY STRENGTH AND SUPPORT TO EVERY AREA OF OUR HUMAN WEAKNESS AND INADEQUACIES.
DESPITE ANY OF OUR GOOD INTENTIONS, WE WILL GET OVERWHELMED AND DEFEATED IF WE TRY TO FIGHT AND RESIST IN OUR OWN POWER.
THAT IS WHY I BELIEVE WE MUST BE MAKING STRIDES TO MANAGE TEMPTATIONS. I AM NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE OBVIOUS DETERRENTS TO TEMPTATION.
WE ALREADY KNOW, FROM EXPERIENCE, WHAT SOME OF THE MOST LOGICAL STEPS ARE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE SUCH AS PREPARING OURSELVES FOR TEMPTATION. THAT IS, WE KNOW THAT TEMPTATIONS TO EXPLOIT OUR WEAKNESSES AND TO WEAKEN OUR STRENGTHS ARE INEVITABLE, SO WE STAND OUR GROUND IN PREPARATION FOR THING THAT COULD TEMPT US TO FALL.
SECONDLY, WE ALREADY KNOW THE OBVIOUS WHICH IS TO AVOID THE AREAS AND SITUATIONS IN OUR LIVES THAT OFFER US OPPORTUNITIES TO FALL. IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO AVOID ANY SITUATION THAT ENTICES US TO DO WICKED AND SINFUL THINGS.
WE MUST FIND WAYS TO LIVE IN A TEMPTING WORLD AND DO SO, IN SUCH A WAY, THAT WE LIVE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE THINGS THAT CAN BE A TEMPTATION FOR US TO SIN AGAINST GOD.
IF WE HAVE A HEALTHY CONCEPT OF WHAT SIN “IS” AND HOW MUCH IT HURTS GOD, I THINK WE WOULD BE MORE INTENTIONAL WITH FIGHTING AGAINST TEMPTATION.
AS DAVID PROCLAIMED IN PSALM 51:3-4, “FOR I KNOW MY TRANSGRESSIONS AND MY SIN IS EVER BEFORE ME. AGAINST YOU, YOU ONLY, HAVE I SINNED, AND DONE THIS EVIL IN YOUR SIGHT.” WHEN WE SIN, WE CAN ONLY SIN AGAINST GOD. WHEN WE SIN, WE NOT ONLY HURT OTHERS, AND OURSELVES, BUT GRIEVE GOD MOST OF ALL.
THIS IS WHY THE ONLY THING I WANT TO EMPHASIZE TODAY IN “MANAGING TEMPTATION” IS TO SIMPLY UNDERSTAND IT! IF YOU ASKED THE PRESIDENT, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF AND ANY OTHER STRATEGIST AT THE PENTAGON, THEY WOULD ALL TELL YOU THE SAME THING: KNOW YOUR ENEMY.
1 PETER 5:8, “STAY ALERT! WATCH OUT FOR YOUR GREAT ENEMY, THE DEVIL. HE PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION, LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR.” WHAT WE MUST FIRST KNOW ABOUT OUR ENEMY, SATAN, IS THAT HE WANTS US DEAD AND DESTROYED.
THE WORD “DEVOUR” IS THE GREEK WORD “KATAPINO” MEANING “DROWN” OR “SWALLOW UP” WITH INTENSITY AND OPPOSITION. SATAN WANTS TO TOTALLY ANNIHILATE US TO THE EXTENT OF WIPING US FROM THE FACE OF THIS EARTH.
KNOW THAT SATAN’S SCHEMES INCLUDE WIPING YOU OUT! KNOW YOUR ENEMY AND YOU WILL BECOME EVER MORE SUCCESSFUL AT DEFENSE!
ANOTHER WAY TO UNDERSTAND YOUR ENEMY IN REGARDS TO TEMPTATION IS THAT HE NOT ONLY WANTS TO DESTROY YOU, BUT IS IN ABSOLUTELY NO HURRY TO DO SO. SATAN IS PATIENT.
AS HARD AS IT MAY SEEM TO COMPREHEND, THE FACT IS, THE DEVIL IS IN NO HURRY TO TEMPT YOU. HE WOULD RATHER BE SUCCESSFUL THAN SPEEDY! SATAN WILL TAKE ALL THE TIME NECESSARY TO LAY THE MOST APPROPRIATE TRAP FOR YOU.
SATAN WILL OFTEN WORK AT SOFTENING YOU UP BEFORE STRIKING FOR THE JUGULAR. HE KNOWS WE WILL BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO HIS ATTACKS IF WE CAN ALWAYS BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND BLIND-SIDED.
SO, BE CAREFUL, WHEN SATAN BEGINS MAKING LIFE SEEM TOO EASY FOR YOU. WATCH FOR SIGNS OF SELF-INDULGENCE, LAZINESS, INDIFFERENCE TOWARDS GOD, HIS WORD, AND THE CHURCH.
BE EVER SO CAREFUL WHEN YOU SLIP MORE AND MORE WITH SELF-DISCIPLINE, MORALITY, AND SELF-CONTROL. ALL OF THESE ARE WAYS THAT SATAN USES TO SLOWLY PREPARE US FOR THAT ‘KNOCK-OUT’ PUNCH TO DEVOUR US. YES, IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME, BUT IF WE DON’T MANAGE TEMPTATION, A KNOCKOUT IS COMING!
THE LAST AREA TO UNDERSTAND OUR ENEMY IN REGARDS TO TEMPTATION IS THAT SATAN IS THE MASTER OF PROPORTIONS AND GLAMOROUS WITH ILLUSIONS.
SATAN HAS BEEN IN THE TEMPTATION BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WORKS BEST. HE KNOWS THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO GET US TO GO “ALL OUT” ON THE FIRST TEMPTATION. THIS IS WHY SATAN MUST USE THE PLOY OF PROPORTIONALITY.
IF HE CAN GET US TO OPEN UP JUST A WEE BIT, HE WILL BEGIN SPOON FEEDING US A LITTLE AT A TIME BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT IF WE GULP TOO BIG A DOSE OF SIN, WE WILL FIND IT REPULSIVE AND SPIT IT OUT. THIS IS WHY HE GIVES US JUST A “LITTLE HERE” AND A “LITTLE THERE” UNTIL WE’RE HOOKED.
NOT ONLY WILL SATAN GIVE YOU SIN IN PROPORTIONATE BITE-SIZED DOSES, HE WILL INTICE YOU WITH GLITZ AND GLAMOUR. SATAN IS THE KING OF GLAMOUROUS PRESENTATION.
BE ALERT! BE WATCHFUL FOR ALL THE “PRETTY PACKAGING” THAT SIN COMES WRAPPED IN. SATAN IS THE MASTER SALESMAN AND KNOWS JUST HOW TO GIFT-WRAP TEMPTATION TO HOOK YOU INTO OPENING THE PACAKAGE.
BY ALL MEANS NECESSARY, UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THE SUBTLETY OF SATAN’S TACTICS. EVERYTHING ABOUT SATAN’S TACTICS IS A MIRAGE OR AN ENTICING OPTICAL ILLUSION.
SATAN IS THE MASTER OF PROPORTIONS AND GLAMOROUS WITH ILLUSION.
SO, IN CONCLUSION, LET ME CUT TO THE CHASE. NO MATTER WHAT “IT” IS THAT YOU FACE IN REGARDS TO TEMPTATION, GOD HAS MADE A WAY FOR YOU TO RESIST AND WALK AWAY FROM SIN.
THE INTERNAL PRESENCE OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE WILL HELP YOU UNDERTAND SATAN’S TRICKERY AND LIES. GOD’S HOLY POWER CAN GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO PRACTICE HIS WONDERFUL PROMISE OF JAMES 4:7, “THEREFORE, SUBMIT TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.”
WHEN WE ASK GOD TO HELP US RESIST THE DEVIL, WE WILL SUCCESSFULLY RESIST THE DEVIL. IF WE DON’T SUCCEED AT MANAGING TEMPTATION SATAN WILL SUCCEED AT MANAGING US.
THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO HELP US WIN OUT OVER ALL TEMPTATION IF WE ARE WILLING TO RELY ON HIM. WE MUST WATCH, PRAY, RESIST, AND FLEE.
TEMPTATION IS FOR EVERYONE AND NOT JUST “THE WEAK.” TEMPTATION IS A UNIVERSAL SIN PROBLEM. IT KNOWS NO RACIAL, NATIONAL, OR DENOMINATIONAL BOUNDARIES.
RESIST THE DEVIL, STOP LISTENING TO HIS LIES AND SUBTLE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR SIN. DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND COMMUNE WITH HIM DAILY IN A CLOSE, PERSONAL INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP OF PRAYER, SCRIPTURE, OBEDIENCE, WORSHIP AND HOLINESS.
THAT IS WHY I CLOSE WITH HEBREWS 10:22-23, “LET US GO RIGHT INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH SINCERE HEARTS FULLY TRUSTING HIM. FOR OUR GUILTY CONSCIENCES HAVE BEEN SPRINKLED WITH CHRIST’S BLOOD TO MAKE US CLEAN, AND OUR BODIES HAVE BEEN WASHED WITH PURE WATER. LET US HOLD TIGHTLY WITHOUT WAVERING TO THE HOPE WE AFFIRM, FOR GOD CAN BE TRUSTED TO KEEP HIS PROMISE.”
LET US GO TODAY AND MANAGE OUR TEMPTATIONS!
