The Christian Apostle Paul states in Romans 7:21-23, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.” Many of us can relate to this can’t we?
Last week, how many of us were tempted to do something we did not want to do??
I’m not going to ask you to raise your hand, but how many of us gave in to temptation recently to sin against God?
Ever wonder why Jesus would teach us to pray “Lead us not into temptation!”?
We will answer three important questions about temptations this morning:
1. Is temptation alone a sin against God?
2. What is the problem with temptations?
3. How then should we deal with temptations?
Open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke Chapter 4. But before reading our passage this morning, let us pray with sincere hearts our commitment to God’s Word……
Read along with me now Luke 4:1-14……
Jesus was just baptized and was led by the Holy Spirit to the desert. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert. Jesus was fully God but also fully man.
God’s Word tells us Jesus was hungry. Wouldn’t you think Jesus was also tired and frustrated?
Jesus was hungry, tired, and frustrated then He was tempted with His physical needs, His pride needs, and His spiritual needs.
Do you ever get hungry, tired, and frustrated?
Do not be surprised that temptations will come when we are hungry, tired, and frustrated!
How should we handle temptations?
1. Is temptation alone a sin against God? - Of course not!
The Lord Jesus Christ was tempted in every way but never sinned!
Ever feel like this dog? Show picture…
It’s right there in front of me; but my Master said “don’t touch!” This dog of course was tempted (he’s licking his chops!) but he did not sin against his master because he obeyed. And so, being tempted is not a sin but can lead to a problem!
2. What is the problem with temptations?
Here’s what we read in James 1:13-15, When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Ever wonder why Jesus taught us to pray “Lead us not into temptation!”?
We should pray “lead us not into temptation” because many times when we are tempted, we give in to the temptation and sin!
3. How then should we deal with temptations, so we don’t sin?
We must know the weapons we have as Christians to battle temptations!
As we alluded to earlier, as Jesus taught us,
Weapon #1 - Prayer!
How often should we pray “Lead us not into temptation”?
May we all commit to this prayer on a daily basis!
Would our Creator Saviour God ask us to pray for something that He will not answer?
Are we tempted to sin often? Likely, our problem is not asking God often enough “lead us not into temptation”!
And our passage today tells us Weapon #2 for battling against temptation.
Every time Jesus was tempted by the devil, what was His response?
Jesus said in v4 – “It is written…. “ In v8 – “It is written….” In v12 – “It says…..”
The Lord Jesus Christ combated the devil with God’s Word; shouldn’t we?
Weapon #2 – God’s Word!
How does a soldier prepare for battle??
A soldier prepares for battle by having the right weapons and training with them!
Are you a soldier for God? The Bible is one of your weapons; how is your training?
Read the Bible daily and learn it!
There’s one more weapon that Jesus used in His combat against temptation; what was it??
Weapon #3 – The power to say no!
Jesus could have quoted the entire Bible but if he said yes to the devil, He would have failed! How did Jesus have the power to say no to the devil? Who did Jesus have with Him? Jesus had the power to say no to the devil by the power of the Holy Spirit with Him!
Christians have the Holy Spirit and have the power to say no to the devil!
You see, memorizing Scripture is powerful but is meaningless if we depend on self and not on the Holy Spirit! The Christian has to yield to the Holy Spirit to have the power to say no to the devil!
There are two more things we need to note from our passage today.
Look again at v13……
As we will learn in the rest of the Gospel of Luke, the devil continued his temptations to Jesus until the work of Jesus was done. And so guess what?
The devil will continue to tempt the Christian until the complete work of Christ is done with that Christian.
We Christians should not be surprised to be faced with temptations to sin against God till God takes us to heaven.
Let us conclude by noting the incredible result of winning the battle against temptations!
Look back again to Luke 4:1……
Now look at Luke 4:14…….
Before the battle with temptations, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. After winning the battle against temptation, Jesus ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit!
How is our ministry for God doing? Know and use your godly weapons for temptations!
Can we win the battle of temptations which will come our way?
1 Corinthians 10:13 states, No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Know and use your godly weapons for temptations!
