Satan is looking to pound on our weakest areas . . . When we leave an opening by yielding to temptation, he’ll take advantage. - Kent Crockett(1)
In Ephesians 4:27, the Apostle Paul warned, “Do not give the devil a foothold” (NIV). The devil is always trying to gain a foothold in our life, and he begins his initial onslaught of attacks with the temptation to sin. “Temptation” is defined as, “enticement or allurement,”(2) and “being put to the test.”(3)
It’s important for us to understand the issue of temptation so we can more readily identify it when it starts creeping into our life, and so we can overcome it – and yes, we can overcome temptation! The reason why we must overcome temptation is so we can refrain from committing sin.
In 1 John 2:1, the Apostle John said, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin,” and that’s the reason why I’m sharing this message tonight. I have written this sermon with the same intention as John; that we learn how to avoid temptation and refrain from sinning.
God Keeps Track of Temptation (James 1:12)
Proverbs says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (15:3; cf. 5:21). Whether we are experiencing some initial temptation or committing full-fledged sin, the Lord sees our every move; and James alluded to how He keeps track of our responses to temptation. We read in James 1:12:
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him (James 1:12).
The Lord actually keeps track of our temptation. We read that the one who endures temptation will be “approved,” and that this approval will lead to a reward, which is the crown of life. Approval and recognition can only be received after a person is judged, or evaluated, and receives positive commendation for his or her actions.
A fair assessment is acquired through a review of the facts, and facts are obtained by accurate record keeping. The Bible reveals that God keeps a record of how people act in this life. Malachi said, “So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name” (3:16b). John declared in Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened . . . and the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”
So, God records our every response to temptation in the books of heaven, whether good or bad. All people will be held responsible and accountable for their actions in this life, and be approved or disapproved for their reward thereby. The way we live our life will be evaluated by the Lord in that final Day; so we had better make sure that we’re covered by the blood of the Lamb. Amen?
Now, I don’t want to mislead anyone into believing that we’re saved by works and deeds. The Lord does review our life choices and decisions; however, the thing that gains us entrance into the kingdom is our faith in Christ alone. The apostle Paul declared, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph 2:8-9).
The things we do are definitely recorded in the books of heaven; and we might have a thousand good deeds written down in those books, but it will do us no good if our name is found missing from one book in particular. The Bible shares the name of this book. Listen closely, as I read from Revelation:
Revelation 3:5 says, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels,” and Revelation 21:27 states, “There shall by no means enter [into heaven] anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
We’re also informed in Revelation 20:15 that “anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” So, the Lord keeps a record of our sins and our temptations; therefore, it’s very important to make sure that our name is written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
You’re To Blame for Temptation (James 1:13-14)
Modern psychology says that if we’re experiencing a problem in our life, that we should search our past and try to identify any negative influences we might have encountered along the way. It is believed that understanding where we came from and realizing that our problem isn’t our own fault will provide a sense of closure and release, and help us move on and begin to see healing. In observing this premise in action, we will often see people blaming others for their problems.
We live in a society permeated by this way of thinking, and people love to play the blame game when they get into trouble. The devil wants us to feel like a victim, for victims are held hostage by their captor and are helpless to change their circumstances. God says that we are held accountable for our own actions, which means that I alone determine my responses to certain situations that come into my life. James said, for example, that when temptation comes knocking on our door that we are oftentimes the one who’s responsible. We read in James 1:13-14:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God;” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed (James 1:13-14).
If we are the one who has allowed temptation to creep in, then we must be the one to rebuke the devil and send him running – and we can, for we are filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit! We are not a victim; but rather, someone who holds authority for binding and losing, according to Matthew 16:19.
So, who’s to blame for our temptation? Apparently it’s not God, for the text clearly states that God is not involved with the evils of sin or temptation, and that the Lord doesn’t tempt anyone. So, what about Satan? Can we blame him? The devil is specifically called “the tempter” in 1 Thessalonians 3:5. He’s also portrayed as a “schemer” (cf. Eph 6:11; 2 Cor 2:11); a “liar” and “the father of lies” (Jn 8:44); a “roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (1 Pt 5:8); and as one who seeks to lay a “snare” or “trap” (2 Tm 2:26). Satan is definitely a low-life who would resort to using temptation in an attempt to destroy our walk with God.
What we need to comprehend is that he’s only “the tempter.” He presents us with a choice or an alternative decision in our spiritual journey. He is not an assassin who has a gun pointed at our head forcing us to do what’s wrong! So, let us not ascribe him that much power over our lives! Now, it’s true that the devil is partially to blame, but we need to accept some responsibility ourselves. Why?
We read, “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (Jas 1:14). James pointed out that each believer has his or her “own desires.” They’re not Satan’s desires, or the Lord’s desires, but “our own desires.” Human beings are weak creatures with wandering minds that are easily distracted and quickly go astray, and people have a difficult time keeping focused on one solitary thing.
The Lord wants us to worship Him alone for He is a jealous God, wanting all of our devotion directed toward Him (Ex 20:3-4). We’re supposed to live our life focused on God and His Son, Jesus Christ (Heb 12:1-2), but we can get off course whenever our fleshly desires cause us to start looking toward other things; and once again, I will emphasize that they’re “our desires.”
What the devil does is he preys on “our desires.” He knows our weak points and he hits us when we’re down. For instance, Paul advised husbands and wives not to stay apart from each other for an extended period time; and what was his reason? He said, “So that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Cor 7:5). So, one example is that he preys on physical desires, at a point when those desires are strong. When “our desires” are strong or overwhelming, we are in a state of weakness.
Jesus had been victorious over all of Satan’s temptations, and Luke said, “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time” (Lk 4:13). When Luke mentioned an “opportune time,” he was explaining how the devil was hoping to catch Jesus off guard when He was experiencing a moment of weakness; but praise God that Jesus was never caught off guard by the devil! Amen?
What the devil does is he observes us and then takes note of our weaknesses and distractions, and then he tries to use them against us; and this is when we’re “enticed,” as verse 14 says. These are his temptations, or his fiery darts (Eph 6:16), and they’re manifested in our life similar to what we see depicted in the cartoon where the little devil is sitting our shoulder whispering in our ear.
The battlefield is within our mind (cf. Rm 12:2; 2 Cor 10:4-5; 1 Pt 1:13); and the devil will, in essence, whisper in our ear and bring to our attention - or bring to mind - the very thing which “we desire.” We can try to blame it on the devil, but we should really blame ourselves for having desires other than those that please the Lord.
Temptation Can Lead You to Sin (James 1:15)
Temptation is the seed of sin. If a seed lands in dry soil, receiving little water and nutrients, and left completely unattended, it will not grow; and so it is with the seed of sin. If we will leave temptation by the wayside, it will no longer trouble us with its enticement. But like a seed, it can lie dormant, waiting for the least little bit of nourishment. So, watch out!
If we nourish temptation, then it will grow and branch out through our life like kudzu, strangling every branch of vitality in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Sin will then flourish while we’re left withering on the vine. James spoke about temptation being like a seed. In James 1:15, we read:
Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death (James 1:15).
So, when does temptation become wrong, or is temptation wrong? Temptation, since it’s defined simply as “a test,” is not wrong in and of itself; and experiencing temptation does not make us evil or bad, for even Jesus was tempted by the devil (cf. Mt 4:1; Mk 1:13; Lk 4:1-2). What becomes wrong is when temptation “conceives” and “gives birth to sin.”
Temptation is not the same thing as sin. Where temptation is “a test,” sin is defined as “missing a target or taking a wrong road,” and it is “concrete wrongdoing, [and] the violation of God’s law.”(4) Temptation is a misguided thought which has the potential to become sin; however, sin is when we act and do the very thing that we have contemplated. Sin is deliberate wrongdoing and disobedience against God.
For example, if we like cars, the devil might take advantage of that fact and tempt us to covet and obsess over purchasing a new car. It’s not wrong if we admire a car simply for its beauty or craftsmanship; however, it becomes wrong whenever we think about the car over and over. It becomes wrong whenever our admiration turns into coveting and we feel like we can’t live without it; and then we purchase a car that we can’t afford, and we wind up in major, strangling debt.
If you’re a man, and you have a lustful thought enter your mind about a woman, just the thought isn’t a sin; however, it becomes sin if you allow that thought to remain and you linger on it (Mt 5:28). It’s especially sin if you act on it and do the very thing you thought about. The temptation isn’t wrong; however, dwelling on it and meditating on it is wrong, for that’s what results in the temptation conceiving and potentially becoming full-fledged sin.
You Can Overcome Temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Back in James 1:12, we read, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation,” alluding to how it’s possible to both “endure” and “overcome.” In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul shared some information on overcoming our temptations. He stated:
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
So, how can we overcome temptation? The first thing to note is that every person in the world has experienced temptation. No one is immune, and we’re not alone in what we’re experiencing; for even Jesus endured temptation.
In Hebrews 4:15, we read of Jesus, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus was God in human form, and He experienced the weaknesses of the flesh such as temptation, but He did not succumb to temptation and commit sin. We read that He was without sin. Jesus knows what we’re going through with temptation because He went through it Himself; and as a result, He can help us endure and overcome!
It’s important to understand that we really can have victory over temptation! Paul stated how “with the temptation [He] will also make the way of escape” (1 Cor 10:13). The “way of escape” is an alternative choice, and a better and more righteous decision. Hebrews 2:18 says, “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” If we’ll turn to Jesus for help then He will guide us to the correct decision, and we can overcome temptation.
So, how does a person turn to Jesus for help during temptation? We can turn to Him in prayer. The first line of the hymn “Sweet Hour of Prayer” says, “In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief, and oft escaped the tempter’s snare by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!” Through prayer we’re able to turn to Jesus for wisdom and strength during temptation, and prayer itself is actually a weapon to fight temptation.
In “The Lord’s Prayer” Jesus taught His followers how to pray (cf. Mt 6:8-13), and He provided some practical advice on how to handle temptation. He said that believers should pray, “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Mt 6:13). It’s good to pray for help in the midst of temptation, and the Lord did say that He would “make the way of escape” (1 Cor 10:13); but why should we wait until the temptation arrives in order to battle it with prayer? Instead of praying defensively, we should pray offensively and head off the temptation before it ever strikes!
Time of Reflection
So, tonight we’ve been shown a very sneaky tactic of the devil called “temptation,” and we’ve been encouraged that we can indeed overcome. We’ve been taught that 1) God keeps track of our responses to temptation; that 2) we’re responsible for temptation whenever we have desires other than what the Lord desires; that 3) our susceptibility and tendency toward temptation doesn’t make us evil, for it becomes evil only when we act on it; and that 4) we can overcome temptation by calling on Jesus for help through our prayers both during and before temptation.
Remember, each and every person in the world is tempted to sin, and each and every person has committed sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Did you catch that part about falling short? As we just learned, sin is missing the target. So, what happens when you miss the mark with God? As we just read in our passage from James, “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:15).
Romans 6:23 tells us, “The wages of sin is death.” Our earnings, or the penalty for sin is spiritual death, which is equivalent to spending eternity in the flames of hell; however, this doesn’t have to be the case, for Romans 6:23 goes on to say, “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If we will confess our sins, believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, receive Him into our heart, and confess Him before others, then we will be forgiven of our sins and receive eternal life (Romans 10:9-10).
NOTES
(1) Kent Crockett’s Sermon Illustrations, Jokes, and Stories: http://www.kentcrockett.com/cgi-bin/illustrations/index.cgi?topic=Temptation (Accessed March 26, 2010).
(2) “Temptation,” Dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/temptation (Accessed March 26, 2010).
(3) “Temptation,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, on Logos 2.1E CD-ROM (Oak Harbor, WA: 1996).
(4) “Sin,” The New Bible Dictionary, on Logos 2.1E CD-ROM (Wheaton, Il: Tyndale House Publishers, 1962).
