Temptation Management-III—Luke 4:1-13
Johnny’s first day of school./Class was to put their right hands over their hearts & repeat the Pledge of Alliegence.
The teacher watched the children as he started the pledge, "I pledge allegiance to the flag..."
She stopped when she noticed Johnny’s right hand over the left side of his rear end.
"Johnny, I will not continue till you put you hand over your heart."
Johnny replied, "Ma’am, It is over my heart."
After several attempts to get Johnny to put his hand over his heart, the teacher asked, "Why do you think that is your heart?"
"Because whenever my Granny visits,
She picks me up, pats me here, & says, ’Bless your little heart,’
& my Granny doesn’t lie!"
Johnny was able to manage the temptation to distrust his Granny.
We must learn to control/manage life’s temptations as well.
We must control personal temptation to prevent falling into Sexual/Drug/Alcohol/Food/ Social-Relationship & Financial, etc... sin, thus freeing God to work in our lives.
Jesus was able manage temptation so that it never became sin.
God’s people must know how to manage temptation...
...because the way we handle temptation is crucial to the effectiveness of our witness.
How are we to manage temptation(effectively)? or
How can we be better at temptation management?
But First,
Why should we be concerned about temptation management?...2 verses:
1Cor. 10:13—“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; & God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”
Jas. 1:12-15—“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, & He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away & enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; & when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”
We found that 7 secrets to temptation management are to...
1. Keep Full
2. Keep Current/Moving
3. Keep Compliant
4. Keep Open
5. Keep Diligent
6. Keep Enemies
7. Keep Humble
An 8th Secret to temptation management is
KEEP ALERT(:2-3)
Explanation:(:2-3)On your toes
“...& when they had ended, He became hungry. “And the devil said to Him,...”
“Hungry”—Limit of physical ability—Death imminent
“And the devil said”—Soothe/Remove burden—Serve flesh/desire
Jn. 8:44—““You are of your father the devil, & you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, & does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, & the father of lies.”
*Dangerous combination!
—Physical Limitation + Temptation
Argumentation:
Gen. 4:7—“If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; & its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
1Pet. 5:8—“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
1Pet. 1:13—“Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Illustration:
In the Market for a new car/Start looking around lot/Car salesman/When he exits the building—Look out!/Keep Alert
S.C./Four Holes Swamp/Cypress knees/Cottonmouth moccasins everywhere/Keep Alert
Credit limit is met/Liquidate mortgage, etc.../Keep Alert
Application:
?You Keep ALERT when faced with Temptation?
?Are you Managing the Temptations you face?
A 9th Secret to temptation management is
KEEP IN THE WORD(:4,8, 12)
Explanation:(:4, 8, 12)
:4—“And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.’””—Deut. 8:3
:8—“And Jesus answered & said to him, “It is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’””—Deut. 6:13
:12—“And Jesus answered & said to him, “It is said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’””—Deut. 6:16
Jesus knew Scripture & the application of Scripture
Obscure verses. Knew them by heart.
Concepts of Scripture understood.
Argumentation:
Eph. 6:17—“And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, & the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Rev. 19:13—“And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; & His name is called The Word of God.”
Ps. 119:11—“Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee.”
Jn. 1:1—“In the beginning was the Word, & the Word was with God, & the Word was God.”
2Tim. 3:16-17—“All Scripture is inspired by God & profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Illustration:
Car/Owner’s manual/5W-30 oil/Change every 3000mi./How the manufacturer deems use/Keep in the Word
Application:
?You Keep IN THE WORD when faced with Temptation?
?Are you Managing the Temptations you face?
A 10th Secret to temptation management is
KEEP BALANCED(:3-4)
Explanation:(:3-4) Complete/Whole/Entire
:3—“And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
—Entirely rational level
“If You are the Son of God”(:3, 9)—
—Question Jesus’ relationship with/to God.
—To tempt Jesus into proving His unique relationship to God.
—Implant in Jesus’ mind, a possibility that He may not be the Son of God & Maybe God is wrong/tyrant?
:4—“And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.’””
Deut. 8:3—““And He humbled you & let you be hungry, & fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.”
—More to life than existence...there is purpose!
Jn. 10:10—“The thief does not come except to steal, & to kill, & to destroy. I have come that they may have life, & that they may have it more abundantly.”
*If you walk around feeling guilty all the time, then there is obviously unforgiven sin in your life!
Why present? Not balanced by Jesus.
Argumentation:
Mat. 6:31-33—““Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’ “For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom & His righteousness; & all these things shall be added to you.”
Mat. 5:20—““For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes & Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Illustration:
Temptation to spend more than we have/BUT if we look at our income & our expenditures & our spending habits, then we will adjust some portion or all of those financial factors.
Mad Cow Disease/Effects balance
Vertigo/Inner ear ineffective/
Cell phone without provider/
Recent graduate starting new business/Workers coming & going/Wanted to impress them/So pretends to call clients on phone/About 5:00pm/Last worker comes in/Picks up phone just before he enters/Motions him in, saying, I’ll be with you in a minute.’/Phone installer/
Keep Balanced or we are fools!
Application:
?You Keep BALANCE when faced with Temptation?
?Are you Managing the Temptations you face?
Conclusion
Action:
Secrets to temptation management are...
Keep Alert
Keep in the Word
Keep Balanced
Keep Open
Keep Diligent
Keep Enemies
Keep Humble
Keep Full
Keep Current/Moving
Keep Compliant
CHILDREN’S— ‘On Cue’
Cell phone
Say, ‘I just don’t have anything planned for you this morning.
Phone Rings—Answer, ‘Why don’t you just send them to their seats & forget about it?’
The devil doesn’t want you to learn about Jesus.
We have to stay alert because right when you are unprepared he’ll show up.
Presented 04/01/01am to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 31797
