WHAT CAN I DO WHEN I AM TEMPTED TO DO WHAT I DON’T WANT TO DO? (I Corinthians 10:13)
By
Jerry Falwell
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Many new Christians think that getting saved will make all lust for sin to go away. Actually, some new Christians will suffer more severe temptation than ever.
B. On the other hand, God takes away from some all desire for vile sin at the moment of salvation. They never have to face it again. I’ve seen God take away alcoholism, addiction to smoking or cursing, at the moment of salvation. On the other hand I’ve seen some face continued temptation to these sins.
C. The Lord’s Prayer - "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13). First, since Jesus instructed us to make this prayer, He certainly expects us to be delivered. Second, since God warned us that temptation would come, He doesn’t automatically take it away.
D. The Bible promises a crown to those who are victorious over temptation. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him" (James 1:12).
II. HOW TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION.
1. Every Christian no matter how spiritual or how carnal: no matter how long they’ve been saved or short they’ve been saved; will be tempted. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man" (I Corinthians 10:13).
2. Temptation falls into two categories. First, the desire to do wrong things. Second, the temptation not to do right things. "Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). The first temptation involves wanting to get drunk, commit adultery, or steal. The second temptation involves staying home from church, not tithing, or not winning souls.
3. Every time you sin it hurts. It’s just like having a brand new car. Every accident hurts the car and decreases its value. So every sin hurts the Christians.
B. God promises that temptation will not be greater than the Christian can handle. "Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able" (I Cor. 10:13).
1. Many Christians think they’ve got to give up when they face a problem. The perfect Christian life is not one without problems. "Yet man is born into trouble and the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7). The perfect Christian life is one that overcomes problems.
2. God has promised that no temptation will be greater than our resistance to bear it. "God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (I Corinthians 10:13).
C. CHRISTIANS SHOULD QUOTE THE BIBLE WHEN TEMPTED.
1. The only person to ever live without sin was Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 5:21, I Peter 2:22, Hebrews 4:15).
2. When Jesus was tempted He always quoted the Scriptures. Jesus was tempted to make rocks into bread, to throw Himself off of the pinnacle of the temple, and to fall down and worship Satan. Jesus answered, "It is written . . ." (Matthew 4:4).
3. The Bible is a sword that will protect us in temptation. "For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12).
4. The Bible is not magical. Just because we rub it like some people rub a rabbit’s foot, does not mean we will get victory. Victory comes in the following manner:
a. We must constantly study the content of the Bible to be knowledgeable and have insight into how sin get to us.
b. When lust catches us in a moment of weakness, the influence of the Word of God will give us strength and put our thoughts back on God.
c. Constant study of the Bible will keep us clean. "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word" (Ephesians 5:26).
d. The Bible cleanses us and revives us. "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether" (Psalms 19:9).
D. CHRISTIANS SHOULD STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN.
1. Some Christians get into sin, simply because they are tempted. We do not give in to every salesman that asks us to buy his product. We do not give in to every commercial on television simply because it is aired. Neither should we give in to every sin simply because it comes across our path.
2. We have two natures within our heart that war against each other. "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24).
The old nature will always want us to sin. The new nature will always want us to do righteousness.
3. We cannot always "blame" God when we fall into sin. God expects us to do our part. We have to "resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
E. CHRISTIANS SHOULD PRAY FOR DELIVERANCE.
1. Sometimes we do not have deliverance from temptation because we do not ask for victory. "Ye have not because ye ask not" (James 4:2).
2. God has instructed us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation" (Luke 11:4a).
3. Pray for deliverance before you fall into sin. Some people don’t pray until they have suffered the consequences. An unmarried pregnant girl once prayed, "Lord, make me un-pregnant." This is a prayer that God cannot answer. God can deliver her through the circumstances. This is God’s mercy.
a. We should pray before we get into the circumstances to keep us from overpowering circumstances.
b. We should pray in the circumstances that God would undo history and make it never happen.
c. We cannot pray after the circumstances that God would undo history and make it never happen.
F. CHRISTIANS SHOULD CONFESS THEIR SINS IMMEDIATELY.
1. A Christian needs to confess his sins to get back in fellowship with God. "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
2. A Christians cannot even pray to God until he confesses his sins. "Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1-2).
3. Confession means more than saying "I am sorry." In the original language it means to "say the same thing." When you confess your sins, you call it the same thing that God calls it.
4. Three ways to handle confession:
a. If it is a private sin, the Christian should have private confession.
b. If it is a public sin, there should be public confession. "Confess your faults one to another" (James 5:16).
c. Confession and restitution. If you have stolen or "borrowed" from others, it must be returned. "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
G. CLAIM THE BLOOD FOR POWER OVER TEMPTATION.
1. There is an old hymn that proclaims, "Would you be free from the burden of sin? There is power in the blood." When you are tempted, ask God to cleanse your mind by the blood of Jesus Christ so you won’t think on sin.
2. By daily walking in the light, we have the cleansing of the blood. "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin" (I John 1:7).
H. PRACTICE OVERCOMING TEMPTATION.
1. A Christian does not have to give in to temptation. Every time he wins the victory, he should realize that is one step in a long staircase toward spiritual maturity. Every victory is a step forward.
2. Someone said, "Success is failure with a new coat of paint." We realize that we have failed, but we learn our lessons from our failure. Then we continue to overcome our failures.
3. Every victory should form a pattern of success that will give us a habit of succeeding.
I. THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD YIELD HIMSELF COMPLETE TO GOD.
1. There should be an active commitment of the will to God. "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God" (Romans 6:13).
2. Yielding means surrender. When an army surrenders to its enemy, it lays down its arms. That’s what a Christian should do. Give yourself to God. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness" (Romans 6:16).
3. A great preacher once said, "God will not burglarize your will." God will not drag people kicking and screaming into spiritual maturity. Every person must decide to serve Jesus Christ and every person must decide to grow in Christ. God will not make us a spiritual Christian, but if we decide to become a spiritual Christian, God will work to accomplish that goal.
J. THE CHRISTIAN MUST ACCEPT THE LEADERSHIP OF CHRIST.
1. First we must come to Jesus Christ. "Come unto me, al ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:28,29).
2. When you accept the leadership of Christ, you let him become the Lord of your life. Jesus Christ is always the Lord, but many people do not let Him become the Lord of their life. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).
K. A CHRISTIAN MUST WALK BY FAITH
1. Faith is having trust in our heavenly Father. When a father would not let his little boy play in the street, the little boy got mad. He complained that his father was "mean." The little boy was wrong. His father was only protecting his son from danger, he was still his father. When we walk by faith, we trust our heavenly Father and not our own insight.
2. Faith is always looking to God to direct our life, and following the written principles in the Word of God. One of the best statements of faith in God’s word is Hebrews 12:2. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."
If we are looking unto Jesus, we are not looking to our temptation. Every Christian can overcome temptation if he is looking unto Jesus.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Contact us and ask for a copy of The How To Book or use The How To Book Online (Falwell.com). It is a booklet that will answer many of the questions you are sure to have about living the Christian life. And when you contact us, tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
