“GOD WILL MAKE A WAY”
1 Cor 10:13
INTRODUCTION
Having Christ in your heart does not mean that you will no longer have problems. The Lord said it very plainly in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble.” Christians and non-Christians will both encounter problems in this life.
This morning I want us to consider one verse in particular, namely: 1 Cor. 10:13. It says, “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” (NIV).
I have yet to hear somebody say, “I have a big TEMPTATION in my life.” We always say, “I have a big PROBLEM in my life.” Your problem could be about your finances (you are in the verge of foreclosing your house), your job (you just got a job termination notice), your family (your son is taking drugs or your daughter is going out with a married man or your spouse is threatening to divorce you), or about other areas of life. You may choose to call it stress, frustrations, mental anguish, crisis, or any other name. The fact is, your problem is potentially a temptation to act against God’s moral standards. It could be that you are tempted to cheat, to life, to be mean, to hurt someone, and a variety of other unchristian reactions.
Today, I want us to see 7 principles about TEMPTATION.
1. TEMPTATION IS “COMMON TO MAN”
You say, “You don’t understand. Nobody has it as bad as me.” You’re wrong. Everybody experiences some kind of temptation. Even the Lord Jesus Himself was tempted in all points (Heb. 4:15). The Lord was not exempted.
I want to make it clear that God does not tempt anyone in the sense of enticing to sin (James 1:13). However, he allows “trials” and “testing” in our life in order to strengthen our faith and to confirm our allegiance to Him.
2. TEMPTATION IS UNIQUE TO “YOU”
You say, “You don’t know my boss” or “You don’t know my kids” or “You’re not married to my wife.” You’re right about that. She is your wife, not mine. In a sense, it is unique to you. You yourself got into this problem. It’s yours, not mine. But don’t forget something. I have my own unique problem. What we share is the fact that we both have problems. We are in the same boat, so to speak. You have your mess and I have mine. What is common to us is the fact that we are both a mess.
The point is, we have different weaknesses and different degrees of weakness and God is dealing with us individually, according to our need. I may be weak in money matters so God is testing me in this area with the view of strengthening me in this area. Your weakness may be in sexual matters and so God is testing you in that area with the end in mind of making you stronger in resisting sexual temptations.
3. TEMPTATION PROVES THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
“God is faithful” to Himself. He cannot deny Himself. In fact, “if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself” (2 Tim. 2:15). It is “godlike” (natural for God) for Him to act in love. He cannot but love just as light cannot keep itself from throwing light in a dark room. Paul says that the grace of God increases proportionate to the degree of sin (Romans 5:20). What he means is that the greater the sin the more grace is required. It is no excuse to sin as Paul is very careful to point out (Romans 6:1). It is simply the fact as, in the case of water, “water rises on its own level,” as the old saying goes.
“God is faithful” also to His Word. This is an encouragement for us to know His Word because “there hath not failed one word of all his good promise” (1 Kings 8:56). Claim His promises. Trust His Word. Apply it on your circumstance. Eph. 6:17 says that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit by which you can overcome and be victorious.
4. GOD WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED “BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR”
God knows your strength. He knows what you can bear. If you are a “babe in Christ,” like a Grade I teacher, He will only give you a Grade I test. Will you give your 7-year old boy a 50-pound bag of rice to carry? Of course not. So where in the world did you get the idea that God will allow a problem that is beyond your ability to carry? Are you a better in fathering that God? Cease the thought.
5. TEMPTATION IS CERTAIN
Our text does not say “if” you are tempt but rather “when” you are tempted. In other words, it’s just a matter of when. Problems are sure to come. It’s in the territory, so they say. The question is, are you ready? Do you know how to handle temptation? Do you know what the Word of God teaches about temptation? When are you going to prepare yourself?
6. “GOD WILL PROVIDE A WAY OUT”
I think it is a mistake for us to pray, “God, I pray that you take this problem away” or “Lord, please spare me from trouble.” It is true that the Lord teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation” (Matt. 6:13). I see that as a statement of truth that God does not lead into temptation, that is, He does not entice someone to sin.
I don’t think our text is telling us to ask God to make a way around our problems. If you read the text right, you will see that you are already in the problem. “The way out” then is God’s overpowering triumph and deliverance from the problem.
Don Moen wrote a song from which we borrowed the title of this message. Here is the lyrics of that heart-moving song:
God will make a way,
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way.
By a roadway in the wilderness, He’ll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain
He will do something new today.
God will make a way,
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way
7. GOD WILL HELP YOU TO STAND UP UNDER TEMPTATION
The moment you decide to trust God, He will infuse His strength through the Holy Spirit so that you can say with Paul, “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). He will help you to go through the problem with peace in your heart and a song in your lips. You will be like the three Jewish young men who were thrown into the furnace of fire by the decree of Nebuchadnezzar. But you have to have the attitude of those young men who boldly proclaimed to the king, “If you throw us into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from the furnace. He will save us from your power, O king. But even if God does not save us, we want you, O king, to know this: We will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up" (Daniel 3:17-18).
CONCLUSION
I received an e-mail sometime ago. The story is a fitting conclusion to this message. It is about a mountain climber who decided to scale Mount Everett alone. Before he reached the top, darkness has fallen. It was so dark that he could not see anything. All of a sudden he lost his footing and he fell down until the rope pulled him back. His life flashed before him as he was falling. He cried, “God, please help me!” He heard a voice from above, “You really want Me to help you?” He said, “Yes, God!” “You really believe I can save you?” “Yes, God!” “Then cut the rope loose!” In the morning, rescuers found him frozen still clutching to the rope only ten feet from the ground.”
Brothers and sisters, God can make a way but you must take the risk to trust Him and choose His deliverance.
