Tempted

Text: “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).

Why would Paul give this information to the people of Corinth? During Paul’s day, there was just as much evil in the world as there is today. The devil was tempting people then just as he is temping people today. Temptation has been an issue since man was created.

When God first created man and woman there was no sin present, but there was one present who would bring about an enticement causing sin to enter the world. Scripture tells us that the serpent, also known as the devil or Satan, posed much more danger than any other animal God created.

Satan, disguised as a serpent, was a very sneaky, devious, and shrewd being who did not want to see God claim any victory. He is a created being and as we know, created beings do have limitations as to what they can do. At one time, he was an angel, but he rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven with one-third of the heavenly angels. He placed a question mark in the mind of Adam and Eve where God had already placed a period. Do you recall his words to the woman?

He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1) Satan was placing a thought in Eve’s mind that would lead her to making a decision. This very same thing happens to us.

We may have been doing something constructive and good for a number of years and then one day we begin to wonder if what we are doing is good, bad, or needs to be changed. Our life has been good, our conscience has been clear, and we have been able to walk around with a smile on our face and love in our heart. Suddenly something happens within us whereby we begin to reconsider what we are doing and we begin to look worldly.

Satan has planted a seed of temptation within our mind. This happens to married couples. The couple has had a good marriage, a good relationship, a beautiful family and then the husband or the wife meets someone who seems to offer them more than what they have and the trap is set.

Satan steps in and plants a thought or a seed in the mind of one of the partners. The thought might be in the form of working late nights on a project together; invitation to lunch or dinner; offering a ride to some destination; a friendly phone call, text message, email, or simply listening to one with a heavy heart. Sympathy is extended along with ulterior motives. Lust of the flesh appears on the minds horizon.

Satan is out to win a victory and break up a family relationship. He is trying to steal one of God’s children by tempting them to commit a sinful act. He is attempting to lead one down the wide road leading to destruction, sin, and separation from Almighty God.

This is what Satan did to Eve when he proposed the question: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1)

Satan was tempting or testing Eve to see what she would do. Eve could have resisted simply by following the guidelines of God. She could have communicated with God. She could have simply said “No!” The other thing she could have done was to ignore Satan and move on with her life.

The bait planted by Satan caused Eve to doubt the goodness of God. God told Eve that if the forbidden fruit was eaten death would occur, but Satan told her just the opposite. Satan said, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

Satan gave Eve the impression that God was selfish and did not want her to have all the knowledge and understanding He had. Eve failed to realize what all God had provided for her and Adam. She didn’t give thought to the fact she and Adam were special creations of God and were superior to all of God’s other creations. Eve did not concentrate on what she had, but instead, she concentrated on what she did not have.

You and I do the same thing. We are special and priceless to our Father. There are times we are blinded by things we think we need instead of focusing on the many things God has provided for us. God gave each of us the breath of life. He breathed life into our bodies. At times, we feel sorry for ourselves because something did not go our way or we do not have what looks good to us.