Tempted But Winning Series

Church in the City – Chapter 10

Tempted but Winning

October 13, 2024

All of us have been tempted! All of us will be tempted again! It will never stop!

Paul was about to remind the “educated and modern” Corinthians that they were being tempted with the same things the Israelites had struggled with in the desert thousands of years earlier.

1 Corinthians 10:6-10 NIV

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

History is a warning.

One of the problems of our postmodern world is believing “right now” or the present moment is the arbiter of everything instead of seeing the grand narrative of history, of which we are but a small part.

In other words, history can teach us more than we think.

V.13 – No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.

Temptations are distorted desires – wanting right things wrongly, right now.

Our enemy keeps running the same three plays and they keep working – Money, Power, Sex

God is aware of our humanity.

V.13b. – “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear …”

Psalm 103: 13-14 NIV

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”

Jesus has won so we can win.

v.13c – “But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

When are we most prone to temptations?

Luke 4:13-14a NIV

“When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. 14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit …”

1. When we are tired.

2. When we are hungry.

3. When we are isolated.

4. When we are wounded.

James 4:7 NIV

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Most of us fall into temptation because there’s very little resistance!!

Resist – stand your ground!!

We’re strong because Jesus is strong. We are confident because of what Jesus has done and who he is, forever!!

Hebrews 4:15-16 NIV

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”