UNDERSTANDING TEMPTATION.
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and 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, so that you will be able to endure it.”- 1 Corinthians 10:13
In the context of what has just been written, Paul speaks of Great Privileges which the children of Israel experienced and also shows with great testing comes great privilege and great responsibility. These things were written as a warning to us in seeing how Israel fell spiritually despite the great blessings. Over confidence can lead to a lack of dependence upon God and lead to sinning against God in times of temptation. Temptation in itself is not sin, but the goal of satan is to tempt you, solicit you into yielding to the temptation in order for you and me to sin and offend God.
Let’s consider Three truths for you to know about in every temptation you will face;
1. – TEMPTATION IS NOT UNIQUE TO YOU;
“No Temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man.” Temptation is not unique to any one of us alone. Often we may think or say, “No one understands.”- God does and He tells us that it is “…common to man.” You and I are not the only one to face this particular temptation, whatever it may be. Others have gone through exactly the same trial as we have and they have come through it triumphantly by God’s Grace. Some not so.
What does the word “Temptation mean?”
The word “temptation” speaks of a “test” or “to prove.” It is a neutral word. It is not sinful. “Temptation” has two meanings depending on the context. It means either to put one to a test in order to approve the thing or person who is being tested as in Genesis twenty two verse one where it is used of God testing Abraham to see if he would be obedient in regards the sacrifice of his son. The testing is an opportunity for the believer to obey and pass the test. The test is not set up for the believer to fail! God allows trials and orchestrates trials as a way of developing our faith, and purifying and maturing us- {Read James 1:2-5, 1:12.} The second meaning as in the context in James chapter one is “to solicit one to do evil.” Satan’s goal is to seduce us, trip us up to sin against God! It is used in James chapter one verse twelve as a trial and in verse thirteen and fourteen it is used for temptation- to solicit us to sin. The context dictates and it is the person’s response which determines which one.
2. – “GOD IS FAITHFUL.”–
This is a PROMISE, God is reliable, trustworthy, faithful. You can count on Him.In times of temptation or proving, we must remember the character of God. He can be trusted. He has the wisdom, power to guide you, empower you. His character is what to focus on to think and strengthen your faith!
He will not allow us to be tempted beyond the ability He has given to us so that we have no other option but to sin!–
{ Read -Phil 4:13; 2 Pet 1:3; Eph 1:19 ; Eph 6:10-18 ; Col 1:11; 2 Cor 9:8; 2 Cor 12:9; 1 Tim 2:1}.
If we respond in obedience to God in the test it results in praise to Him. The test affords an opportunity to prove and demonstrate faithfulness to God. If we choose to respond in disobedience to His Word then it is a temptation to evil and sin-{Read James 1:13-15.} We choose to sin because we allow the temptation or solicitation to evil to entice us and then we chose to disobey God and give birth to sin against God. In the midst of a temptation, as severe as they are, we are to remember He is present with us to meet us – “a very present help in trouble”– {Psalm 46:1.}. He is able and can enable and empower us to do that which is pleasing in His sight, to strengthen us in the midst of the trial to honor Him and obey Him – {Read Hebrews 13:21}. In the day of trouble He commands me and you to “Call upon Him” – {Ps 50:15.}. ” He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. ” -{Psalm 91:15}. In your time of temptation note the promise “I will be with him!” You are not alone in time of temptation.
3. – THE WAY OF ESCAPE–
The Temptation is specific “THE” Temptation and so is the way of escape “THE way of escape.” {Emphasis added}. The word“Escape”- {Ekbasis} means “a way out of a defile, a mountain pass.”
The idea is that of an army trapped and surrounded…or trapped in a rugged country, which manages to escape through a mountain pass. What a beautiful picture, harrowing to be sure “surrounded” does not sound too “beautiful” but look again there is “the” provision of the way of escape from their enemies! And so for you too, God’s beloved. God makes “the” way of escape for you in every temptation you face and will ever face, so that you are able to “endure” it and not sin against Him!
TEMPTATION, YOU AND GOD’S WORD.– “The way of escape” may be to “flee,” from sin as a fugitive flees and does everything not to be apprehended. At times it may be to “stand,” it may be to “submit” or “resist.” How are we to know? Follow the pattern the Lord Jesus gave us when tempted. He replied to each temptation, “It is written…it is written…it is written.”- {Read Matt 4;4-10}. As the Perfect man, He shows us how to deal with temptation. By using God’s Word, and even when satan quoted a verse out of context as a tool to try and manipulate Jesus, He quickly countered by accurately dividing God’s Word. It is not enough to “know” Scripture but to be able to accurately divide it is also imperative. to accurately apply it! For the onslaught of demonic temptation God shows us our great need is accurately handling and living out His Word. Consider these passages…
“I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”- 1 John 2:14
“…in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all
the flaming arrows of)the evil one.”- Ephesians 6:16
”And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”- {Matthew 4:3-4}
It is one thing to admire and agree with God’s Word, it is another thing to do it! How can you and I recall what God says if we are not in it and hiding it, meditating on it with the intent of applying it? -{Read James 1:22;Psalm 1;2}
God is never a spectator in your times of testing but actively participating and empowering and enabling you to choose His Way of escape and providing His Word as your weapon in the fight.
We need to read His Word, hide His Word in our hearts, obey it and fight with it against the evil one and hold ourselves to account by it. God is Faithful in the time of temptation to show “the” way of escape from sinning against Him and others. We can resist in His Power-{Eph 6:10.}
We escape the temptation by honoring and obeying God in the test. Know in every time of your testing… there is Hope. The Lord is Faithful. Temptations are common to all people. There is none exclusive to me or you alone. Others have gone through them. The warning and lesson in 1 Corinthians 10 is to learn from the failures of others.
Self confidence is a spiritual banana skin that leads away from dependence upon God and ultimate falling away from Gods goal, which is to trust and honor Him in the midst of great privilege. The time of testing, is an opportunity to express love and loyalty to God and mature spiritually by responding in obedience to His Word. With each temptation satan comes to solicit and entice us to sin against God. But he cannot make me or you sin. Sin is a choice I make. Sin is a choice you make. God is active and faithful to always provide THE way of escape from sinning against Him in every circumstance where the evil one would entice to sin against God. God is also actively involved to enable us to respond in a God honoring way.
“TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE.” –
God will not allow you to be so pressured that you do not have the spiritual resources to resist the evil temptation and sin against Him.
He has given you everything you need for life and Godliness for the temptation. He has given you precious and magnificent promises to empower, encourage and for you to avail of. -{Read 2 Peter 1:3-4}. God does give us the ability to handle the intensity and severity of the temptation so we need not yield or choose to sin!
“SO THAT YOU MAY ENDURE”-
The good news is that you do not have to YIELD to sin.
The verse is not teaching God will not put on more than what you can bear, but it is teaching God will never have you in a situation without Divine ability so that you DO NOT HAVE TO SIN AGAINST GOD IN THE TEMPTATION!
HOW DO WE ENDURE?
A. We endure through focusing on the Lord Jesus and trusting Him,-{Hebrews 12:2}.
B. Doing His Word-{James 1:22; Mat 4:4}
C. Praying to Him -{Psalm 50:15, Mark 14:38}.
D. Applying God’s power- {2 Peter 1;3.}
E. Exercising God’s “precious and magnificent Promises.”- {2 Peter 1:4}.
James is writing to believers, as is Paul. Paul himself knew the power of the traitor within as he refers to it in Romans 7:18-25. We need to recognize our own propensity towards sin and reject it and protest through choosing God’s provision, His Word is our spiritual weapon – He is faithful to provide “the” way of escape. We need to guard our minds- and “dwell” on truth. The word ‘dwell ” is a command, continuous to evaluate, calculate,consider.- {Read Phil 4:8}. Recognize the temptation, realize it’s goal is you personally choose to submit to it and sin against God! We need to guard our minds from things that would tempt to drag us away from Him and entice, ensnare and enslave us.
What is it that incites your own particular “lusts?” Lusts are not always sexual. There ma be lust for pride, to be the prominent one, praised, There is the lust for materialism, to be praised. There is the temptation to doubt God, doubt His goodness, care for you. Doubt He keeps His Word to believe He may do so others but not for you! Yield to fears, despair, doubt His Promises. The attack comes to your mind, a thought and when you do not take the thought captive you find the thoughts capture you! You have a thought come and you listen to it and instead of RECOGNIZING AND REPLACING it with TRUTH, you choose to believe a lie. God cannot be trusted. It is to believe He may mean well but He is not able to meet!
What do you need to change, what habit patterns, situations, what you watch, listen to, read, or relationships which only add to the temptation?
What do you need to avoid?
What are some things, or who are some people who can strengthen you to pursue God and the things of God, which you should actively seek out?
Jesus told His disciples to “Pray”- Mark 14:38; James tells us we are commanded to “Rejoice.” It lit. means “Immediately commence rejoicing” because we “know” what God is doing…to develop us spiritually. We are to “resist” the evil one- 1 Pet 5:9 and we do so as we “submit” to the Lord and His ways. Here in 1 Corinthians 10 we are told to learn from the failures of others and there is Hope we need not sin in times of temptation- There is His PROMISE FOR US IN TIMES OF TEMPTATION. God has made provision for us.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR EVERY TEMPTATION;
1. – They are not unique to you.
2. – God is Faithful.
3. – God “ will provide THE way of escape…”
Times of temptation are a test of our loyalty either to self or the Savior.
As you evaluate each temptation ask, “who will I choose in this temptation myself or my Savior?”
The PROMISE is that we do not have to yield to temptation and sin against God! But if you or I choose to sin in the time of testing, GOD IN His mercy at great cost to Himself provided His Son so that as we confess our sins He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And as we turn away from known sin to God embracing His way to recognize the purpose of the trial is to build us up in our faith and yet to recognize with the trial is the temptation from satan is to solicit us, trip us up and tempt us to CHOOSE to yield and sin against God.
The evil one can tempt you but he cannot make you sin!
God in this passage has His Hope, His PROMISE, for you and me in our temptation. How kind is He – the God of all Hope.
God’s PROMISE in your Temptation–
Understand…
It is not Unique to you.
God is Faithful.
God provides you with “the way of escape.”
“Lord Jesus, please remind us of these three truths in every temptation- it is not Unique to me, You give me a Promise- You are Faithful and You make Provision for me in providing THE Way of escape. Thank You, for Your PROMISE from Your Word which enables me to Hope and TRUST you in times of temptation.”