Saturday Motivation! Temptation: How to Overcome!

9th January 2021
Saturday Motivation! Temptation! How to Overcome!

Text 1: James 1v14: But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
Text 2: Luke 22v40: And when he came to the place, he said to them, pray that you may not enter into temptation.

What Is Temptation?

Temptation is an immediate pleasure or urge to do something that is illegitimate. It is engaging or seeking short-cuts to the issues of life by acting in a manner that disrupts an individual’s ability to wait for long term-goals that the individual hopes to attain.

Temptation is intentional enticement of a person by some bait. It is most powerful when an individual is lonely. Temptation is usually deceptive and often seems attractive. Temptation lures but later leads to doom. Temptation often looks legitimate but it is simply deception.

What Is Temptation according to the Bible?

Biblically, temptation denotes a trial in which a man has a free choice to either be faithful or unfaithful to God. Temptation also refers to allurement or seduction of man by seen and unseen forces to commit sin.

Temptation is self-gratifying and is further accomplished by the works of the flesh. The purpose of temptation is to entice a person to sin by breaking God’s laws and commands.

The Bible makes it clear that we can overcome and not be overrun by temptation. Temptation is not a sin but yielding to it is a sin. We can overcome temptation by choosing right. Temptation can be enticing but if our flesh rules over us rather than the spirit of God we will easily fall into temptation.

In life, we always have two options to choose from; the good and the bad. Choosing the good is obeying God while choosing the bad is disobeying Him.

We must remember the example of Jesus who was tempted but did not sin. Since Jesus who was the most perfect person that ever lived was tempted, we must be rest-assured that we will be tempted too. But since Jesus overcame temptation, so can we.
When we see disobeying God as a good option to consider, we are in deep trouble. Disobedience leads to frustration and difficulty.

To overcome in life, we cannot be overrun by temptation but we must be aware of the cycle and pattern of temptation. This will prevent us from falling into temptation.
We cannot succeed in our Christian walk if we do not learn to overcome temptations.

As believers, it is very easy to make a confession of faith but when we are faced with temptations if we do not have deep knowledge of scriptures, we will fall. (Luke 8v11-15)

The lusts of the flesh and other worldly desires are so powerful and if we do not work on our weaknesses and know when to flee we may fall. Believers as well as unbelievers have within them powerful desires towards sin and to deny that these desires do not exist is not the way to overcome them.

The way to overcome is to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ; Romans 6v11.

To overcome temptation, we must realize that although sin stems from our sinful flesh, we do not commit any sin except we pursue the sinful agenda or desires.
If we cancel evil thoughts the minute they pop up in our minds, we will not go down the path of carrying them out. The bible cautions us to be careful. 1 Corinthians 10v12; says; let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

We must be careful to yield to any form of temptation because if we do, it becomes a point of vulnerability for further future temptations.

To overcome temptation, we must know that no temptation comes from God but all temptation comes from our sinful desires.
Temptation is not an outside enemy. It lurks within the heart. Temptation is deceptive but ignited by our emotions. We must therefore work on our emotions. We must not live by our emotions. We must live by faith and obedience to God.

Temptation always promises excitement and fulfillment. It never asks us the question; would you like to destroy yourself and your family? Would you like to disgrace God? Rather it would say to you; you can’t get caught, give it a try, it won`t hurt to try etc.

If we fall for these lies, we are on the course that leads to eternal separation from God.
We must therefore watch our thoughts because they become our words. We must watch our words because they become our actions. We must watch our actions because they become our habits. We must watch our habits because they from our character and we must watch our character because this becomes our destiny and our destiny becomes our legacy.

What are the Sources of Temptation?
The sources of temptation are;

1. The world: Materialism (2 Peter 1v4, Galatians 1v4, 1 John 2v 15)
2. The flesh: Hedonism (Romans 7v18, Galatians 5v19-21, James 1v14)
3. Satan: Egoism (Ephesians 6v11, James 4v7)

How can we overcome Temptation?
Temptation is part of our Christian walk but we must know how to resist temptation. The Bible provides solutions to our temptation but it is our responsibility to put these solutions into practice. To overcome temptation, we must be ready and willing to do the following;

1. We Must be prepared for temptations because they will come; 2 Chronicles 12v14
2. We must know our weak points and avoid temptation; James; 1: 14-15
3. We must be filed with the Holy Spirit; Jude 1v20-21
4. We must know who we are; Matthew 4 and Luke 5
5. We must be cautious and must turn away from evil; Proverbs 14v16
6. We must escape into God’s hands by crying out to Him; Psalm 50v15

Let’s take some examples of temptations in the Bible

1. The First sin; Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden; Genesis 3v1-5, 2 Corinthians 11v3
2. Kind David’s temptation and sin of trusting in himself and counting his army; 2 Samuel 24v10-25
3. Joseph’s temptation in the house of his master Potiphar; Genesis 39v7-12
4. Jesus’ temptation by the devil and throughout his earthly ministry; Matthew 4, Luke 22v28, Hebrews 2v18 and Hebrews 4v15.

Let’s look at some bible verses on temptation

1. 1 Peter 5v8: Be Sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour.
2. Matthew 6v13: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
3. James 1v12: Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
4. 1 John 2v1: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.
5. Matthew 26v41: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
6. Romans 6v2: By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
7. 2 Timothy 2v22: So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
8. Matthew 4v1: Then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
9. James 1v13: Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
10. 1 Timothy 6v9: But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
11. Galatians 6v1: Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
12. Mark 14 v38: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
13. 1 Corinthians 7v2: But because of temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
14. Ephesians 6v11: Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
15. 2 Peter 2v9: Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the Day of Judgment.
16. Luke 22v46: And he said to them, why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation
17. Matthew 4v7: Jesus said to him, again it is written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God.
18. Mark 1v13: and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
19. 1 Peter 5v9: Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
20. Luke 4v13: and when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
21. Revelation 2v26: The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
22. Revelation 3v5: the one who conquers will be clothed in white garments and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
    Hallelujah! Amen!

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, please equip me with the grace to resist all forms of temptation and to overcome them this year 2021 and beyond, in Jesus Mighty Name! Amen!
Trillion Amen!
Shalom!