Overcoming Temptation – Part 1
(1 Corinthians 10:13 – KJV)
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
(1 Corinthians 10:13 – KJV)
Temptations come to all of us; whether Christians or non-Christians. All of us, in every aspect of our lives, face temptation. Note, however, that temptation is “not sin”, but yielding to (or giving in) to the temptation ” is sin.”
The Bible tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ after He was baptised, and before He began His ministry, went into the wilderness, and fasted for forty days and nights, after which He was hungry. The tempter, the devil, came and there he tempted Jesus saying, “if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” Jesus replied, “…it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:3-4 – KJV).
Each time our Lord Jesus Christ was tempted there in the wilderness by the tempter, Jesus replied, “it is written.” He used the Word of God against him.
You and I as believers also face temptation in one way or another. The tempter comes and through your thoughts says to you, ‘Since temptation is not sin,’ then you and I can look at a movie that would arouse our sexual desires, or you can indulge in other sexual pleasures outside of marriage since no one is there to see you. We then give in to the temptation, and the feelings of guilt come upon us because God’s Holy Spirit, Who dwells in our hearts, tells us that what we have done was wrong.
Once you and I have come to that place where we recognise that we have sinned, we must know that God does not want us to pity ourselves and remain in sin. No! For it is written, that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 – KJV).
As believers, we have God’s written Word, the Holy Bible, that is able to make us wise unto salvation. We can only know what “is written” by reading and meditating on His Word. Therefore, when we are faced with temptations, let us boldly declare like our LORD, “it is written.” Remember, Jesus Christ is LORD over every crisis of temptation that comes our way.
Prayer
Father in heaven, we pray the prayer that is taught to us by our LORD Jesus Christ, “..And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” It is written in Your Word, that we are tempted when we are drawn away by our evil lust. Therefore, it is our prayer that when the tempter (Satan) comes with the temptation, we would like our Master, declare, “it is written,” and stand firm on Your Word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Read: Matthew 26:41; James 1:12; 2 Peter 2:9
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 75; Acts 13:13-41; I Kings 6; I Kings 7:1-22
