TEMPTATION – PART 2

RESIST IMMEDIATELY; ANY DELAY MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT.

Late one afternoon David got out of bed after taking a nap and went for a stroll on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. -- 2 Samuel 11:2. As David looked from the roof of the palace, he saw a beautiful woman bathing and he was filled with lust. David should have left the roof and fled the temptation. Instead, he entertained the temptation by inquiring about Bathsheba. The results were devastating.

HAVE A PLAN FOR RESISTING TEMPTATION.

To flee temptation,
1 -- ask YHVH in earnest prayer to help you stay away from people, places and situations that may tempt you.
2 -- Memorize and meditate on portions of Scripture that combat your specific weaknesses. At the root of most temptation is a real need or desire that YHVH can fill, but we must trust in His timing.
3) Find another believer with whom you can openly share your struggles and call this person for help when temptation strikes.

REMEMBER THAT TEMPTATION TO SEEMINGLY HARMLESS SINS CAN LEAD TO HARMFUL CONSEQUENCES.

For forty days and forty nights He ate nothing and became very hungry. Then the devil came and said to Him: If You are the Son of Elohim, change these stones into loaves of bread. -- Matthew 4:2-3. The devil, also called the tempter, tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden and here he tempted Yeshua in the desert. Satan is a fallen angel. He is real, not symbolic and is constantly fighting against those who follow and obey YHVH. Satan’s temptations are real and he is always trying to get us to live his way or our way rather than YHVH’s way. Yeshua will one day reign over all creation, but satan tried to force His Hand and get Him to declare His Kingship prematurely. If Yeshua had given in, His mission on earth -- to die for our sins so that we might have eternal life -- would have failed. When temptations seem especially strong or when you think you can rationalize giving in, consider whether satan may be trying to block YHVH’s purposes for your life or for someone else’s life.

REALIZE THAT TEMPTATION, IN ITSELF, IS NOT A SIN.

Yeshua was tempted by the devil, but He never sinned! Although we may feel dirty after being tempted, we should remember that temptation itself is not sin. We sin when we give in and disobey YHVH. Remembering this will help us turn away from the temptation.

DO NOT BE SURPRISED BY TEMPTATION AT UNLIKELY TIMES AND IN UNLIKELY PLACES.

Yeshua wasn’t tempted inside the temple or at His baptism, but in the desert where He was tired, alone, and hungry and thus most vulnerable. The devil often tempts us when we are most vulnerable-when we are under physical or emotional stress -- for example, when we are lonely, tired, weighing big decisions or faced with uncertainty. But he also likes to tempt us through our strengths, where we are most susceptible to pride. We must always guard against his attacks.

DOES TEMPTATION EVER COME FROM GOD?

James 1:12-16; YHVH is never tempted to do wrong and He never tempts anyone else either. Mark 7:14-23; you are defiled by what you say and do! --- Temptation originates not in the mind of YHVH but within the heart of man.

James 1:2; Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. --- Although YHVH does not send temptation, He does delight in helping us grow stronger through it.

WHAT MAKES TEMPTATION SO ALLURING?

Genesis 3:1-6; The fruit looked so fresh and delicious… so she ate some. --- Satan’s favourite strategy is to make that which is sinful appear to be desirable and good.

1 Kings 11:1-3: Solomon loved many foreign women… And sure enough, they led his heart away from Elohim. --- Often temptation begins in seemingly harmless pleasure, soon gets out of control, and progresses to full-blown idolatry.

IS BEING TEMPTED TO SIN THE SAME AS SINNING?

Hebrews 4:15: [Yeshua] faced all of the same temptations we do, yet He did not sin. Matthew 4:1; Then Yeshua was led out into the wilderness by Ruach HaKodesh to be tempted there by the devil. --- In his own battle with satan, Yeshua demonstrates how to prevent temptation from becoming sin.

HOW CAN I AVOID FALLING INTO TEMPTATION?

Genesis 39:6-12; He ran from the house. --- The best strategy is to flee the situation.

Proverbs 1:10-14: If sinners entice you, turn your back on them! --- Sometimes our greatest tempters are those we think are our friends.

Daniel 1:8; Daniel made up his mind not to defile himself by eating the food. --- A solid commitment made before temptation strikes is the best preventive to sin.

Matthew 6:13; Don’t let us yield to temptation. --- We should make our temptations a constant focus of prayer.

Titus 2:11-12; We are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. --- Faith growth brings an increased awareness and sensitivity to temptation in our lives.