What Can I Do When I Am Tempted To Do

What I Don’t Want To Do?

1 COR 10:13

 

 

(Paraphrase).... " There hath NO temptation taken ME but such as is common to ME and others like ME, but GOD is faithful, who will not allow ME to be tempted above what I am able, but will with the  temptation make a way to escape that I will be able to bear it. "

 

- may be in the form of "lust" - desire

        - may be in the form of "trial" - trouble

  

- "NO" - Not even one - No exceptions

 

- "Taken"-Seized-grabbed - overcome -attacked.

          Captured - Come upon - happened.

 

- "Common" - ordinary - same

           - Solomon - "nothing new under sun"

           - Heb. 4:15 "We have not a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are."

  

- Devil is subtle - sly – suggestive and sneaky.  However He has no new tools.

 

1. Lust of the flesh. - Stones

2. Lust of the eyes. - Kingdoms

3. Pride of life. - Jump

 

Many new Christians think that getting saved will make all lust for sin to go away. Actually, some new Christians will suffer more severe temptation than ever.

On the other hand, God takes away from some all desire for vile sin at the moment of salvation. They never have to face it again. I’ve seen God take away alcoholism, addiction to smoking or cursing, at the moment of salvation. And yet I’ve seen many face continued temptation to these sins.

 

Some Christians get into sin, simply because they are tempted. We do not give in to every salesman that asks us to buy his product. We do not give in to every commercial on television simply because it is aired. Neither should we give in to every sin simply because it comes across our path.

 

• THE PURPOSE OF TEMPTATION.
• THE PROTECTION IN TEMPTATION.
• THE PROCEDURE TO USE IN TEMPTATION.

 

 1. THE PURPOSE OF TEMPTATION.

 

   Tempted and tried, were oft made to wonder

   Why it should be thus, all the day long.

   Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine

   We'll understand it all by & by.

 

   A. To PROVE His children.

1 Peter 1:6-7

    Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: [7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 

   B. To teach us lessons we would not learn otherwise.

1 Peter 4:12

    Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1 Peter 4:13

    But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

 

   C. Provide opportunities for promotion.

      (James 1:12)

James 1:12

    Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

   D. Build patience and endurance.

      (James 1:2)

James 1:2

    My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

   E. Keep us from self-sufficiency

      (2 Cor. 12:7)

 2 Cor. 12:7

    And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

 

2. THE PROTECTION IN TEMPTATION.

  "God is faithful, & will not suffer you..."

 

   A. God guarantees to limit type of temptation, intensity of temptation, time of temptation.

 

"He giveth more Grace, when the burdens grow greater"

 

   B. Promises to provide a way of escape.

      No promise to deliver from tempting.

      Comes on the scene at right time, place, and He brings right tools.

 

"Heb. 2:18 "For in that He himself both suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted."

 

3. THE PROCEDURE TO USE IN TEMPTATION.

     - Rejoice & stay on the victory side. (up)

       (James 1:2), (2 Cor. 7:4) (Phil.4:4)

2 Cor. 7:4

    Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

Philip. 4:4

    Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

     - Responsibility to Endure tempting.

       (James 1:12) no murmuring - Job's wife.

     - Pray about temptation. ("Lead us not"

       (Mt.6:13)

      - "Flee Idolatry"  (1 Cor.10:14)

       "Flee youthful lusts" (1 Tim.2:22)

     - Consider Joseph.

     - Consider Daniel.

     - Destroy that which may be an instrument of sin and downfall.

     (Rom. 13:14) "make no provision for the flesh"

 

     - Don't allow curiosity to keep T.V. on.

     - Don't leave that bottle of booze there on that shelf.

     - Don't be alone w/ your computer screen.

     - Don't allow a situation to develop & put you in a bad situation.

 

"Can a man take fire in his bosom and not be burned." (Prov. 6:27)

 

Solomon, "He who walks with wise men become wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed." (Pro. 13:20)

 

1 John 1:7

    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

 

PRACTICE OVERCOMING TEMPTATION.

1. A Christian does not have to give in to temptation. Every time he wins the victory, he should realize that is one step in a long staircase toward spiritual maturity. Every victory is a step forward.

 

2. Someone said, "Success is failure with a new coat of paint." We realize that we have failed, but we learn our lessons from our failure. Then we continue to overcome our failures.

 

3. Every victory should form a pattern of success that will give us a habit of succeeding.

 

THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD YIELD HIMSELF COMPLETE TO GOD.

1. There should be an active commitment of the will to God. "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God" (Romans 6:13).

 

2. Yielding means surrender. When an army surrenders to its enemy, it lays down its arms. That’s what a Christian should do. Give yourself to God. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness" (Romans 6:16).

 

3. A great preacher once said, "God will not burglarize your will." God will not drag people kicking and screaming into spiritual maturity. Every person must decide to serve Jesus Christ and every person must decide to grow in Christ. God will not make us a spiritual Christian, but if we decide to become a spiritual Christian, God will work to accomplish that goal.

 

THE CHRISTIAN MUST ACCEPT THE LEADERSHIP OF CHRIST.

1. First we must come to Jesus Christ. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:28, 29).

 

2. When you accept the leadership of Christ, you let him become the Lord of your life. Jesus Christ is always the Lord, but many people do not let Him become the Lord of their life. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).

 

A CHRISTIAN MUST WALK BY FAITH

1. Faith is having trust in our heavenly Father. When a father would not let his little boy play in the street, the little boy got mad. He complained that his father was "mean." The little boy was wrong. His father was only protecting his son from danger, he was still his father. When we walk by faith, we trust our heavenly Father and not our own insight.

 

2. Faith is always looking to God to direct our life, and following the written principles in the Word of God. One of the best statements of faith in God’s word is Hebrews 12:2. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."

 

If we are looking unto Jesus, we are not looking to our temptation. Every Christian can overcome temptation if he is looking unto Jesus.