TEMPTATION

Blessed is the man who endures TEMPTATION; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him – James 1:12

Besides being aware of the devil’s devices, we must know how he plans his attacks: through TEMPTATIONS and Wiles. The first step in recognizing the devil's attack is to understand that he works his strategy in one of two ways: by temptations and wiles. Temptation is seduction into disobedience to God. It is an urge to disobey God’s command or instruction. Temptations are more obvious than wiles. They are outright, blatant words, exposures or situations. To be tempted is to be faced with the seeming attractiveness and strong appeal of sin so as to be in danger of being drawn or pulled into it. Temptation should be viewed as a constant peril that is overcome by DAILY watchfulness and absolute dependence upon God, because no one is exempted. It is an experience common to all: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1Cor.10:12).

Temptation will often demand a choice. It forces us to decide for or against God, as Satan tries by means of it to separate us from God (Gen.3: 1-8). The tempter’s aim is to bring us under his control, but we can only fall into temptation through our own lusts that have gone undealt with: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (Jam.1:14). God is not the tempter: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone” (Jam.1:13). God is not the author of temptation, so He can never be accused of being responsible for our sins. Satan, the ruler of this diabolical world system is the tempter, who tries to take advantage of our desires. Praise God, the Judge of all judges has already pronounced judgement against the tempter: “Now, is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out” (Jh.12:31).

The enemy will often use a temptation against you in an area that has caused you trouble in the past in a bid to abort you from the Will of God, to cause you to sin or to harden your heart against the Spirit of the Lord. Temptation may come in various ways, but most obviously through:

• our appetites and desires: David’s attraction into adultery (2Sam.11:2); Job’s covenant (Job 31:1; Mt.5:27-28);
• weakness of our flesh: “watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak” (Mk.14:38); and
• pride of position or status which inflates us and makes us to forget our place before God: Herod (Acts 12:21-23).

Temptation may also come through the most unlikely instrumentality, such as an intimate friend who misinterprets God’s will for us, and wants us to choose an easy way rather than God’s way, as Peter suggested to Jesus (Mt.16:22-23).

Temptations differ from trials, although the New Testament usually employs the identical Greek word for both. When God’s involvement is evident, testing or trial is in view rather than temptation, such as: Abraham’s trial of faith (Gen.22:1-19; Heb.11:17-19); Job’s trials (Job 1:6-22; 2:1-7). Whatever the temptation may be, those that trust in the Lord remain safe and secure: “then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations…” (2Pet.2:9a). If Satan was audacious enough to tempt our Lord Jesus Christ, who else will he not attempt to tempt? (Mt.4:1-11; Lk.4:1-13). Our great High Priest “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb.4:15b). His identification with us and His death on the Cross paid for our freedom from the clutches of temptation. To be tempted is not sin. Falling into temptation is sin. God always makes a way of escape in every temptation: “…but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1Cor.10:13b).