Been There

'Battling Temptation'

 Matthew 4:1-3   Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

“Temptation is anything that promises satisfaction at the cost of your obedience to God.” –Tim Challies

• The Process of Temptation to Sin: Starts with Thought, then Mental Choice resulting in Action.
• Three Truths from Jesus About Temptation:

#1 A loving God is always present in your situation.   It’s not a sin to be tempted. Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin.” God may test you,  but  He’ll never tempt you.  James 1:13-15:   When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.”  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone…

#2 There is a path that leads to your temptation.  You’re most vulnerable to temptation when you’re weak, and when you think you’re strong. 1 Corinthians 10:12 “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” Temptation often comes through a door that’s been deliberately left open.  So one of the best ways to resist temptation is to eliminate it. Proverbs 4:14-15 “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it;  turn from it and go on your way.”

#3 God will always give you a way out.  “…God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.    But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13:

• What If You Fail Again? “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”  2 Corinthians 7:10